Direct sequence spread spectrum system

• US 5,661,750 A
• Filed: 06/06/1995
• Issued: 08/26/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Landis+Gyr Innovations Incorporated (Landis+Gyr Group AG)
• Original Assignee: CellNet Data Systems, Inc. (Landis+Gyr Group AG)
• Inventors: Fulton, Forrest F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bocure, Tesfaldet
• Application Number:
  US08/473,011
• Time in Patent Office: 812 Days
• Field of Search: 375/200, 375/354, 375/206, 375/208, 375/279, 375/295, 375/316, 375/329, 375/367, 364/717, 327/164, 370/105.1, 370/18
• US Class Current: 375/141
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/707 using direct sequence modulation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/18 Phase-modulated carrier systems, i.e. using phase-shift keying H04L27/32 takes precedence

Abstract

A direct-sequence spread spectrum communication system using a high power transmitter and a short spreading sequence which still satisfies FCC Rule 15.247 regarding power density. In addition to the spreading sequence, the carrier signal is modulated with a phase reversal sequence. Typically, each period of the phase reversal sequence has a duration equal to the total duration of the spreading sequence. The phase reversal sequence reduces the maximum power density of the signal, but is transparent to a receiver.

Claims

1. A spread spectrum transmitter apparatus, comprising:

a signal source to generate a signal having a first bandwidth;

a first modulation function which modulates said signal with a pseudo-random pattern to spread said signal across a second bandwidth broader than said first bandwidth, said pseudo-random pattern having a first periodicity equal to a first duration;

a second modulation function which modulates a preamble of said signal with a phase reversal pattern, other than said pseudo-random pattern or a data pattern, said phase reversal pattern being transparent to an acquisition controller of a spread spectrum receiver, said phase reversal pattern selected to reduce the maximum power density of said signal by spreading the power density more uniformly through said second bandwidth by reducing spectral line separation, said phase reversal pattern including a series of phase reversal periods, each of said periods having a second duration; and

an antenna to transmit said signal as modulated by said first and second modulation functions.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said second duration is equal to an integer multiple of said first duration.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said second duration is equal to said first duration.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said pseudo-random pattern is a modulation sequence having an integer number of chips.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said integer number is less than 255.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said integer number is at most 63.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said second duration is equal to an integer multiple of a bit time.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said phase reversal pattern is a pseudo-random sequence.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said pseudo-random sequence is +1, +1, +1, -1, -1, +1, -1.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said phase reversal pattern is a sequence containing only odd-harmonics.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said odd-harmonic sequence is -1, -1, +1, -1, +1, +1, +1, +1, -1, +1, -1, -1.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said phase reversal pattern is a ternary odd-harmonic sequence.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said ternary odd-harmonic sequence is -1, -1, +1, -1, 0, +1, +1, +1, -1, +1, 0, -1.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said apparatus further comprises a data source to generate a data information pattern, and a third modulation function to modulate said signal with said data information pattern.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said second modulator does not modulate said signal during the transmission of data information pattern.

16. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said second modulator modulates said signal during the transmission of data information pattern.

17. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said phase reversal pattern is a pseudo-random sequence.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein said pseudorandom sequence is +1, +1, +1, -1, -1, +1, -1.

19. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said phase reversal pattern is a sequence containing only odd-harmonics.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein said odd-harmonic sequence is -1, -1, +1, -1, +1, +1, +1, +1, -1, +1, -1, -1.

21. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said phase reversal pattern is a ternary odd-harmonic sequence.

22. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein said ternary odd-harmonic sequence is -1, -1, +1, -1, 0, +1, +1, +1, -1, +1, 0, -1.

23. A spread spectrum transmitter apparatus, comprising:

means to generate a transmitted signal having a first bandwidth at a power of one watt;

a first modulation function which modulates said signal with a pseudo-random pattern to spread said signal across a second bandwidth broader than said first bandwidth, said pseudo-random pattern having a periodicity equal to a first duration and a modulation sequence with an integer number of chips less than 255;

a second modulation function which modulates a preamble of said signal with a phase reversal pattern to reduce the maximum power density of said signal, said phase reversal pattern including a series of phase reversal periods, each of said periods having a second duration;

an antenna to transmit said signal as modulated by said first and second modulation functions; and

wherein no more than +8 dBm of power is concentrated in any three kilohertz bandwidth of said signal.

24. A spread spectrum transmitter apparatus, comprising:

means to generate a transmitted signal having a first bandwidth at a power greater than 389 milliwatts;

a first modulation function which modulates said signal with a pseudo-random pattern to spread said signal across a second bandwidth broader than said first bandwidth, said pseudo-random pattern having a periodicity equal to a first duration and a modulation sequence with an integer number of chips equal to or less than 63;

a second modulation function which modulates a preamble of said signal with a phase reversal pattern to reduce the maximum power density of said signal, said phase reversal pattern including a series of phase reversal periods, each of said periods having a second duration;

an antenna to transmit said signal as modulated by said first and second modulation functions; and

wherein no more than +8 dBm of power is concentrated in any three kilohertz bandwidth of said signal.

25. A spread spectrum communication system, comprising:

(a) a transmitter to generate a transmitted signal, said transmitter including

i) a signal source to generate a signal having a first bandwidth,

ii) a data source to generate a data pattern,

iii) a first modulator which modulates said signal with a pseudo-random pattern to spread said signal across a second bandwidth broader than said first bandwidth, said pseudo-random pattern having a first periodicity equal to a first duration,

iv) a second modulator which modulates a preamble of said signal with a phase reversal pattern, other than said pseudo-random pattern or said data pattern, said phase reversal pattern selected to reduce the maximum power density of said signal by spreading the power density more uniformly through said second bandwidth by reducing spectral line separation, said phase reversal pattern including a series of phase reversal periods, each of said periods having a second duration,

v) a third modulator for modulating said signal with said data pattern, and

vi) an antenna to transmit said signal as modulated by said first, second and third modulation functions; and

b) a receiver including

i) an antenna to receive said transmitted signal and provide a received signal,

ii) a local signal source to generate a local signal,

iii) a fourth modulator for modulating said local signal with said pseudo-random pattern,

iv) a fifth modulator for modulating said local signal in response to said received signal, and

v) means for synchronizing said fourth modulator with said first modulator, said phase reversal pattern being transparent to said synchronization means.

26. The system of claim 25 wherein said phase reversal pattern is a pseudo-random sequence.

27. The system of claim 26 wherein said pseudo-random sequence is +1, +1, +1, -1, -1, +1, -1.

28. The system of claim 25 wherein said phase reversal pattern is a sequence containing only odd-harmonics.

29. The system of claim 28 wherein said odd-harmonic sequence is -1, -1, +1, -1, +1, +1, +1, +1, -1, +1, -1, -1.

30. The system of claim 25 wherein said phase reversal pattern is a ternary odd-harmonic sequence.

31. The system of claim 30 wherein said ternary odd-harmonic sequence is -1, -1, +1, -1, 0, +1, +1, +1, -1, +1, 0, -1.

32. The system of claim 25 wherein said receiver further includes a filter for filtering said local signal.

33. The system of claim 32 wherein said receiver has a bandwidth, and said second duration is greater than the inverse of said bandwidth.

34. A method of operating a spread spectrum transmitter, comprising:

generating a signal having a first bandwidth;

modulating said signal with a pseudo-random pattern to spread said signal across a second bandwidth broader than said first bandwidth, said pseudo-random pattern having a first periodicity equal to a first duration;

modulating a preamble of said signal with a phase reversal pattern, other than said pseudo-random pattern or a data pattern, said phase reversal pattern being transparent to an acquisition controller of a spread spectrum receiver, said phase reversal pattern selected to reduce the maximum power density of said signal by spreading the power density more uniformly through said second bandwidth by reducing spectral line separation, said phase reversal pattern including a series of phase reversal periods, each of said periods having a second duration; and

transmitting said signal as modulated with said pseudo random pattern and said phase reversal pattern.

35. A method of operating a spread spectrum system, comprising:

generating a signal having a first bandwidth at a transmitter;

modulating said signal at said transmitter with a pseudo-random pattern to spread said signal across a second bandwidth broader than said first bandwidth;

modulating a preamble of said signal at said transmitter with a phase reversal pattern, other than said pseudo-random pattern or a data pattern, said phase reversal pattern selected to reduce the maximum power density of said signal without increasing the bandwidth said signal beyond said second bandwidth by reducing spectral line separation;

transmitting said signal as modulated with said pseudo random pattern and said phase reversal pattern;

receiving said transmitted signal at a receiver; and

synchronizing said received signal at said receiver, said phase reversal pattern being transparent in said synchronization step.

36. A spread spectrum transmitter apparatus, comprising:

a signal source to generate a signal having a first bandwidth;

a first modulation function which modulates said signal with a pseudo-random pattern to spread said signal across a second bandwidth broader than said first bandwidth, said pseudo-random pattern having a first periodicity equal to a first duration;

a second modulation function which modulates a preamble of said signal with a phase reversal pattern, other than said pseudo-random pattern or a data pattern, said phase reversal pattern selected to reduce the maximum power density of said signal by spreading the power density more uniformly through said second bandwidth by reducing spectral line separation, said phase reversal pattern including a series of phase reversal periods, each of said periods having a second duration; and

an antenna to transmit said signal as modulated by said first and second modulation functions.

37. A spread spectrum transmitter apparatus, comprising:

a signal source to generate a signal having a first bandwidth;

a first modulation function which modulates said signal with a pseudo-random pattern to spread said signal across a second bandwidth broader than said first bandwidth, said pseudo-random pattern having a first periodicity equal to a first duration;

a second modulation function which modulates a preamble of said signal with a phase reversal pattern, other than said pseudo-random pattern or a data pattern, said phase reversal pattern being transparent to an acquisition controller of a spread spectrum receiver, said phase reversal pattern selected to reduce the maximum power density of said signal, said phase reversal pattern including a series of phase reversal periods, each of said periods having a second duration; and

an antenna to transmit said signal as modulated by said first and second modulation functions.