Super regenerative receiver and method of saving power of the same

• US 8,170,523 B2
• Filed: 12/12/2008
• Issued: 05/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology
• Original Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
• Inventors: Nguyen, Trung Kien, Yoon, Dae Young, Kim, Nae Soo, Pyo, Cheol Sig, Han, Seok Kyun, Lee, Sang Gug, Kang, Hoyong, Yu, Xiaohua, Kim, Ji Eun
• Primary Examiner(s): JEANGLAUDE, JEAN BRUNER
• Application Number:
  US12/333,974
• Publication Number:
  US 20090156158A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,236 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572.1, 342/357.57, 455/336, 331/185
• US Class Current: 455/336
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/24 the receiver comprising at least one semiconductor device having three or more electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0225 using monitoring of external events, e.g. the presence of a signal
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A low power super regenerative receiver and a method of reducing the power consumption of the low power super regenerative receiver are provided. The super regenerative receiver includes: an oscillator having a start-up time period starting oscillation that varies according to an existence of an input signal; and a power controller supplying power within the start-up time period of the oscillator.

Claims

1. A super regenerative receiver comprising:

an oscillator having a start-up time period starting oscillation that varies according to an existence of an input signal;

an insulation amplifier injecting a signal into the oscillator and providing reverse isolation of the input signal from the oscillator;

an envelope detector detecting an envelope of the oscillator;

an amplifier amplifying the envelope, and

a power controller supplying power to the insulation amplifier, the oscillator, the envelope detector, and the amplifier within the start-up time period of the oscillator.

2. The super regenerative receiver of claim 1, wherein the power controller uses a duty cycle to supply power, and a duty cycle ratio between a clock off period and clock on period of the duty cycle is changed by adjusting the frequency of the duty cycle.

3. The super regenerative receiver of claim 2, wherein a power off period is extended until the frequency of the duty cycle is the same as a data rate of the input signal.

4. The super regenerative receiver of claim 1, further comprising:

a delay unit connected to the power controller and delaying the power supplied by the power controller,

wherein the oscillator is connected to the delay unit, and, if the power controller is connected to the insulation amplifier, the envelope detector, and the amplifier, the oscillator receives the delayed power through the delay unit.

5. The super regenerative receiver of claim 1, wherein the oscillator adjusts an oscillation frequency with a calibration circuit.

6. A method of reducing power consumption of a super regenerative receiver comprising an oscillator having a start-up time period starting oscillation that varies according to an existence of an input signal, wherein the method comprises:

controlling power by supplying the power to the super regenerative receiver within the start-up time period of the oscillator, said controlling comprising;

providing a start-up time period starting oscillation that varies according to an existence of an input signal;

supplying power to the super regenerative receiver within the start-up time period of the oscillator;

injecting a signal into the oscillator and providing reverse isolation of the input signal from the oscillator;

detecting an envelope of the oscillator; and

amplifying the envelope.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the super regenerative receiver further comprises:

an insulation amplifier injecting a signal into the oscillator and providing reverse isolation of the input signal from the oscillator;

an envelope detector detecting an envelope of the oscillator; and

an amplifier amplifying the envelope,

wherein the controlling of the power comprises;

supplying the power to the insulation amplifier, the oscillator, the envelope detector, and the amplifier within the start-up time period of the oscillator.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the oscillator adjusts an oscillation frequency with a calibration circuit.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the controlling of the power comprises:

supplying the power by using a duty cycle and changing a duty cycle ratio between a clock off period and clock on period of the duty cycle by adjusting the frequency of the duty cycle.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein a power off period is extended until the frequency of the duty cycle is the same as a data rate of the input signal.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

delaying the power generated in the controlling of the power,

wherein the power is supplied to the oscillator after the power is delayed, and the power is directly supplied to the insulation amplifier, the envelope detector; and

the amplifier.