Portable transmitter/receiver apparatus with coded data transmission for reduced interference

• US 5,175,868 A
• Filed: 01/12/1990
• Issued: 12/29/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Citizen Holdings Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Citizen Watch Co Limited (Citizen Electronics Company Limited)
• Inventors: Yasuoka, Tadashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Eisenzopf, Reinhard J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pham, Chi H.
• Application Number:
  US07/464,343
• Time in Patent Office: 1,082 Days
• Field of Search: 455/51, 455/38, 455/61, 455/63, 455/343, 340/571, 340/572, 340/573, 340/536, 340/539, 340/825.04, 340/825.14, 340/825.2, 340/825.37, 340/825.45, 340/825.57, 340/825.64, 340/825.49 , 340/825.73, 340/825.44, 340/825.48, 340/825.5, 340/825.21, 340/825.72, 370/84, 370/92
• US Class Current: 340/7.2
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1427 with transmitter-receiver for distance detection
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0222 Message structure or message content, e.g. message protocol
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/023 Power management, e.g. system sleep and wake up provisions

Abstract

A transmitter/receiver apparatus includes a transmitter and a receiver. The transmitter includes an intermittent signal generator and an intermittent modulator. The intermittent signal generator generates an intermittent signal. The intermittent modulator outputs an intermittent modulated signal, as a radio signal, which is obtained by intermittently modulating a carrier on the basis of the intermittent signal. The receiver includes a synchronization determining circuit and a synchronization detector. The synchronization determining circuit has a receiving circuit for receiving the radio signal from the transmitter and outputting a demodulated signal and is designed to detect the presence/absence of the demodulated signal and output a determining signal. The synchronization detector generates an intermittent sync signal having the same period as that of the intermittent signal from the transmitter, and performs a synchronization detecting operation with respect to the intermittent signal from the transmitter on the basis of the intermittent sync signal and the determining signal from the synchronization determining circuit. The intermittent signal generator of the transmitter generates intermittent signals having intervals which cyclically change.

Claims

1. A transmitter/receiver apparatus comprising:

(a) a transmitter including an intermittent signal generator for generating an intermittent signal, said intermittent signal generator comprising an oscillator, a frequency divider for frequency-dividing an oscillation output from said oscillator at predetermined frequency division ratios, a selection gate for selecting a plurality of pulse signals having different periods by using frequency-divided signals from said frequency divider, and an intermittent signal forming circuit for receiving the plurality of pulse signals from said selection gate and outputting intermittent signals whose intervals cyclically change in a predetermined order, said intermittent signal having pulses with different but cyclically repeated intervals, and an intermittent modulator for outputting an intermittently modulated signal, as a radio signal, which is obtained by intermittently modulating a carrier on the basis of the intermittent signal; and

(b) a receiver including a synchronization determining circuit, having a receiving circuit for receiving the radio signal from said transmitter and outputting a demodulated signal, for detecting the demodulated signal and outputting a determining signal, and a synchronization detector for generating an intermittent sync. signal having the same period as that of the intermittent signal from said transmitter, and detecting synchronization operation with respect to the intermittent signal from said transmitter on the basis of the intermittent sync. signal and the determining signal from said synchronization determining circuit, wherein said intermittent signal generator of said transmitter generates intermittent signals having different but cyclically repeated intervals.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said frequency divider comprises a sync. frequency divider which is instantaneously reset by an intermittent signal, and said selection gate is designed to selectively output a plurality of pulse signals having different periods on the basis of frequency-divided signals which are output at a timing when or after said sync. frequency divider is reset.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said intermittent signal forming circuit comprises a synchronization storage circuit having a plurality of intermittent signal designating terminals for outputting designating signals corresponding to the plurality of pulse signals having different periods output from said selection gate, and a plurality of gates for receiving the plurality of pulse signals having different periods output from said selection gate and the designating signals output from said plurality of intermittent signal designating terminals of said synchronization storage circuit, said plurality of gates outputting only pulses of a plurality of input pulse signals, that are designated by the designating signals as intermittent signals.

4. An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said synchronization storage circuit comprises a clock terminal for receiving an intermittent signal, and a cyclic designating circuit for cyclically switching an output order of designating signals output from said intermittent signal designating terminals on the basis of the intermittent signal input to said clock terminal.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said synchronization detector comprises an oscillator, a frequency divider for frequency-dividing an oscillation output from said oscillator at predetermined frequency division ratios, a selection gate for selecting a plurality of pulse signals having different periods by using frequency-divided signals from said frequency divider, and a sync signal forming circuit for receiving the plurality of pulse signals from said selection gate and outputting intermittent sync signals whose intervals cyclically change in a predetermined order.

6. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said synchronization detector further comprises a pulse width increasing circuit for increasing a pulse width of an intermittent sync. signal output from said sync. signal forming circuit.

7. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said frequency divider comprises a sync. frequency divier which is instantaneously reset by a determining signal, and said selection gate is designed to selectively output a plurality of pulse signals having different periods on the basis of frequency-divided signals which are output at a timing when or after said sync. frequency divider is reset.

8. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said sync signal forming circuit comprises a synchronization storage circuit having a plurality of intermittent signal designating terminals for outputting designating signals corresponding to the plurality of pulse signals having different periods output from said selection gate, and a plurality of gates for receiving the plurality of pulse signals having different periods output from said selection gate and the designating signals output from said plurality of intermittent signal designating terminals of said synchronization storage circuit, said plurality of gates outputting only pulses of a plurality of input pulse signals that are designated by the designating signals as intermittent sync. signals.

9. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said synchronization storage circuit comprises a clock terminal for receiving an intermittent signal, and a cyclic designating circuit for cyclically switching an output order of designating signals output from said intermittent signal designating terminals on the basis of the intermittent sync. signal input to said clock terminal.

10. A method of detecting initial synchronization of a transmitter/receiver comprises the steps of:

(a) generating an initializing pulse;

(b) resetting a mode switching circuit by the initializing pulse, and outputting a continuous mode signal;

(c) detecting a radio signal which is output from a transmitter in response to the continuous mode signal, continuously operating a synchronization determining circuit for outputting a determining signal, and holding a synchronization detector in a reset state;

(d) canceling the reset state of said mode switching circuit and stopping output of the continuous mode signal by a first determining signal from said synchronization determining circuit;

(e) setting said synchronization determining circuit in an inoperative state and canceling the reset state of said synchronization detector upon stop of the continuous mode signal;

(f) starting a cyclic designating operation upon cancellation of the reset state so as to cause said synchronization detector to output a plurality of intermittent sync signals included in one cycle in a predetermined order;

(g) operating said synchronization determining circuit in response to the intermittent sync signal;

(h) causing said synchronization detector to store an order of synchronization by detecting a second determining signal and an intermittent sync signal synchronized therewith; and

(i) causing said synchronization detector and said synchronization determining circuit to start an intermittent synchronization mode in the order of synchronization stored in said synchronization detector.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein the step (f) comprises causing said synchronization detector to sequentially output intermittent sync signals in the order of shorter intervals.