Frame length modulation and pulse position modulation system

• US 7,418,297 B2
• Filed: 07/28/2005
• Issued: 08/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Data Sciences U K Limited (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Transoma Medical, Inc.
• Inventors: Brockway, Brian P., Lindstedt, Brock, Lichtscheidl, Gregg, Bornhoft, Reid, Mills, Perry A., Kunz, Matt
• Primary Examiner(s): Layno; Carl H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEE, YUN H
• Application Number:
  US11/193,818
• Publication Number:
  US 20050261749A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,125 Days
• Field of Search: 607 30- 32, 607/59, 607/60, 128/903, 375/238, 375/239
• US Class Current: 607/60
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/00 Measuring for diagnostic purposes radiation diagnosis A61B6/00; diagnosis by ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves A61B8/00; Identification of persons
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/07 Endoradiosondes
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 19/24 using time shift of pulses
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 14/026 using pulse time characteristics modulation, e.g. width, position, interval
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/4902 Pulse width modulation; Pulse position modulation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/493 by transition coding, i.e. the time-position or direction of a transition being encoded before transmission

Abstract

A system includes a transceiver circuit to transceive at least a first analog signal and a digital signal. The system also includes a controller circuit, coupled to the transceiver circuit, to deliver at least one control signal thereto, the controller circuit including executable instructions defining a data frame for communication of the first analog signal and the digital signal, endpoints of the data frame defined by portions of successive first and second synchronization signals and defining a corresponding frame interval, the data frame including a first data band for transceiving a first data pulse therein. A relative position in time of the first data pulse represents the first analog signal, and a modulation of the frame interval represents the digital signal. The system further includes an analog signal interface circuit, coupled to the transceiver circuit, to provide at least the first analog signal representative of acquired data.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a transceiver circuit to transceive signals representing at least a first analog signal and a digital signal;

a controller circuit, coupled to the transceiver circuit, to deliver at least one control signal thereto, the controller circuit including executable instructions defining a data frame for communication of the first analog signal and the digital signal, endpoints of the data frame defined byportions of successive first and second synchronization signals and defining a corresponding frame interval, the data frame including a first data band for transceiving a first data pulse therein, a relative position in time of the first data pulse representing the first analog signal, and a modulation of the frame interval representing the digital signal; and

an analog signal interface circuit, coupled to the transceiver circuit, to provide at least the first analog signal representative of acquired data.

2. The system of claim 1, in which the analog signal interface includes at least one sensor.

3. The system of claim 2, in which the sensor includes at least one of:

a biopotential sensor, a biofluid pressure sensor, a bio fluid flow sensor, a temperature sensor, a pH sensor, an impedance sensor, an oxygen sensor, and an electrochemical sensor.

4. The system of claim 1, in which the first and second synchronization signals each include first and second synchronization pulses defining endpoints of the first and second synchronization signals.

5. The system of claim 4, further comprising:

a timer circuit to measure a duration of a synchronization interval defined by the first and second synchronization pulses; and

a noise detection module, coupled to the timer, to determine the presence of noise based on a variability of the duration of a plurality of the synchronization intervals.

6. The system of claim 1, in which the first data band is separated from the first and second synchronization signals by at least a first guard band that is longer than the first and second synchronization intervals.

7. The system of claim 1, in which the modulating frame interval includes different first, second, and third frame interval values.

8. The system of claim 7, in which the modulating frame interval represents a state of the digital signal during a present frame relative to the state during a previous frame.

9. The system of claim 7, in which the modulating frame interval corresponds to:

the first frame interval value, if the state of the digital signal during the present frame is unchanged from the previous frame;

the second frame interval value, if the state of the digital signal changed from a first state value during the previous frame to a second state value during the present frame; and

the third frame interval value, if the state of the digital signal changed from the second state value during the previous frame to the first state value during the present frame.

10. The system of claim 1, the data frame further comprising at least a second data band for transceiving a second data pulse therein, a relative position in time of the second data pulse representing a second analog signal.

11. The system of claim 10, in which:

the first data band is separated from the first and second synchronization signals by at least a first guard band that is longer than the first and second synchronization signals;

the second data band is separated from the first and second synchronization signals by at least a second guard band that is longer than the first and second synchronization signals; and

the first and second data bands are separated by at least a third guard band that is longer than the first and second synchronization signals.

12. The system of claim 1, in which the modulating frame interval includes a digital synchronization command.

13. The system of claim 12, in which the digital synchronization command includes a predetermined start bit followed by a predetermined sequence of following bits.

14. The system of claim 12, in which the modulating frame interval includes a header after the digital synchronization command.

15. The system of claim 14, in which the header includes a predetennined start bit followed by a predetermined sequence of following bits.

16. The system of claim 14, in which the header includes system control information.

17. The system of claim 1, further comprising a memory device including digital data represented in the digital signal.

18. The system of claim 1, further comprising a signal strength detection module, coupled to the transceiver to receive at least one of a synchronization pulse and a data pulse, the signal strength detection module including an output providing an indication of the amplitude of the received one of the synchronization pulse and the data pulse.

19. The system of claim 18, in which the signal strength detection module includes at least one of a peak detector and a level detector, coupled to the transceiver.

20. The system of claim 1, in which the transceiver circuit is configured to communicate a pulse selected from a radio-frequency (RF) pulse, a magnetic field coupling pulse, an electric field coupling pulse, an ultrasound pulse, a pressure pulse, a thermal pulse, an infrared (IR) pulse, a light pulse, an electromagnetic pulse, and a tissue conduction pulse.

21. A system, comprising:

a transceiver circuit to transceive signals representing at least a first analog signal and a digital signal;

a controller circuit, coupled to the transceiver circuit, to deliver at least one control signal thereto, the controller circuit including executable instructions defining a data frame for communication of the first analog signal and the digital signal, endpoints of the data frame defined by portions of successive first and second synchronization signals and defining a corresponding frame interval, the data frame including a first data band for transceiving a first data pulse therein, a relative position in time of the first data pulse representing the first analog signal, and a modulation of the frame interval representing the digital signal, wherein the first and second synchronization signals each include first and second synchronization pulses defining endpoints of the first and second synchronization signals;

a timer circuit to measure a duration of a synchronization interval defined by the first and second synchronization pulses; and

a noise detection module, coupled to the timer, to determine the presence of noise based on a variability of the duration of a plurality of the synchronization intervals.