Overview
ISO/IEC 13156:2011 - Information technology - Telecommunications and information exchange between systems - High rate 60 GHz PHY, MAC and PALs - defines the air interface and link-layer elements for high‑rate wireless communications in the 60 GHz band. The standard specifies a physical layer (PHY), a distributed medium access control (MAC) sublayer, and an HDMI protocol adaptation layer (PAL) to support high‑bandwidth short‑range links, including multimedia transport.
Keywords: ISO/IEC 13156:2011, 60 GHz PHY, 60 GHz MAC, HDMI PAL, high rate 60 GHz wireless
Key topics and technical requirements
The standard covers detailed technical topics that implementers and test labs will use:
- PHY and signal types
- Mathematical frameworks and modulation schemes referenced include SCBT, OFDM, DBPSK, DQPSK, UEP‑QPSK, OOK and 4ASK.
- PLCP (Physical Layer Convergence Protocol) frame formats: preamble, header and payload structure; Type A and Type B PPDU definitions; discovery‑mode signaling.
- MAC sublayer
- Distributed MAC architecture, device addressing and MAC service functionality.
- Frame structures: beacon, discovery, control, command, data and aggregated MAC frames.
- Information Elements (IEs) for capability, channel bonding, DRP (distributed reservation protocol), antenna capabilities, and link measurement.
- Link management features
- Antenna training symbols, closed‑loop/feedback methods, codebook and index feedback, and tracking matrices for beamforming/steering.
- Channel bonding, discovery mode, and channel selection procedures.
- Transmitter and receiver specifications
- Transmit PSD mask, centre‑frequency and symbol clock tolerances, EVM requirements (Type A/Type B), transmit power control and receiver sensitivity metrics.
- PHY timing requirements: turnaround times and inter‑transmission timing.
- HDMI PAL
- Protocol adaptation layer to carry HDMI traffic over the 60 GHz link (defined at MAC/PAL interface level).
Keywords: antenna training, OFDM, channel bonding, PLCP, PPDU, transmitter PSD, receiver sensitivity, MAC frame formats
Practical applications
ISO/IEC 13156:2011 is intended for short‑range, very high throughput wireless links in the 60 GHz spectrum. Typical applications include:
- Wireless HDMI and high‑definition multimedia distribution between consumer electronics.
- In‑room gigabit wireless data links and docking stations.
- Point‑to‑point indoor links requiring high throughput and low latency where cable replacement is desired.
- Products that require PHY/MAC interoperability and defined adaptation for HDMI transport.
Keywords: wireless HDMI, high‑rate 60 GHz, in‑room gigabit wireless, multimedia streaming
Who should use this standard
- Chipset and radio module designers implementing 60 GHz PHY/MAC.
- Device manufacturers building wireless HDMI or multimedia products.
- System integrators and network architects deploying short‑range high‑throughput links.
- Test laboratories and certification bodies validating compliance with 60 GHz PHY/MAC/PAL requirements.
Related standards
ISO/IEC 13156:2011 complements other industry work in the 60 GHz and multimedia adaptation space. For interoperability projects, reference this standard alongside other 60 GHz wireless and HDMI ecosystem specifications.