Method and apparatus to detect and decode information

• US 7,197,062 B2
• Filed: 10/01/2002
• Issued: 03/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Green, Evan R., England, David G.
• Primary Examiner(s): VO, DON NGUYEN
• Application Number:
  US10/263,363
• Publication Number:
  US 20040062325A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,638 Days
• Field of Search: 341/122, 341/123, 341/124, 341/125, 375/340, 375/376
• US Class Current: 375/130
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/71637 Receiver aspects H04B1/7183 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/00 Modulated-carrier systems

Abstract

Briefly, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention, a method and apparatus to detect and decode information is provided, wherein the method includes sampling a radio frequency (RF) impulse signal to generate a sample signal and storing the sample signal for a predetermined amount of time.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

sampling a radio frequency (RF) impulse signal to generate a sample signal; and

storing the sample signal for a predetermined amount of time;

wherein sampling occurs during a sampling period and wherein the predetermined amount of time is greater than the sampling period.

2. The method of claim 1, correlating the sample signal with a template signal to detect the presence and phase of the RF impulse signal, wherein the RF impulse signal is an ultrawideband (UWB) signal.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the RF impulse signal is a continuous-time waveform and wherein sampling comprises:

sampling the RF impulse signal at a first predetermined point in time to generate a first discrete value;

sampling the RF impulse signal at a second predetermined point in time to generate a second discrete value; and

generating the sample signal using the first discrete value and the second discrete value.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

multiplying the first discrete value by a first coefficient value to generate a first output value;

multiplying the second discrete value by a second coefficient value to generate a second output value; and

summing the first output value and the second output value to generate an output signal.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising converting the output signal to a digital value.

6. A method, comprising:

converting a pulsed radio frequency (RF) signal to a baseband signal, wherein converting includes using a first sample-and-hold device to process the pulsed RF signal;

wherein converting further includes using a second sample-and-hold device to process the pulsed RF signal;

wherein converting includes using the first sample-and-hold device to sample the pulsed RF signal and generate a sample signal and further including correlating the sample signal with a template signal to detect the presence the pulsed RF signal.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the pulsed RF signal is an ultrawideband (UWB) signal.

8. An apparatus, comprising:

a first sample-and-hold device adapted to process a radio frequency (RF) impulse signal;

a second sample-and-hold device adapted to process the RF impulse signal, wherein the first sample-and-hold device and the second sample-and-hold device are connected in a parallel arrangement to process the RF impulse signal; and

a delay locked loop (DLL); and

a delay device coupled between the DLL and the first sample-and-hold device.

9. The apparatus claim 8, wherein the first sample-and-hold device is adapted to sample the RF impulse signal at a first predetermined point in time, generate a first discrete value, and store the first discrete value for a predetermined amount of time and wherein the second sample-and-hold device is adapted to sample the RF impulse signal at a second predetermined point in time, generate a second discrete value, and store the second discrete value for the predetermined amount of time.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising:

a multiplier having an input terminal coupled to an output terminal of the sample-and-hold device.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising:

a correlator having an input terminal coupled to an output terminal of the sample-and-hold device.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a summing device having an input terminal coupled to an output terminal of the correlator.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising an analog-to-digital (A/D) converter having an input terminal coupled to an output terminal of the summing device.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the RF impulse signal is an ultrawideband (UWB) signal.

15. A system, comprising:

a communication device adapted to wirelessly transfer information at a distance of less than about 10 meters, wherein the communication device comprises;

a first sample-and-hold device adapted to process a radio frequency (RF) impulse signal; and

a second sample-and-hold device adapted to process the RF impulse signal, wherein the first sample-and-hold device and the second sample-and-hold device are connected in a parallel arrangement to process the RF impulse signal;

wherein the communication device further includes an antenna having an output terminal coupled to an input terminal of the first sample-and-hold device, wherein the antenna is adapted to receive the RF impulse signal.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the communication device further includes:

a correlator having an input terminal coupled to an output terminal of the first sample-and-hold device.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the RF impulse signal is an ultrawideband (UWB) signal.