CODE-MODULATED PATH-SHARING MULTI-SIGNAL SYSTEMS

• US 20080317160A1
• Filed: 03/03/2008
• Published: 12/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Original Assignee: Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Inventors: Tzeng, Fred, Heydari, Payam, Jahanian, Amin
• Granted Patent: US 8,265,118 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 375/295
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/707 using direct sequence modulation
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/7093 Matched filter type

Abstract

Described herein are code-modulated multi-signal systems. In one embodiment, a multi-signal system receives multiple input signals and code-modulates each input signal with a unique code to distinguish the input signal from the other input signals. The input signals may come from multiple antennas, multiple sensors, multiple channels, etc. The code-modulated signals are then combined into a combined signal that is sent through shared blocks and/or transmitted across a shared medium in a shared path. After shared processing and/or shared transmission, the individual signals are recovered using matched filters. Each matched filter contains a code corresponding to one of the unique codes for recovering the corresponding signal from the combined signal. The recovered signals may then be inputted to additional processors for further processing.

Claims

1. A multi-signal system comprising:

a plurality of code-modulators for receiving a plurality of input signals, wherein each code-modulator is configured to modulate one of the input signals with a unique code;

a signal summer coupled to the code-modulators, wherein the signal summer combines the code-modulated signals from the code-modulators into a combined signal;

one or more shared blocks coupled to the signal summer for processing the combined signal in a shared path; and

a plurality of matched filters coupled to the shared blocks, wherein each matched filter includes a code corresponding to one of the unique codes for recovering the corresponding input signal from the combined signal.

2. The multi-signal system of claim 1, wherein the unique codes are based on a CDMA coding scheme.

3. The multi-signal system of claim 1, wherein the code-modulators, shared blocks and matched filters are integrated on a common semiconductor substrate.

4. The multi-signal system of claim 3, wherein the common substrate comprises silicon.

5. The multi-signal system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of antennas, wherein each antenna is coupled to one of the code-modulators.

6. The multi-signal system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of sensors, wherein each sensor is coupled to one of the code-modulators.

7. The multi-signal system of claim 6, wherein the sensors comprise microelectrodes, gas sensors, chemical sensors, and/or tactile sensors.

8. The multi-signal system of claim 1, wherein the shared blocks comprises a frequency down converter for down converting the combined signal to baseband.

9. The multi-signal system of claim 1, wherein the shared blocks comprises an analog to digital converter (ADC) for converting the combined signal from analog domain to digital domain.

10. The multi-signal system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of mixers, wherein each code-modulator is configured to modulate a local oscillator signal with the corresponding unique code, and each mixer is coupled to one of the code-modulators for mixing the code-modulated local oscillator signal with one of the input signals to both code-modulate the input signal and down convert the frequency of the input signal.

21. The multi-signal system of claim 1, wherein each cluster comprises a plurality of antennas, wherein each antenna is coupled to one of the code-modulators in the corresponding cluster.

22. The multi-signal system of claim 1, wherein each cluster comprises a plurality of sensors, wherein each sensor is coupled to one of the code-modulators in the corresponding cluster.

25. The multi-signal system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the input signals is data modulated at a symbol rate, and the corresponding unique code is modulated at a chip rate that is at least two time greater than the symbol rate.

11. A multi-signal system comprising:

a plurality of code-modulators for receiving a plurality of input signals, wherein each code-modulator is configured to modulate one of the input signals with a unique code;

a signal summer coupled to the code-modulators, wherein the signal summer combines the code-modulated signals from the code-modulators into a combined signal, wherein the combined signal is transmitted across a shared medium in a shared path; and

a plurality of matched filters for receiving the combined signal, wherein each matched filter includes a code corresponding to one of the unique codes for recovering the corresponding input signal from the combined signal.

12. The multi-signal system of claim 11, wherein the unique codes are based on a CDMA coding scheme.

13. The multi-signal system of claim 11, further comprising a plurality of sensors, wherein each sensor is coupled to one of the code-modulators.

14. The multi-signal system of claim 13, wherein the sensors comprise microelectrodes, gas sensors, chemical sensors, and/or tactile sensors.

15. The multi-signal system of claim 14, wherein the sensors, code-modulators, signal summer and transmitter are incorporated in a device adapted to be implanted in an organism.

16. The multi-signal system of claim 14, wherein the sensors, code-modulators, signal summer and transmitter are incorporated in a hand-held device.

17. The multi-signal system of claim 11, further comprising a transmitting antenna coupled to the signal summer and a receiving antenna coupled to the matched filters, wherein the shared medium comprises air.

18. A multi-signal system comprising:

a plurality of M clusters, wherein each cluster comprises;

a plurality of code-modulators for receiving a plurality of input signals, wherein each code-modulator is configured to modulate one of the input signals with a unique code;

a signal summer coupled to the code-modulators, wherein the signal summer combines the code-modulated signals from the code-modulators into a combined signal, and wherein the combined signal is sent through shared blocks and/or a shared medium in a shared path; and

a plurality of matched filters for receiving the combined signal, wherein each matched filter includes a code corresponding to one of the unique codes for recovering the corresponding input signal from the combined signal; and

a signal processor coupled to the matched filters of the M clusters.

19. The multi-signal system of claim 18, wherein the unique codes are based on a CDMA coding scheme.

20. The multi-signal system of claim 18, wherein the M clusters are integrated on a common semiconductor substrate.

23. A multi-signal system comprising:

a plurality of M clusters, wherein each cluster comprises;

a plurality of first code-modulators for receiving a plurality of input signals, wherein each first code-modulator is configured to modulate one of the input signals with a unique code; and

a first signal summer coupled to the first code-modulators, wherein the signal summer combines the code-modulated signals from the first code-modulators into a first combined signal;

a plurality of cluster code-modulators, wherein each cluster code-modulator is coupled to one of the clusters and is configured to code-modulate the first combined signal from the corresponding cluster with a unique code;

a second signal summer coupled to the cluster code-modulators, wherein the second signal summer is configured to combine the code-modulated signals from the cluster code-modulators into a second combined signal, wherein the second combined signal is sent through shared blocks and/or a shared medium in a shared path;

a plurality of cluster matched filters, wherein each matched filter is configured to recover one of the first combined signals from the second combined signal; and

a plurality of first matched filters coupled to each cluster matched filter, wherein each first matched filter includes a code corresponding to the unique code of one of the input signals for recovering the corresponding input signal from the first combined signal.

24. The multi-signal system of claim 23, wherein the unique codes are based on a CDMA coding scheme.