Ultra-wideband communication apparatus and methods

• US 20050053121A1
• Filed: 10/12/2004
• Published: 03/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Intellectual Ventures Holding 73 LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Intellectual Ventures Holding 73 LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Lakkis, Ismail
• Application Number:
  US10/962,935
• Publication Number:
  US 20050053121A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 375/130
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/71637 Receiver aspects H04B1/7183 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/719 Interference-related aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/022 Site diversity; Macro-diversity using two or more spaced independent antennas H04B7/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0667 of delayed versions of same signal using space-time coding H04L1/0618
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/068 using space frequency diversity space-frequency coding H04L1/0606
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0814 based on current reception conditions, e.g. switching to different antenna when signal level is below threshold
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0894 using different delays between antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/10 Polarisation diversity; Directional diversity
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/12 Frequency diversity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0002 by adapting the transmission rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0026 Transmission of channel quality indication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/06 using space diversity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0618 Space-time coding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2025/0335 characterised by the type of transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2025/03445 Time domain
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2025/03522 Frequency domain
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/0204 of multiple channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/0212 of impulse response
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0005 Time-frequency
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0041 Frequency-non-contiguous

Abstract

Ultra-wideband (UWB) communication systems and apparatus are provided. One embodiment of an UWB receiver may include a first antenna that receives UWB pulses, and a second antenna that also receives UWB pulses. The UWB receiver also includes a delay element communicating with the second antenna, with the delay element delaying the UWB pulses received by the second antenna. A combiner in the receiver then combines the UWB pulses received by the first antenna with the delayed UWB pulses received by the second antenna. This Abstract is provided for the sole purpose of complying with the Abstract requirement rules that allow a reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the disclosure contained herein. This Abstract is submitted with the explicit understanding that it will not be used to interpret or to limit the scope or the meaning of the claims.

Claims

1. An ultra-wideband receiver, comprising:

a first antenna configured to receive a plurality of ultra-wideband pulses;

a second antenna configured to receive the plurality of ultra-wideband pulses;

a delay element communicating with the second antenna, the delay element structured to delay the plurality of ultra-wideband pulses received by the second antenna; and

a combiner structured to combine the plurality of ultra-wideband pulses received by the first antenna with the delayed ultra-wideband pulses received by the second antenna.

2. The ultra-wideband receiver of claim 1, wherein a delay element function is performed by a set of computer readable instructions.

3. The ultra-wideband receiver of claim 1, wherein the delay element is included within a general purpose digital processor.

4. The ultra-wideband receiver of claim 1, wherein the delay element is included within a baseband computer processor.

5. The ultra-wideband receiver of claim 4, wherein the baseband computer processor is structured to dynamically update the delay applied by the delay element.

6. The ultra-wideband receiver of claim 4, wherein the baseband computer processor is configured to determine a delay spread for the plurality of ultra-wideband pulses received by the first antenna and to dynamically update the delay applied by the delay element to the plurality of ultra-wideband pulses received by the second antenna based on a delay spread for the plurality of ultra-wideband pulses received by the first antenna.

7. The ultra-wideband receiver of claim 6, wherein the delay spread for the plurality of ultra-wideband pulses received by the first antenna is an average delay spread.

8. The ultra-wideband receiver of claim 6, wherein the delay spread for the plurality of ultra-wideband pulses received by the first antenna is a maximum delay spread.

9. The ultra-wideband receiver of claim 1, wherein the delay element is structured to delay the plurality of ultra-wideband pulses received by the second antenna by a fixed delay.

10. The ultra-wideband receiver of claim 4, wherein the baseband computer processor is configured to substantially continually dynamically update the delay applied by the delay element.

11. The ultra-wideband receiver of claim 4, wherein the baseband computer processor is configured to periodically dynamically update the delay applied by the delay element.

12. The ultra-wideband receiver of claim 4, wherein the baseband computer processor is configured to non-periodically dynamically update the delay applied by the delay element.

13. The ultra-wideband receiver of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of antennas configured to receive the plurality of ultra-wideband pulses, and a plurality of delay elements communicating with the plurality of antennas, the plurality of delay elements configured to delay the plurality of ultra-wideband pulses received by the plurality of antennas.

14. An ultra-wideband communication method, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a first ultra-wideband pulse with a first antenna;

receiving a second ultra-wideband pulse with a second antenna;

delaying the second ultra-wideband pulse received by the second antenna by a determined amount; and

combining the first ultra-wideband pulse received by the first antenna and the delayed second ultra-wideband pulse received by the second antenna; and

processing the combined ultra-wideband pulses.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the determined amount of delay applied to the second ultra-wideband pulse comprises an average delay spread.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the determined amount of delay applied to the second ultra-wideband pulse comprises a maximum delay spread.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the determined amount of delay applied to the second ultra-wideband pulse comprises a fixed delay.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of delaying the second ultra-wideband pulse by a determined amount comprises delaying the second ultra-wideband pulse by substantially continually dynamically delaying the second ultra-wideband pulse.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of delaying the second ultra-wideband pulse by a determined amount comprises periodically dynamically updating the delay applied to the second ultra-wideband pulse.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of delaying the second ultra-wideband pulse by a determined amount comprises non-periodically dynamically updating the delay applied to the second ultra-wideband pulse.

21. The method of claim 14, further comprising the steps of:

dynamically updating the determined amount of delay applied to the second ultra-wideband pulse based on a delay spread of the first ultra-wideband pulses received by the first antenna.

22. The method of claim 14, further comprising the steps of:

dynamically updating the determined amount of delay applied to the second ultra-wideband pulse based on an average delay spread for the first ultra-wideband pulses received by the first antenna.

23. The method of claim 14, further comprising the steps of:

dynamically updating the determined amount of delay applied to the second ultra-wideband pulse based on a maximum delay spread for the first ultra-wideband pulses received by the first antenna.