Intermec Corp, based in Everett, Washington, has been licensed to sell spread spectrum radio frequency data collection systems. The US Federal Communications Commission licence follows PCN America’s licence to use spread spectrum over its cellular phone network and Agilis’s use of the technology in its wireless handheld workstations. Intermec will use the frequency collection method in its barcode reader systems for warehouses. The reader scans the barcodes and then sends the information to a host computer. Spread spectrum takes the signals in a narrow frequency band and transmits them over a broad range of frequencies with lower energy content, minimising noise and interference with other radio devices. Data transmission rate using the Intermec devices is 122,000 bits per second. The frequency band is 902MHz to 928MHz and the distance range is 2,000ft maximum.
