LOW-POWER WIRELESS COMMUNICATION APPARATUS AND METHOD

• US 20070205872A1
• Filed: 12/04/2006
• Published: 09/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd. (Samsung Group)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd. (Samsung Group)
• Inventors: Park, Tah Joon, Kim, Jeong Hoon, Kim, Joong Jin, Kim, Ji Hoon, Han, Dong Ok, Kim, Eung Jun
• Application Number:
  US11/566,608
• Publication Number:
  US 20070205872A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/10.330
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0229 where the received signal is a wanted signal
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Provided is a low-power wireless communication apparatus and method. In the apparatus, a low-noise amplifier amplifies an RF signal in an on state, the low-noise amplifier be turned on/off according to a predetermined control signal. A wake-up signal detector detects a wake-up signal from the amplified RF signal. A controller provides the predetermined control signal such that the low-noise amplifier and the wake-up signal detector operate at a predetermined on-off duty ratio in a sleep mode corresponding to an Rx waiting state, and switching to an Rx mode to maintain the on state of the low-noise amplifier when the wake-up signal is detected.

Claims

1. A low-power wireless communication apparatus comprising:

a low-noise amplifier for amplifying an RF signal in an on state, the low-noise amplifier being turned on/off according to a predetermined control signal;

a wake-up signal detector for detecting a wake-up signal from the amplified RF signal; and

a controller for providing the predetermined control signal such that the low-noise amplifier and the wake-up signal detector operate at a predetermined on-off duty ratio in a sleep mode corresponding to an Rx waiting state, and switching to an Rx mode to maintain the on state of the low-noise amplifier when the wake-up signal is detected.

2. The low-power wireless communication apparatus of claim 1, wherein the on-off duty ratio of the low-noise amplifier is automatically set depending on communication environments.

3. The low-power wireless communication apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a receiver for receiving the amplified RF signal of the low-noise amplifier in the Rx mode; and

a first switch for selectively connecting the low-noise amplifier to one of the wake-up signal detector and the receiver,

wherein the controller controls the first switch such that the low-noise amplifier is connected to the wake-up signal detector in the sleep mode and is connected to the receiver in the Rx mode.

4. The low-power wireless communication apparatus of claim 3, further comprising:

a transmitter for transmitting an RF signal in a Tx mode;

an antenna for transmitting/receiving the RF signal; and

a second switch for selectively connecting the antenna to one of the low-noise amplifier and the transmitter,

wherein the controller controls the second switch such that the antenna is connected to the low-noise amplifier in the sleep mode and the Rx mode and is connected to the transmitter in the Tx mode.

5. The low-power wireless communication apparatus of claim 3, wherein the controller determines whether the RF signal received by the receiver is valid, switches to the sleep mode if the RF signal is invalid, controls the Tx/Rx operation of the RF signal if the RF signal is valid, and switches to the sleep mode after completion of the Tx/Rx operation of the RF signal

6. The low-power wireless communication apparatus of claim 5, wherein the controller maintains an off mode during a predetermined time before switching to the sleep mode, where the low-noise amplifier, the wake-up signal detector and the receiver are in an off state at the off mode.

7. The low-power wireless communication apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wake-up signal detector comprises:

a high-gain amplifier for re-amplifying the amplified RF signal of the low-noise amplifier;

a rectifier for rectifying the re-amplified RF signal;

an integrator for integrating the rectified RF signal; and

a comparator for generating a wake-up detection signal if the integrated RF signal exceeds a predetermined threshold point.

8. A low-power wireless communication apparatus comprising:

an antenna for transmitting/receiving an RF signal;

a low-noise amplifier for amplifying an RF signal from the antenna in an on state, the low-noise amplifier being turned on/off according to a predetermined control signal;

a wake-up signal detector for detecting a wake-up signal from the amplified RF signal;

a receiver for receiving the amplified RF signal of the low-noise amplifier in an Rx mode;

a transmitter for transmitting an RF signal in a Tx mode;

a first switch for selectively connecting the low-noise amplifier to one of the wake-up signal detector and the receiver;

a second switch for selectively connecting the antenna to one of the low-noise amplifier and the transmitter; and

a controller for providing the predetermined control signal such that the low-noise amplifier operates at a predetermined on-off duty ratio in a sleep mode corresponding to an Rx waiting state, and switching to the Rx mode to maintain the on state of the low-noise amplifier when the wake-up signal is detected,

wherein the controller controls the first switch and the second switch such that the antenna is connected to the low-noise amplifier and the wake-up signal detector in the sleep mode;

that the antenna is connected to the low-noise amplifier and the receiver in the Rx mode; and

the antenna is connected to the transmitter in the Tx mode.

9. A low-power wireless communication method comprising the steps of:

receiving and amplifying an RF signal at a predetermined on-off duty ratio in a sleep mode corresponding to an Rx waiting state;

detecting a wake-up signal from the amplified RF signal;

determining the validity of the wake-up signal;

transmitting the RF signal if the wake-up signal is valid; and

switching to the sleep mode after completion of the transmission/reception of the RF signal.

10. The low-power wireless communication method of claim 9, further comprising the step of setting the predetermined on-off duty ratio depending on communication environments.

11. The low-power wireless communication method of claim 9, wherein the step of detecting the wake-up signal from the amplified RF signal comprises the steps of:

detecting the wake-up signal;

rectifying the amplified RF signal;

integrating the rectified RF signal; and

comparing the integrated RF signal with a predetermined threshold point.

12. The low-power wireless communication method of claim 9, wherein the validity of the wake-up signal is determined by receiving data after the detection of the wake-up signal.

13. The low-power wireless communication method of claim 9, further comprising the step of switching to the sleep mode if the wake-up signal is invalid.

14. The low-power wireless communication method of claim 9, further comprising the step of switching to an off mode where an off state is maintained during a predetermined time before the switching to the sleep mode.

15. The low-power wireless communication method of claim 12, further comprising the step of switching to an off mode where an off state is maintained during a predetermined time before the switching to the sleep mode.