Method and apparatus for ultra wideband power control

• US 7,577,415 B1
• Filed: 02/23/2007
• Issued: 08/18/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Time Domain Networks
• Original Assignee: Alereon Incorporated (PNG Telecommunications, Inc.)
• Inventors: Richards, James L., Cowie, Ivan A., Fullerton, Larry W.
• Primary Examiner(s): FERGUSON, KEITH
• Application Number:
  US11/710,175
• Time in Patent Office: 907 Days
• Field of Search: 455/226.3, 455/522, 455/69, 455/550.1, 455/422.1, 455/426.1, 455/426.2, 455/517, 455/68, 455/70, 455/67.11, 455/500, 455/509, 455/403, 455/414.1, 455/414.2, 455/423, 455/424
• US Class Current: 455/266
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/7163 using impulse radio
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/7183 Synchronisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2001/6908 using time hopping
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/20 using error rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/24 using SIR [Signal to Interference Ratio] or other wireless path parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/241 taking into account channel quality metrics, e.g. SIR, SNR, CIR, Eb/lo
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/362 Aspects of the step size
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/367 Power values between minimum and maximum limits, e.g. dynamic range

Abstract

A method for power control in an ultra wideband impulse radio system includes: (a) transmitting an impulse radio signal from a first transceiver, (b) receiving the impulse radio signal at a second transceiver; (c) determining at least one performance measurement of the received impulse radio signal; and (d) controlling output power of at least one of the first transceiver and the second transceiver in accordance with the at least one performance measurement.

Claims

1. A method for power control in an ultra wideband (UWB) system comprising:

transmitting a first UWB signal from a first UWB transceiver;

receiving the first UWB signal at a second UWB transceiver; and

controlling a transmit power of a second UWB signal generated by one of the first UWB transceiver or the second UWB transceiver based on the received first UWB signal;

determining a transmit (TX) power update based on the received first UWB signal; and

modifying the transmit power in accordance with the TX power update.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining a TX power update comprises determining a TX power level.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining a TX power update comprises determining a TX power attenuation and modifying the transmit power in accordance with the TX power update comprises attenuating the transmit power in accordance with the TX power attenuation.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein a dynamic range for the attenuation of the transmit power is 0-12 dB or wherein the dynamic range for the attenuation of the transmit power is 0-8 dB.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein modifying the transmit power comprises attenuating the transmit power in steps.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein a step size granularity is approximately 2 dB.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein controlling transmit power comprises controlling an integration gain.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the TX power update comprises calculating at least one of a bit error rate, a signal-to-noise ratio and a received signal strength associated with the received first UWB signal.

9. A ultra wideband (UWB) communication system, comprising:

a first UWB transceiver operable to;

transmit a first UWB signal; and

a second UWB transceiver operable to;

receive the first UWB signal, wherein at least one of the first UWB transceiver or the second UWB transceiver is further operable to transmit a second UWB signal and to control a transmit power of the second UWB signal based on the received first UWB signal wherein at least one of the first UWB transceiver or the second UWB transceiver is further operable to control the transmit power by modifying the transmit power in accordance with a TX power update determined at the first or second UWB transceiver based on the received first UWB signal.

10. The UWB communication system of claim 9, wherein determining a TX power update comprises determining a TX power level.

11. The UWB communication system of claim 9, wherein determining a TX power update comprises determining a TX power attenuation and modifying the transmit power in accordance with the TX power update comprises attenuating the transmit power in accordance with the TX power attenuation.

12. The UWB communication system of claim 11, wherein a dynamic range for the attenuation of the transmit power is 0-12 dB or wherein the dynamic range for the attenuation of the transmit power is 0-8 dB.

13. The UWB communication system of claim 11, wherein modifying the transmit power comprises attenuating the transmit power in steps.

14. The UWB communication system of claim 13, wherein a step size granularity is approximately 2 dB.

15. The UWB communication system of claim 9, wherein to control the transmit power comprises controlling an integration gain.

16. The UWB communication system of claim 9, wherein determining the TX power update comprises calculating at least one of a bit error rate, a signal-to-noise ratio and a received signal strength associated with the received first UWB signal.