Universal platform module and methods and apparatuses relating thereto enabled by universal frequency translation technology

• US 6,873,836 B1
• Filed: 05/10/2000
• Issued: 03/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ParkerVision, Inc.
• Original Assignee: ParkerVision, Inc.
• Inventors: Cook, Robert W., Bultman, Michael J., Sorrells, David F., Moses, Charley D. Jr., Looke, Richard C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Trinh, Sonny
• Application Number:
  US09/569,044
• Time in Patent Office: 1,784 Days
• Field of Search: 455/76, 455/260, 455/264, 455/113, 455/139, 455/140, 455/141, 455/313, 455/323, 327/113, 327/101, 327/105, 331/34, 331/111, 331/143
• US Class Current: 455/313
• CPC Class Codes: H03C 3/40 using two signal paths the outputs of which have a predetermined phase difference and at least one output being amplitude-modulated
• CPC Class Codes: H03D 3/006 by sampling the oscillations and further processing the samples, e.g. by computing techniques H03D3/007 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03D 7/00 Transference of modulation from one carrier to another, e.g. frequency-changing H03D9/00, H03D11/00 take precedence; dielectric amplifiers, magnetic amplifiers, parametric amplifiers used as a frequency-changers H03F
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2805 Home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2836 Protocol conversion between an external network and a home network controlling appliance services of a home automation network from a device located outside the home and the home network H04L12/2818; protocol conversion H04L69/08; adaptation of digital video signals for transport over a specific home network H04N7/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2838 Distribution of signals within a home automation network, e.g. involving splitting/multiplexing signals to/from different paths adaptations of television systems for transmission by electric cable for domestic distribution H04N7/106; hybrid transport H04L12/6418; home network arrangements specially adapted for distribution of digital video signals H04N7/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2841 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2845 Telephone line

Abstract

A communication system comprising a multi-protocol, multi-bearer sub-system is described herein. The sub-system is a universal platform module that can transmit and receive one or more information signals in one or more protocols using one or more bearer services. In one embodiment, the sub-system may form a portion of a transceiver that is composed of a transmitter and a receiver, and which is a gateway server between a personal area network (PAN) and the global wireless network.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one frequency translation module, comprising;

a switch that operates according to an energy transfer signal to sub-sample and transfer energy from a first electromagnetic (EM) signal; and

a storage module, coupled to said switch, that stores said transferred energy, wherein a second EM signal is generated from said stored energy, said second EM signal having a frequency different from said first EM signal;

a control module that causes said at least one frequency translation module to operate according to at least one of a standard and protocol.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said at least one frequency translation module further comprises:

at least one of an input impedance matching network and an output impedance matching network.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said at least one frequency translation module further comprises a resonant structure.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said resonant structure comprises a resonant tank circuit.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said at least one frequency translation module further comprises:

means for controlling apertures of pulses of said energy transfer signal, wherein energy is transferred from said first EM signal during said pulses of said energy transfer signal.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said at least one frequency translation module further comprises:

a bypass network.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said at least one frequency translation module down-converts said first signal to said second signal.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said lower frequency second signal is a baseband signal.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said at least one frequency translation module comprises an in-phase/quadrature phase (I/Q) receiver.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said at least one frequency translation module comprises:

up-converting means for up-converting a third EM signal to a higher frequency fourth EM signal.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said up-converting means comprises an in-phase/quadrature phase (I/Q) transmitter.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said control module causes said at least one frequency translation module to operate according to a plurality of said at least one of a standard and protocol.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said control module causes said at least one frequency translation module to switch operation from one of said at least one of a standard and protocol to another of said at least one of a standard and protocol.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said at least one of a standard and protocol comprises one or more of Wireless Application Protocol (WAP), Jini, Java Virtual Machine (JVM), a short range wireless protocol, Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), TCP/IP, UDP, HAVi, Salutation, Infrared (IR, IRDA), Service Location Protocol (SLP), Universal Plug-n-Play (UPnP), and Simple Service Discovery Protocol (SSDP).

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said at least one of a standard and protocol comprises one or more of CDMA, US-TDMA, W-CDMA EDGE, IS-95C, SMS, GSM, DataTAC, iDEN (ESMR), CDPD, dDECT, Project Angel, LMDS, MMDS, ARDIS, Mobitex, and AMPS.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said control module causes said at least one frequency translation module to enable communication via at least one of wireless local loop (WLL) links, wireless local area network (WLAN) links, cellular links, personal area network links, short range links, wireline links, and analog network links.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said wireline links comprise at least one of local area network links and wide area network links.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said short range links include those defined by a short range wireless protocol.

19. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said control module causes said at least one frequency translation module to enable communication via two or more of wireless local loop (WLL) links, wireless local area network (WLAN) links, cellular links, personal area network links, short range links, wireline links, and analog network links.

20. A method for communicating according to at least one of a standard and protocol, comprising the steps of:

(1) frequency translating a first signal to a second signal, comprising the steps of;

(a) sub-sampling said first signal according to an energy transfer signal to transfer energy from said first signal; and

(b) storing said transferred energy, wherein said second signal is generated from said stored energy;

(2) controlling step (1) so that said frequency translation operates according to said at least one of a standard and protocol.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein step (1) further comprises:

impedance matching said first signal.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein step (1) further comprises:

impedance matching said second signal.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein step (1) further comprises:

controlling apertures of pulses of said energy transfer signal, wherein energy is transferred from said first signal during said pulses of said energy transfer signal.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein said frequency translation of step (1) represents frequency down-converting said first signal to said second signal.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein said second signal is a baseband signal.

26. The method of claim 20, further comprising the steps of:

(3) up-converting a third signal to a higher frequency fourth signal; and

(4) controlling step (3) so that said up-conversion operates according to said at least one of a standard and protocol.

27. The method of claim 20, wherein step (2) comprises:

controlling step (1) so that said frequency translation operates according to a plurality of said at least one of a standard and protocol.

28. The method of claim 20, wherein step (2) comprises:

controlling step (1) so that said frequency translation switches operation among a plurality of said at least one of a standard and protocol.

29. The method of claim 20, wherein said at least one of a standard and protocol comprises one or more of Wireless Application Protocol (WAP), Jini, Java Virtual Machine (JVM), a short range wireless protocol, Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), TCP/IP, UDP, HAVi, Salutation, Infrared (IR, IRDA), Service Location Protocol (SLP), Universal Plug-n-Play (UPnP), and Simple Service Discovery Protocol (SSDP).

30. The method of claim 20, wherein said at least one of a standard and protocol comprises one or more of CDMA, US-TDMA, W-CDMA, EDGE, IS-95C, SMS, GSM, DataTAC, iDEN (ESMR), CDPD, dDECT, Project Angel, LMDS, MMDS, ARDIS, Mobitex, and AMPS.

31. The method of claim 20, wherein step (2) comprises:

controlling step (1) to enable communication via at least one of wireless local loop (WLL) links, wireless local area network (WLAN) links, cellular links, personal area network links, short range links, wireline links, and analog network links.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein said wireline links comprise at least one of local area network links and wide area network links.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein said short range links include those defined by a short range wireless protocol.

34. The method of claim 20, wherein step (2) comprises:

controlling step (1) to enable communication via two or more of wireless local loop (WLL) links, wireless local area network (WLAN) links, cellular links, personal area network links, short range links, and analog network links.