RF wireless communication system operating in periodic noise environments

• US 6,374,082 B1
• Filed: 09/09/1999
• Issued: 04/16/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ASTER Wireless, Inc. (Iota Communications, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Inventors: Carlson, Grant B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hunter, Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Woldetatios, Yemane
• Application Number:
  US09/392,881
• Time in Patent Office: 950 Days
• Field of Search: 455/423, 455/424, 455/425, 455/426, 455/454, 455/455, 455/501, 455/502, 455/62, 455/63, 455/67.1, 455/67.3, 455/67.5
• US Class Current: 455/63.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 15/00 Suppression or limitation of noise or interference by means associated with receiver H04B1/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks

Abstract

An RF wireless communication system operating in the presence of a periodic noise environment, includes first and second wireless devices, each such device having: a source of power; a transceiver coupled to the power source, for transmitting and receiving wireless information; a controller/CPU for controlling the operation of the transceiver; means for detecting and mapping the presence of the RF radiated periodic noise; and means responsive to the mapped periodic noise for controlling the operation of the transceiver to communicate with the other wireless device during the quiescent periods of the radiated RF periodic noise.

Claims

1. An RF wireless communication system operating in the presence of a periodic noise environment, comprising first and second wireless devices, each such device including:

i) a source of power;

ii) a transceiver coupled to the power source, for transmitting and receiving wireless information;

iii) a controller/CPU for controlling the operation of the transceiver;

iv) means in the transceiver for receiving radiated RF periodic noise and for detecting and mapping the radiated RF periodic noise, including means for mapping storing and generating a sync signal which represents the envelope of the periodic noise source and its quiescent period signature, and means for continuing to generate the sync signal even when the radiated periodic noise is no longer detectable, and

v) means responsive to the mapped radiated RF periodic noise for controlling the operation of the transceiver to communicate with the other wireless device during the quiescent periods of the radiated RF periodic noise, including means for enabling the transmitter to transmit when it predicts the periodic noise is in the quiescent state, thereby making the transmission process efficient.

2. The RF wireless communication system of claim 1, wherein each device further includes a microprocessor/CPU having memory for storing data and for controlling the operation of the transceiver to cause it to transmit or receive data from the memory.

3. The wireless communication system claimed in claim 1, wherein the means for detecting the quiescent periods in the RF radiated periodic noise further comprises:

a) means for detecting the amplitude of the periodic noise energy; and

b) means for recognizing the periodic characteristics of radiated noise energy from a detected amplitude.

4. A method of operating a wireless communication system in the presence of periodic noise, the system including a source of power;

a transceiver coupled to the power source, for transmitting and receiving wireless information; and

a controller/CPU for controlling the operation of the transceiver, comprising the steps of;

a) detecting radiated RF periodic noise with the transceiver and mapping the RF radiated periodic noise;

b) mapping storing and generating a sync signal which represents the envelope of the periodic noise source and its quiescent period signature;

c) continuing to generate the sync signal even when the radiated periodic noise is no longer detectable; and

d) controlling the operation of the transceiver in response to the mapped radiated RF periodic noise to communicate with the other wireless device during the quiescent periods of the radiated RF periodic noise by enabling the transmitter to transmit when it predicts the periodic noise is in the quiescent state, thereby making the transmission process efficient.

5. The method of operating a wireless communication system of claim 4, wherein each device further includes a microprocessor/CPU having memory for storing data, and further comprising the step of controlling the operation of the transceiver to cause it to transmit or receive data from the memory.

6. The method of operating a wireless communication system claimed in claim 5, wherein the step of detecting the quiescent periods in the RF radiated periodic noise further comprises:

a) detecting the amplitude of the periodic noise energy; and

b) recognizing the periodic characteristics of radiated noise energy from a detected amplitude.

7. An RF wireless transceiver for operating in the presence of radiated RF periodic noise, comprising:

a) a receiver for receiving a wideband RF signal;

b) a transmitter for transmitting a wideband RF signal;

c) an antenna connectable to the receiver and transmitter;

d) a periodic noise detect circuit connected to the receiver for generating a sync clock by locking onto the envelope of radiated RF periodic noise received by the receiver the noise detect circuit including means for mapping storing and generating a sync signal which represents the envelope of the periodic noise source and its quiescent period signature, and means for continuing to generate the sync signal even when the radiated periodic noise is no longer detectable,; and

e) a microprocessor controller connected to the receiver, transmitter and periodic noise detect circuit for controlling the operation of the transceiver during quiescent periods of the radiated RF periodic noise by enabling the transmitter to transmit when it predicts the periodic noise is in the quiescent state, thereby making the transmission process efficient.

8. The RF wireless transceiver claimed in claim 7, wherein the receiver supplies an RSSI signal to the periodic noise detect circuit.

9. The RF wireless transceiver claimed in claim 7, wherein the receiver supplies an AM demodulated signal to the periodic noise detect circuit.

10. The RF wireless transceiver claimed in claim 7, wherein the antenna is connectable through a transmit/receive switch.