Method for mitigating effects of interference in impulse radio communication

• US 6,823,022 B1
• Filed: 06/02/2000
• Issued: 11/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Time Domain Corporation (Humatics Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Time Domain Corporation (Humatics Corporation)
• Inventors: Roberts, Mark D., Barnes, Mark A., Mondul, Donald D., Richards, James L., Fullerton, Larry W., Cowie, Ivan A., Brethour, Vernon R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Amanda T.
• Application Number:
  US09/587,033
• Time in Patent Office: 1,635 Days
• Field of Search: 375/130, 375/144, 375/148, 375/256, 375/257, 375/285, 375/296, 375/346, 375/349
• US Class Current: 375/285
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/719 Interference-related aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2001/6908 using time hopping

Abstract

A method for mitigating interference in impulse radio communication conveying a message from a transmitting station to a receiving station. The method comprises the steps of: (a) conveying the message in packets; (b) repeating conveyance of selected packets to make up a repeat package; and (c) conveying the repeat package a plurality of times at a repeat period greater than twice the occurrence period of the interference. The communication may convey a message from a proximate transmitter to a distal receiver, and receive a message by a proximate receiver from a distal transmitter. In such a system, the method comprises the steps of: (a) providing interference indications by the distal receiver to the proximate transmitter; (b) using the interference indications to determine predicted noise periods; and (c) operating the proximate transmitter to convey the message according to at least one of the following: (1) avoiding conveying the message during noise periods; (2) conveying the message at a higher power during noise periods; (3) varying error detection coding in the message during noise periods; (4) retransmitting the message following noise periods; (5) avoiding conveying the message when interference is greater than a first strength; (6) conveying the message at a higher power when the interference is greater than a second strength; (7) varying error detection coding in the message when the interference is greater than a third strength; and (8) retransmitting a portion of the message after interference has subsided to less than a predetermined strength.

Claims

1. A method for mitigating adverse effects of interference in impulse radio communication;

said impulse radio communication conveying a transmission message from a transmitting station to a receiving station displaced from said transmitting station;

said transmission message including at least one of an information payload and overhead information;

the method comprising the steps of;

(a) determining an expected occurrence period for said interference based upon at least one of a noise measurement by said transmitting station and a noise measurement by said receiving station;

(b) conveying said transmission message in a plurality of transmission packets; and

(c) repeating conveyance of selected packets of said plurality of packets;

said conveying and said repeat conveying making up a repeat transmission package;

at least a portion of said conveyance or said repeating conveyance being effected outside said expected occurrence period.

2. A method for mitigating adverse effects of interference in impulse radio communication as recited in claim 1 wherein the method comprises the further steps of:

(d) conveying said repeat transmission package a plurality of times at a repeat conveyance period greater than twice said expected occurrence period.

4. A method for mitigating adverse effects of interference in impulse radio communication as recited in claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein said transmission message is composed to include error correction coding.

11. A method for mitigating adverse effects of interference in impulse radio communication as recited in claim 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 or 10 wherein the method comprises the further steps of:

(a) monitoring ambient interference of said interference proximate said transmitting station;

(b) determining patterns of noise in said ambient interference to determine predicted low noise periods; and

(a) effecting selected conveyances during selected of said predicted low noise periods;

said selected conveyances including said conveying said transmission message, said conveying a repeat transmission package, and said repeat conveyance of said transmission message.

12. A method for mitigating adverse effects of interference in impulse radio communication as recited in claim 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 or 10 wherein the method comprises the further steps of:

(a) monitoring ambient interference of said interference proximate said transmitting station;

(b) determining patterns of noise in said ambient interference to determine predicted low noise periods; and

(c) reducing said overhead information as a portion of said transmission message during selected of said predicted low noise periods.

13. A method for mitigating adverse effects of interference in impulse radio communication as recited in claim 12 wherein said reducing said overhead information is effected by varying at least one of said error correction coding and said interleaving.

3. A method for mitigating adverse effects of interference in impulse radio communication;

said impulse radio communication conveying a transmission message from a transmitting station to a receiving station displaced from said transmitting station;

said transmission message including at least one of an information payload and overhead information;

the method comprising the steps of;

(a) determining an expected occurrence period for said interference based upon at least one of a noise measurement by said transmitting station and a noise measurement by said receiving station;

(b) conveying said transmission message; and

(c) repeating conveyance of said transmission message;

at least a portion of said conveyance or said repeating conveyance being effected outside said expected occurrence period.

5. A method for mitigating adverse effects of interference in impulse radio communication as recited in claim 3 wherein said repeating conveyance of said transmission message is carried out a plurality of times.

6. A method for mitigating adverse effects of interference in impulse radio communication as recited in claim 5 wherein said repeating conveyance is carried out at a repeat conveyance period greater than twice said expected occurrence period.

7. A method for mitigating adverse effects of interference in impulse radio communication;

said impulse radio communication conveying a transmission message from a transmitting station to a receiving station displaced from said transmitting station;

said transmission message including at least one of an information payload and overhead information;

the method comprising the steps of;

(a) determining an expected occurrence period for said interference based upon at least one of a noise measurement by said transmitting station and a noise measurement by said receiving station;

(b) composing said transmission message to include error correction coding within said overhead information; and

(c) conveying said transmission message;

at least a portion of said conveying being effected outside said expected occurrence period.

8. A method for mitigating adverse effects of interference in impulse radio communication;

said impulse radio communication conveying a transmission message from a transmitting station to a receiving station displaced from said transmitting station;

said transmission message including at least one of an information payload and overhead information;

said information payload being arranged in a plurality of payload packets;

said overhead information being arranged in a plurality of overhead packets;

said transmission message being arranged in a plurality of transmission packets;

the method comprising the steps of;

(a) determining an expected occurrence period for said interference based upon at least one of a noise measurement by said transmitting station and a noise measurement by said receiving station;

(b) interleavingly arranging selected payload packets of said plurality of payload packets and selected overhead packets of said plurality of overhead packets among a selected transmission packet group of said plurality of transmission packets to compose said transmission message as a stream of a plurality of said transmission packet groups populated by said interleaving; and

(c) conveying said transmission message;

at least a portion of said conveying being effected outside said expected occurrence period.

9. A method for mitigating adverse effects of interference in impulse radio communication as recited in claim 8 wherein the method comprises the further steps of:

(d) repeating said conveying of said transmission message a plurality of times.

10. A method for mitigating adverse effects of interference in impulse radio communication as recited in claim 9 wherein said repeating conveying of said transmission message is effected at a repeat conveyance period greater than twice said expected occurrence period.

14. A method for mitigating adverse effects of interference in impulse radio communication;

said impulse radio communication including conveying a transmission message from a proximate transmitter to a distal receiver, and including receiving a reception message by a proximate receiver from a distal transmitter;

said transmission message and said reception message each including at least one of an information payload and overhead information;

the method comprising the steps of;

(a) providing receiver-interference indications by said distal receiver to said proximate transmitter regarding interference conditions at said distal receiver; and

(b) operating said proximate transmitter to convey said transmission message;

said operating said proximate transmitter being effected according to at least one of the following criteria;

(1) avoiding conveying said transmission message when said receiver-interference is present in an interference strength greater than a first predetermined interference strength;

(2) effecting said conveying said transmission message at a higher conveying power when said receiver-interference is present in an interference strength greater than a second predetermined interference strength; and

(3) varying error detection coding in said transmission message when said receiver-interference is present in an interference strength interference strength greater than a third predetermined interference strength.

15. A method for mitigating adverse effects of interference in impulse radio communication as recited in claim 14 wherein said at least one criteria further includes:

(4) retransmitting at least a portion of said transmission message after said receiver-interference has been present in an interference strength greater than a fourth predetermined interference strength and has subsided to an interference strength less than a fifth predetermined interference strength.

16. A method for mitigating adverse effects of interference in impulse radio communication as recited in claim 14 wherein the method comprises the further step of:

(c) providing error rate indications by said distal receiver to said proximate transmitter regarding error conditions at said distal receiver; and

wherein said at least one criteria further includes;

(4) retransmitting at least a portion of said transmission message after said error rate indication has been present at an error rate level greater than a first predetermined error rate level and has subsided to an error rate level less than a second predetermined error rate level.

17. A method for mitigating adverse effects of interference in impulse radio communication as recited in claim 14 or 15 wherein at least one of said proximate transmitter and said distal receiver determines a predicted interference at said distal receiver, and wherein said interference strength of said receiver-interference employed in applying said criteria is said predicted interference.

18. A method for mitigating adverse effects of interference in impulse radio communication as recited in claim 15 or 16 wherein a decision whether to effect said retransmitting at least a portion of said transmission message is determined by said proximate transmitter.

19. A method for mitigating adverse effects of interference in impulse radio communication as recited in claim 15 or 16 wherein a decision whether to effect said retransmitting at least a portion of said transmission message is determined by said distal receiver.

20. A method for mitigating adverse effects of interference in impulse radio communication as recited in claim 15 or 16 wherein a decision whether to effect said retransmitting at least a portion of said transmission message is determined by said proximate transmitter and said distal receiver.

21. A method for mitigating adverse effects of interference in impulse radio communication;

said impulse radio communication including conveying a transmission message from a proximate transmitter to a distal receiver, and including receiving a reception message by a proximate receiver from a distal transmitter;

said transmission message and said reception message each including at least one of an information payload and overhead information;

the method comprising the steps of;

(a) providing receiver-interference indications by said distal receiver to said proximate transmitter regarding interference conditions at said distal receiver;

said receiver-interference indications including time indicators generally denoting interference events;

said interference events including a degeneration time when said interference conditions begin to unacceptably degrade said impulse radio communication, and including a regeneration time when said interference conditions return from unacceptably degrading said impulse radio communication to less than unacceptably interfering with said impulse radio communication;

(b) mathematically processing said receiver-interference indications to determine predicted noise periods;

said predicted noise periods being time periods during which said interference conditions are predicted to unacceptably degrade said impulse radio communication; and

(c) operating said proximate transmitter to convey said transmission message;

said operating said proximate transmitter being effected according to at least one of the following criteria;

(1) avoiding conveying said transmission message during said predicted noise periods;

(2) effecting said conveying said transmission message at a higher conveying power during said predicted noise periods;

(3) varying error detection, coding in said transmission message during said predicted noise periods;

(4) retransmitting at least a portion of said transmission message during periods following said predicted noise periods; and

(5) effecting said conveying said transmission message at a lower data rate during said predicted noise periods.

22. A method for mitigating adverse effects of interference in impulse radio communication as recited in claim 21 wherein said at least one criteria further includes:

(6) avoiding conveying said transmission message when said receiver interference is present inn an interference strength greater than a first predetermined interference strength;

(7) effecting said conveying said transmission message at a higher conveying power when said receiver-interference is present in an interference strength greater than a second predetermined interference strength; and

(8) varying error detection coding in said transmission message when said receiver-interference is present in an interference strength interference strength greater than a third predetermined interference strength.

23. A method for mitigating adverse effects of interference in impulse radio communication as recited in claim 21 or 22 wherein said at least one criteria further includes:

(9) retransmitting at least a portion of said transmission message after said receiver-interference has been present in an interference strength greater than a fourth predetermined interference strength and has subsided to an interference strength less than a fifth predetermined interference strength.

24. A method for mitigating adverse effects of interference in impulse radio communication as recited in claim 21 or 22 wherein the method comprises the further step of:

(d) providing error rate indications by said distal receiver to said proximate transmitter regarding error conditions at said distal receiver;

said error rate indications including error time indicators generally denoting error events;

said error events including an error degeneration time when said error conditions begin to unacceptably degrade said impulse radio communication, and including an error regeneration time when said error conditions return from unacceptably degrading said impulse radio communication to less than unacceptably degrading with said impulse radio communication; and

wherein said at least one criteria further includes;

(9) retransmitting at least a portion of said transmission message after said error rate indication has been present at an error rate level greater than a first predetermined error rate level and has subsided to an error rate level less than a second predetermined error rate level.

25. A method for mitigating adverse effects of interference in impulse radio communication as recited in claim 21 or 22 wherein said receiver-interference indications further include notification by said distal receiver to said proximate transmitter to reconvey said transmission message.

26. A method for mitigating adverse effects of interference in impulse radio communication as recited in claims 21 or 22 wherein said at least one criteria further includes:

(8) conveying said transmission message in a plurality of packets in a packet repeat pattern having a packet repeat rate;

adjusting at least one of [a] size of packets in said plurality of packets, [b] said packet repeat pattern and [c] said packet repeat rate to substantially avoid said predicted noise periods; and

(9) ceasing conveying said transmission message during selected noise periods of said predicted noise periods and transmitting a timing signal during said selected noise periods; and

synchronizing said transmission message with said timing signal for continuing conveying said transmission message after said selected noise periods; and

(10) ceasing conveying said transmission message during selected noise periods of said predicted noise periods;

said proximate transmitter and said distal receiver each receiving a synchronizing timing signal from a third timing source during said selected noise periods; and

synchronizing said transmission message with said timing signal for continuing conveying said transmission message after said selected noise periods.

27. A method for mitigating adverse effects of interference in impulse radio communication as recited in claims 21 or 22 wherein said receiver-interference indications further include providing signal characteristic information by said distal receiver to said proximate transmitter.

28. A method for mitigating adverse effects of interference in impulse radio communication as recited in claim 27 wherein said signal characteristic information includes bit error rate information.

29. A method for mitigating adverse effects of interference in impulse radio communication as recited in claim 27 wherein said signal characteristic information includes signal-to-noise ratio information.

30. A method for mitigating adverse effects of interference in impulse radio communication as recited in claim 27 wherein said signal characteristic information includes signal strength information.

31. A method for mitigating adverse effects of interference in impulse radio communication;

said impulse radio communication including conveying a transmission message from a proximate transmitter to a distal receiver using, and including receiving a reception message by a proximate receiver from a distal transmitter;

said transmission message and said reception message each including at least one of an information payload and overhead information;

the method comprising the steps of;

(a) providing receiver-interference indications by said distal receiver to said proximate transmitter regarding interference conditions intermediate said proximate transmitter and said distal receiver;

said receiver-interference indications including a history of said interference conditions for a plurality of sample intervals taken at a sample frequency;

(b) mathematically processing said receiver-interference indications to determine predicted noise periods;

said predicted noise periods being time periods during which said interference conditions are predicted to unacceptably degrade said impulse radio communication; and

(c) operating said proximate transmitter to convey said transmission message;

said operating said proximate transmitter being effected according to at least one of the following criteria;

(1) avoiding conveying said transmission message during said predicted noise periods;

(2) effecting said conveying said transmission message at a higher conveying power during said predicted noise periods;

(3) varying error detection coding in said transmission message during said predicted noise periods; and

(4) retransmitting at least a portion of said transmission message during said predicted noise periods during periods following said predicted noise periods.

32. A method for mitigating adverse effects of interference in impulse radio communication as recited in claim 31 wherein said sample frequency is adjusted to substantially avoid said predicted noise periods.

33. A method for mitigating adverse effects of interference in impulse radio communication as recited in claim 31 wherein said conveying said transmission message from said proximate transmitter to said distal receiver is effected using a first pulse repetition rate during said predicted noise periods, and wherein said conveying said transmission message from said proximate transmitter to said distal receiver is effected using a second pulse repetition rate during other than said predicted noise periods;

said first pulse repetition rate being lower than said second pulse repetition rate.