Passive universal communicator system

• US 5,164,985 A
• Filed: 04/16/1990
• Issued: 11/17/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cedcom Network Systems Pty Limited
• Original Assignee: Paul A. Nysen, Raphael Tobias
• Inventors: Nysen, Paul A., Tobias, Raphael
• Primary Examiner(s): Buczinski, Stephen C.
• Application Number:
  US07/477,996
• Time in Patent Office: 946 Days
• Field of Search: 455/73, 455/127, 455/19, 455/13, 375/1, 375/7, 342/60, 342/50, 342/44, 380/9, 340/572
• US Class Current: 380/271
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/825 with exchange of information between interrogator and responder
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/063 using wireless information transmission between the vehicle and a fixed station identification of vehicles G08G
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/54 using the same frequency for two directions of communication H04B1/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/002 Reducing depolarization effects

Abstract

A communication system includes a base station, called a "Controller" and one or more remote or satellite stations, each called a "Communicator". The controller arbitrates, controls and communicates with the communicators which are in range to receive its transmissions. The communicators receiving a particular controller'"'"'s transmission form a network for that controller for the period in which reception occurs. The controller is the only generator of electromagnetic radiation which it modulates with information relating to its own identity, transactions it undertakes and information it transfers. Each communicator modulates and re-radiates the received transmission using back-scatter. Back-scatter re-radiation keeps the communicator design simple and allows for very sensitive receiver design in the controller. In operation, the controller initiates communication with each communicator by establishing, through a handshake exchange, the unique communications channel it will maintain with that communicator. Once channels are established, the controller repetitively polls each communicator for a sequential, cumulative interchange of data. The controller continually looks out for new communicators entering its network and de-activates polling of communicators whose transactions are complete. Whenever a network is not active because there are no communicators present, or any in need of a transaction or data interchange, the controller polls at a reduced rate.

Claims

1. In apparatus for two-way communication between a transmitter/receiver unit, called a controller, and at least one second transmitter/receiver unit, called a communicator,

said controller comprising:

(a) first means for generating a carrier signal;

(b) second means for modulating said carrier signal with a first informational signal to produce a first modulated carrier signal;

(c) third means for transmitting said first modulated carrier signal as a first electromagnetic wave signal to said communicator;

(d) fourth means for receiving a second electromagnetic wave signal transmitted by said communicator to reproduce a second modulated carrier signal; and

(e) fifth means for demodulating said second modulated carrier signal to reproduce a second informational signal;

each of said communicators comprising;

(a) sixth means for receiving said first electromagnetic wave signal transmitted by said controller to reproduce said first modulated carrier signal;

(b) seventh means for demodulating said first modulated carrier signal to reproduce said first informational signal;

(c) eighth means for backscatter modulating said first modulated carrier signal with a second informational signal to produce a second modulated carrier signal; and

(d) ninth means for transmitting said second modulated carrier signal as said second electromagnetic wave signal;

the improvement wherein said first means comprises means for pseudo-randomly varying the frequency or phase of said carrier signal and said fifth means includes means for mixing said carrier signal with said second modulated carrier signal,

thereby to provide security against jamming, eavesdropping, and/or range gating on said first or second electromagnetic wave signal.

2. The apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein said first means comprises a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) and means for pseudo-randomly varying the voltage applied to said VCO.

3. The apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein said first means comprises a frequency synthesizer for producing a signal of substantially constant frequency, and a signal mixer, coupled to the output of said frequency synthesizer, for mixing a pseudo-randomly varying signal with said constant frequency signal,

thereby to vary the phase of said frequency signal.

4. In apparatus for two-way communication between a transmitter/receiver unit, called a controller, and at least one second transmitter/receiver unit, called a communicator,

said controller comprising:

(a) first means for generating a carrier signal;

(b) second means for modulating said carrier signal with a first informational signal to produce a first modulated carrier signal;

(c) third means for transmitting said first modulated carrier signal as a first electromagnetic wave signal to said communicator;

(d) fourth means for receiving a second electromagnetic wave signal transmitted by said communicator to reproduce a second modulated carrier signal; and

(e) fifth means for demodulating said second modulated carrier signal to reproduce a second informational signal;

each of said communicators comprising;

(a) sixth means for receiving said first electromagnetic wave signal transmitted by said controller to reproduce said first modulated carrier signal;

(b) seventh means for demodulating said first modulated carrier signal to reproduce said first informational signal;

(c) eighth means for backscatter modulating said first modulated carrier signal with a second informational signal to produce a second modulated carrier signal; and

(d) ninth means for transmitting said second modulated carrier signal as said second electromagnetic wave signal;

the improvement wherein said third means and said ninth means include means for orthogonally polarizing said first and second electromagnetic wave signals with respect to each other, thereby to minimize cross talk and the sensitivity of the received signals to the relative orientation of said first and second antennas.

5. The apparatus defined in claim 4, wherein said first and second electromagnetic signals are linearly cross polarized.

6. The apparatus defined in claim 4, wherein said first and second electromagnetic signals are circularly cross polarized.

7. The apparatus defined in claim 4, wherein said third means and said fourth means include a common first antenna and said sixth means and said ninth means include a common second antenna, said first and said second antennas being configured to transmit and receive orthogonally polarized first and second electromagnetic wave signals, respectively.

8. In apparatus for two-way communication between a transmitter/receiver unit, called a controller, and at least one second transmitter/receiver unit, called a communicator,

said controller comprising:

(a) first means for generating a carrier signal;

(b) second means for modulating said carrier signal with a first informational signal to produce a first modulated carrier signal;

(c) third means for transmitting said first modulated carrier signal as a first electromagnetic wave signal to said communicator;

(d) fourth means for receiving a second electromagnetic wave signal transmitted by said communicator to reproduce a second modulated carrier signal; and

(e) fifth means for demodulating said second modulated carrier signal to reproduce a second informational signal;

each of said communicators comprising;

(a) sixth means for receiving said first electromagnetic wave signal transmitted by said controller to reproduce said first modulated carrier signal;

(b) seventh means for demodulating said first modulated carrier signal to reproduce said first informational signal;

(c) eighth means for backscatter modulating said first modulated carrier signal with a second informational signal to produce a second modulated carrier signal; and

(d) ninth means for transmitting said second modulated carrier signal as said second electromagnetic wave signal;

the improvement wherein said sixth means and said ninth means include a common antenna, a common quadrature polarization changeover switch, and first and second feed line means connecting said changeover switch with orthogonal first and second feed points, respectively, on said antenna;

said changeover switch including means for alternating connections between said first and second feed line means, respectively, on one side, and the output of said sixth means and input of said ninth means, respectively, on the other side, thereby to alternate connection of said antenna between said sixth and said ninth means.

9. The apparatus defined in claim 8, wherein said antenna is a patch antenna and said orthogonal first and second feed points are 90°

apart around the edge of the antenna with respect to its center.

10. The apparatus defined in claim 8, wherein said changeover switch comprises four GaAs transistors connected in series with the source of each transistor connected to the drain of another transistor to form a bridge circuit with four node points at the source and drain connections.

11. The apparatus defined in claim 10, wherein two node points on opposite sides of said bridge circuit are each connected, respectively, to two opposite feed points of said antenna through a capacitor and the two remaining node points on opposite sides of said bridge circuit are each connected, respectively, to the remaining two opposite feed points of said antenna through an inductor.

12. The apparatus defined in claim 10, wherein said eighth means includes means for applying control signals to the gates of said transistors.

13. The apparatus defined in claim 12, wherein a common control signal is applied to the gates of two opposite transistors in said bridge circuit and the complement of said common control signal is applied to the gates of the remaining two transistors in said bridge circuit.

14. In apparatus for two-way communication between a transmitter/receiver unit, called a controller, and at least one second transmitter/receiver unit, called a communicator,

said controller comprising:

(a) first means for generating a carrier signal;

(b) second means for modulating said carrier signal with a first informational signal to produce a first modulated carrier signal;

(c) third means for transmitting said first modulated carrier signal as a first electromagnetic wave signal to said communicator;

(d) fourth means for receiving a second electromagnetic wave signal transmitted by said communicator to reproduce a second modulated carrier signal; and

(e) fifth means for demodulating said second modulated carrier signal to reproduce a second informational signal;

each of said communicators comprising;

(a) sixth means for receiving said first electromagnetic wave signal transmitted by said controller to reproduce said first modulated carrier signal;

(b) seventh means for demodulating said first modulated carrier signal to reproduce said first informational signal;

(c) eighth means for backscatter modulating said first modulated carrier signal with a second informational signal to produce a second modulated carrier signal; and

(d) ninth means for transmitting said second modulated carrier signal as said second electromagnetic wave signal;

the improvement wherein said seventh means comprises a delay line having first and second terminals at opposite ends and connected to receive said first modulated carrier signal at said first terminal and said second modulated carrier signal at said opposite terminal;

signal summing means having two inputs and an output;

a first diode connecting in the forward direction said first terminal with one of said inputs and a second diode connecting in the forward direction said second terminal with said other input;

said output of said summing means providing said first informational signal, independent of the standing wave ratio.

15. The apparatus defined in claim 14, wherein said delay line delays the signal passing therethrough by 90°

of the phase of said carrier signal.

16. The apparatus defined on claim 14, wherein said first informational signal forms a serial bit stream, and wherein said delay line delays a signal by one bit period of said first informational signal.

17. In apparatus for two-way communication between a transmitter/receiver unit, called a controller, and at least one second transmitter/receiver unit, called a communicator,

said controller comprising:

(a) first means for generating a carrier signal;

(b) second means for modulating said carrier signal with a first informational signal to produce a first modulated carrier signal;

(c) third means for transmitting said first modulated carrier signal as a first electromagnetic wave signal to said communicator;

(d) fourth means for receiving a second electromagnetic wave signal transmitted by said communicator to reproduce a second modulated carrier signal; and

(e) fifth means for demodulating said second modulated carrier signal to reproduce a second informational signal;

each of said communicators comprising;

(a) sixth means for receiving said first electromagnetic wave signal transmitted by said controller to reproduce said first modulated carrier signal;

(b) seventh means for demodulating said first modulated carrier signal to reproduce said first informational signal;

(c) eighth means for backscatter modulating said first modulated carrier signal with a second informational signal to produce a second modulated carrier signal; and

(d) ninth means for transmitting said second modulated carrier signal as said second electromagnetic wave signal;

the improvement comprising tracking cancellation circuit means, coupled between said third means and said fourth means, for producing a cancellation signal in dependence upon said first modulated carrier signal, said cancellation signal being injected into the receiving path of said fourth means to reduce echo and cross talk in said second modulated carrier signal.

18. The apparatus defined in claim 17, wherein said cancellation circuit means includes means for adjusting the amplitude of said cancellation signal.

19. The apparatus defined in claim 17, wherein said cancellation circuit means includes means for adjusting the phase of said cancellation signal.

20. In apparatus for two-way communication between a transmitter/receiver unit, called a controller, and at least one second transmitter/receiver unit, called a communicator,

said controller comprising:

(a) first means for generating a carrier signal;

(b) second means for modulating said carrier signal with a first informational signal to produce a first modulated carrier signal;

(c) third means for transmitting said first modulated carrier signal as a first electromagnetic wave signal to said communicator;

(d) fourth means for receiving a second electromagnetic wave signal transmitted by said communicator to reproduce a second modulated carrier signal; and

(e) fifth means for demodulating said second modulated carrier signal to reproduce a second informational signal;

each of said communicators comprising;

(a) sixth means for receiving said first electromagnetic wave signal transmitted by said controller to reproduce said first modulated carrier signal;

(b) seventh means for demodulating said first modulated carrier signal to reproduce said first informational signal;

(c) eighth means for backscatter modulating said first modulated carrier signal with a second informational signal to produce a second modulated carrier signal; and

(d) ninth means for transmitting said second modulated carrier signal as said second electromagnetic wave signal;

the improvement wherein said fifth means comprises a quadrature detector, coupled to said first means and said fourth means, for producing quadrature in-phase (I) and quadrature phase (Q) outputs and a quadrature summing amplifier, coupled to said quadrature detector, for summing said in-phase and quadrature phase outputs.

21. The apparatus defined in claim 20, wherein said eighth means provides frequency shift key modulation, and wherein said fifth means further includes a frequency shift key demodulator comprising:

(1) a first channel coupled to receive the output of said quadrature summing amplifier comprising a first band pass filter and a first log detector connected in series;

(2) a second channel coupled to receive the output of said quadrature summing amplifier and comprising a second band pass filter and a second log detector connected in series; and

(3) a difference amplifier connected to the outputs of said first and second channels for producing an output signal representing the difference between the output signals received from said first and second channels.

22. The apparatus defined in claim 21,

wherein said frequency shift key demodulator further comprises a summing amplifier connected to the outputs of the first and second channels for producing an output signal representing the sum of the output signals received from said first and second channels.

23. In apparatus for two-way communication between a transmitter/receiver unit, called a controller, and at least one second transmitter/receiver unit, called a communicator,

said controller comprising:

(a) first means for generating a carrier signal;

(b) second means for modulating said carrier signal with a first informational signal to produce a first modulated carrier signal;

(c) third means for transmitting said first modulated carrier signal as a first electromagnetic wave signal to said communicator;

(d) fourth means for receiving a second electromagnetic wave signal transmitted by said communicator to reproduce a second modulated carrier signal; and

(e) fifth means for demodulating said second modulated carrier signal to reproduce a second informational signal;

each of said communicators comprising;

(a) sixth means for receiving said first electromagnetic wave signal transmitted by said controller to reproduce said first modulated carrier signal;

(b) seventh means for demodulating said first modulated carrier signal to reproduce said first informational signal;

(c) eighth means for backscatter modulating said first modulated carrier signal with a second informational signal to produce a second modulated carrier signal; and

(d) ninth means for transmitting said second modulated carrier signal as said second electromagnetic wave signal;

the improvement wherein said second means includes means for amplitude modulating said carrier signal with three zone bit coding,

a first zone bit being modulated at the 100% level;

a second zone bit being modulated between the 50 and 100% levels in dependence upon said first informational signal; and

a third zone bit being modulated at the 50% level.

24. The apparatus defined in claim 23, wherein said seventh means includes means for determining when said third zone bit is at a zero level, and said eighth means includes means for retransmitting the last bit sent when a received third bit is at a zero level.

25. The apparatus defined in claim 23, wherein said first zone bit is modulated at the 50% level at the beginning of each digital frame.

26. In apparatus for two-way communication between a transmitter/receiver unit, called a controller, and at least one second transmitter/receiver unit, called a communicator,

said controller comprising:

(a) first means for generating a carrier signal;

(b) second means for modulating said carrier signal with a first informational signal to produce a first modulated carrier signal;

(c) third means for transmitting said first modulated carrier signal as a first electromagnetic wave signal to said communicator;

(d) fourth means for receiving a second electromagnetic wave signal transmitted by said communicator to reproduce a second modulated carrier signal; and

(e) fifth means for demodulating said second modulated carrier signal to reproduce a second informational signal;

each of said communicators comprising;

(a) sixth means for receiving said first electromagnetic wave signal transmitted by said controller to reproduce said first modulated carrier signal;

(b) seventh means for demodulating said first modulated carrier signal to reproduce said first informational signal;

(c) eighth means for backscatter modulating said first modulated carrier signal with a second informational signal to produce a second modulated carrier signal; and

(d) ninth means for transmitting said second modulated carrier signal as said second electromagnetic wave signal;

the improvement wherein said eighth means includes image reject mixer means and means for selecting one of the upper and lower sidebands for single sideband modulation.

27. In apparatus for two-way communication between a transmitter/receiver unit, called a controller, and at least one second transmitter/receiver unit, called a communicator,

said controller comprising:

(a) first means for generating a carrier signal;

(b) second means for modulating said carrier signal with a first informational signal to produce a first modulated carrier signal;

(c) third means for transmitting said first modulated carrier signal as a first electromagnetic wave signal to said communicator;

(d) fourth means for receiving a second electromagnetic wave signal transmitted by said communicator to reproduce a second modulated carrier signal; and

(e) fifth means for demodulating said second modulated carrier signal to reproduce a second informational signal;

each of said communicators comprising;

(a) sixth means for receiving said first electromagnetic wave signal transmitted by said controller to reproduce said first modulated carrier signal;

(b) seventh means for demodulating said first modulated carrier signal to reproduce said first informational signal;

(c) eighth means for backscatter modulating said first modulated carrier signal with a second informational signal to produce a second modulated carrier signal; and

(d) ninth means for transmitting said second modulated carrier signal as said second electromagnetic wave signal;

the improvement wherein said fifth means includes image reject mixer means for mixing both said carrier signal and a 90°

delayed version of said carrier signal with said second modulated carrier signal;

means for separating the upper and lower sidebands; and

means for demodulating the selected sideband.

28. In apparatus for two-way communication between a transmitter/receiver unit, called a controller, and at least one second transmitter/receiver unit, called a communicator,

said controller comprising:

(a) first means for generating a carrier signal;

(b) second means for modulating said carrier signal with a first informational signal to produce a first modulated carrier signal;

(c) third means including a first antenna for transmitting said first modulated carrier signal as a first electromagnetic wave signal to said communicator;

(d) fourth means including said first antenna for receiving a second electromagnetic wave signal transmitted by said communicator to reproduce a second modulated carrier signal; and

(e) fifth means for demodulating said second modulated carrier signal to reproduce a second informational signal;

each of said communicators comprising;

(a) sixth means including a second antenna for receiving said first electromagnetic wave signal transmitted by said controller to reproduce said first modulated carrier signal;

(b) seventh means for demodulating said first modulated carrier signal to reproduce said first informational signal;

(c) eighth means for backscatter modulating said first modulated carrier signal with a second informational signal to produce said second modulated carrier signal; and

(d) ninth means including said second antenna for transmitting said second modulated carrier signal as said second electromagnetic wave signal;

the improvement wherein said third means and said fourth means include means for orthogonally polarizing said first and second electromagnetic wave signals with respect to each other, thereby to minimize cross talk and the sensitivity of the received signals to the relative orientation of said first and second antennas.

29. The apparatus defined in claim 28, wherein said first and second electromagnetic signals are linearly cross polarized.

30. The apparatus defined in claim 28, wherein said first and second electromagnetic signals are circularly cross polarized.

31. The apparatus defined in claim 28, wherein said third means and said fourth means include a common first antenna and said sixth means and said ninth means include a common second antenna, said first and said second antennas being configured to transmit and receive orthogonally polarized first and second electromagnetic wave signals, respectively.

32. The apparatus defined in claim 28, wherein said first means comprises means for pseudo-randomly varying the frequency or phase of said carrier signal and said fifth means includes means for mixing said carrier signal with said second modulated carrier signal,

thereby to provide security against jamming, eavesdropping, and/or range gating on said first or second electromagnetic wave signal.

33. The apparatus defined in claim 32, wherein said first means comprises a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) and means for psuedo-randomly varying the voltage applied to said VCO.

34. The apparatus defined in claim 32, wherein said first means comprises a frequency synthesizer for producing a signal of substantially constant frequency, and a signal mixer, coupled to the output of said frequency synthesizer, for mixing a pseudo-randomly varying signal with said constant frequency signal,

thereby to vary the phase of said frequency signal.

35. The apparatus defined in claim 28, wherein said sixth means and said ninth means include a common antenna, a common quadrature polarization changeover switch, and first and second feed line means connecting said changeover switch with orthogonal first and second feed points, respectively, on said antenna;

said changeover switch including means for alternating connections between said first and second feed line means, respectively, on one side, and the output of said sixth means and input of said ninth means, respectively, on the other side, thereby to alternate connection of said antenna between said sixth and said ninth means.

36. The apparatus as defined in claim 35, wherein said antenna is a patch antenna and said orthogonal first and second feed points are 90°

apart around the edge of the antenna with respect to its center.

37. The apparatus defined in claim 35, wherein said changeover switch comprises four GaAs transistors connected in series with the source of each transistor connected to the drain of another transistor to form a bridge circuit with four node points at the source and drain connections.

38. The apparatus defined in claim 37, wherein two node points on opposite sides of said bridge circuit are each connected, respectively, to two opposite feed points of said antenna through a capacitor and the two remaining node points on opposite sides of said bridge circuit are each connected, respectively, to the remaining two opposite feed points of said antenna through an inductor.

39. The apparatus defined in claim 37, wherein said eighth means includes means for applying control signals to the gates of said transistors.

40. The apparatus defined in claim 39, wherein a common control signal is applied to the gates of two opposite transistors in said bridge circuit and the complement of said common control signal is applied to the gates of the remaining two transistors in said bridge circuit.

41. The apparatus defined in claim 28, further comprising tracking cancellation circuit means, coupled between said third means and said fourth means, for producing a cancellation signal in dependence upon said first modulated carrier signal, said cancellation signal being injected into the receiving path of said fourth means to reduce echo and cross talk in said second modulated carrier signal.

42. The apparatus defined in claim 41, wherein said cancellation circuit means includes means for adjusting the amplitude of said cancellation signal.

43. The apparatus defined in claim 41, wherein said cancellation circuit means includes means for adjusting the phase of said cancellation signal.

44. The apparatus defined in claim 28, the improvement wherein said fifth means comprises a quadrature detector, coupled to said first means and said fourth means, for producing quadrature in-phase (I) and quadrature phase (Q) outputs and a quadrature summing amplifier, coupled to said quadrature detector, for summing said in-phase and quadrature phase outputs.

45. The apparatus defined in claim 44, wherein said eighth means provides frequency shift key modulation, and wherein said fifth means further includes a frequency shift key demodulator comprising:

(1) a first channel coupled to receive the output of said quadrature summing amplifier comprising a first band pass filter and a first log detector connected in series;

(2) a second channel coupled to receive the output of said quadrature summing amplifier and comprising a second band pass filter and a second log detector connected in series; and

(3) a difference amplifier connected to the outputs of said first and second channels for producing an output signal representing the difference between the output signals received from said first and second channels.

46. The apparatus defined in claim 45,

wherein said frequency shift key demodulator further comprises a summing amplifier connected to the outputs of the first and second channels for producing an output signal representing the sum of the output signals received from said first and second channels.

47. The apparatus defined in claim 28, wherein the improvement wherein said second means includes means for amplitude modulating said carrier signal with three zone bit coding,

a first zone bit being modulated at the 100% level;

a second zone bit being modulated between the 50 and 100% levels in dependence upon said first informational signal; and

a third zone bit being modulated at the 50% level.

48. The apparatus defined in claim 47, wherein said seventh means includes means for determining when said third zone bit is at a zero level, and said eighth means includes means for retransmitting the last bit sent when a received third bit is at a zero level.

49. The apparatus defined in claim 47, wherein said first zone bit is modulated at the 50% level at the beginning of each digital frame.

50. The apparatus defined in claim 28, wherein said eighth means includes image reject mixer means and means for selecting one of the upper and lower sidebands for single sideband modulation.

51. The apparatus defined in claim 28, wherein said fifth means includes image reject mixer means for mixing both said carrier signal and a 90°

delayed version of said carrier signal with said second modulated carrier signal;

means for separating the upper and lower sidebands; and

means for demodulating the selected sideband.

52. In apparatus for two-way communication between a transmitter/receiver unit, called a controller, and at least one second transmitter/receiver unit, called a communicator,

said controller comprising:

(a) first means for generating a carrier signal;

(b) second means for modulating said carrier signal with a first informational signal to produce a first modulated carrier signal;

(c) third means for transmitting said first modulated carrier signal as a first electromagnetic wave signal to said communicator;

(d) fourth means for receiving a second electromagnetic wave signal transmitted by said communicator to reproduce a second modulated carrier signal; and

(e) fifth means for demodulating said second modulated carrier signal to reproduce a second informational signal;

each of said communicators comprising;

(a) sixth means for receiving said first electromagnetic wave signal transmitted by said controller to reproduce said first modulated carrier signal;

(b) seventh means for demodulating said first modulated carrier signal to reproduce said first informational signal;

(c) eighth means for backscatter modulating said first modulated carrier signal with a second informational signal to produce a second modulated carrier signal; and

(d) ninth means for transmitting said second modulated carrier signal as said second electromagnetic wave signal;

the improvement wherein said seventh means comprises a delay line having first and second terminals at opposite ends and connected to receive said first modulated carrier signal at said first terminal and said second modulated carrier signal at said opposite terminal;

signal summing means having two inputs and an output;

a first diode connecting in the forward direction said first terminal with one of said inputs and a second diode connecting in the forward direction said second terminal with said other input;

said output of said summing means providing said first informational signal.

53. The apparatus defined in claim 52, wherein said delay line delays the signal passing therethrough by 90°

of the phase of said carrier signal.

54. The apparatus defined on claim 53, wherein said first informational signal forms a serial bit stream, and wherein said delay line delays a signal by one bit period of said first informational signal.

55. A communication system for use in an area having a human environment delimited from below by a floor and from above by an overhead environment substantially clear of human presence, said communication system comprising:

(a) a first information source for independently generating first information;

(b) a second information source for independently generating second information;

(c) a plurality of controllers, each coupled to said first information source and arranged in said overhead environment, for producing a substantially downwardly directed communication beam, imparting said first information to said beam, receiving a reradiated version of said beam and detecting therefrom said second information, the controllers being arranged such that the beams substantially contiguously irradiated a region of said human environment; and

(d) at least one communicator, coupled to said second information source and arranged in said human environment, having means for receiving one of said beams, detecting said first information from said one beam and supplying said first information to an information user, said communicator including means for reradiating said one beam in the direction of the controller that produced it and means for imparting said second information to the reradiated version of said beam.

56. The communication system defined in claim 55, wherein said second information is at an information rate which is substantially the same as that of said first information.

57. The communication system defined in claim 55, wherein said second information source includes said information user.

58. The communication system defined in claim 55, wherein said beam is a radio frequency electromagnetic wave beam.

59. The communication system defined in claim 55, wherein each one of said controllers is connected to at least one other controller.

60. The communication system defined in claim 59, wherein said controllers are interconnected by hard wiring.

61. The communication system defined in claim 59, wherein said controllers are interconnected by a wireless beam.

62. The communication system defined in claim 59, wherein said wireless beam is substantially contained in said overhead environment.

63. The communication system defined in claim 55, wherein a plurality of controllers are interconnected to form a network, wherein a plurality of distinct networks are formed.

64. The communication system defined in claim 55, wherein said reradiating means includes means for back scattering the incident radiation beam.

65. The communication system defined in claim 64, wherein said reradiating means includes means for modulating the back scattered radiation.

66. The communication system defined in claim 55, wherein said downwardly directed beam and said reradiated beam are cross polarized.

67. The communication system defined in claim 66, wherein said downwardly directed beam and said reradiated beam are linearly polarized.

68. The communication system defined in claim 66, wherein said downwardly directed beam and said reradiated beam are circularly polarized.

69. The communication system defined in claim 55, wherein said one beam is substantially cone-shaped with a substantially vertical axis.