Circuit and method for distance measurement between two nodes of a radio network

• US 8,405,543 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2009
• Issued: 03/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Atmel Corporation (Microchip Technology Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Atmel Corporation (Microchip Technology Incorporated)
• Inventors: Kluge, Wolfram, Sachse, Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): Sotomayor, John B
• Assistant Examiner(s): Barker, Matthew M
• Application Number:
  US12/649,205
• Publication Number:
  US 20110006942A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,183 Days
• Field of Search: 342/125
• US Class Current: 342/125
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 11/02 using radio waves G01S19/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/84 for distance determination by phase measurement
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/30 of propagation channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

A circuit of a node of a radio network, and a method for distance measurement with a transceiver for receiving a first signal with a first frequency by downmixing to an intermediate frequency, with a phase measurement unit, which is set up to determine a first value of a first phase for a first frequency value of the first frequency. The transceiver is formed to transmit a second signal with a first frequency value of a second frequency for determining a first value of a second phase. The control circuit is set up to change the first frequency and the second frequency, in that a second frequency value of the first frequency and the first frequency value of the first frequency have a frequency difference, and whereby a second frequency value of the second frequency and the first frequency value of the second frequency have the frequency difference. The phase measurement unit is set up to determine a second value of the first phase for the second frequency value of the first frequency. The first frequency of the first signal and the second frequency of the second signal are spaced apart by an amount of the intermediate frequency.

Claims

1. A method for distance measurement between a first node and a second node of a radio network, the method comprising:

transmitting a first signal with a first frequency by the first node that is received by the second node by downmixing to a first intermediate frequency;

determining a first value of a first phase for a first frequency value of the first frequency by the second node;

transmitting a second signal with a second frequency by the second node that is received by the first node by downmixing to a second intermediate frequency;

measuring a first value of a second phase for a first frequency value of the second frequency by the first node, the first frequency and the second frequency being changed in that a second frequency value of the first frequency and the first frequency value of the first frequency have a frequency difference and in that a second frequency value of the second frequency and the first frequency value of the second frequency have the frequency difference;

determining a second value of the first phase by the second node for the second frequency value of the first frequency;

determining a second value of the second phase by the first node for the second frequency value of the second frequency, wherein an amount of the first and second intermediate frequency is the same;

spacing apart the first frequency of the first signal and the second frequency of the second signal by the amount of the first and second intermediate frequency; and

calculating a distance between the first node and the second node from the first value and the second value of the first phase and from the first value and the second value of the second phase and from the frequency difference.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the second signal is received by the first node and in a bottom sideband is passed through a first sideband filter of the first node below the first frequency, and wherein the first signal is received by the second node and in a top sideband is passed through a second sideband filter of the second node above the second frequency.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first signal and the second signal are transmitted in a time interval with a time delay.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the distance is calculated from a plurality of determined values of the first phase and determined values of the second phase, and wherein the frequency values of the first frequency and the second frequency are changed stepwise for multiple determinations.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the first signal and the second signal for each change in the frequency values of the first frequency and the second frequency are transmitted in a same time interval delayed in time.

6. The method according to claim 4, wherein a plurality of determinations of the values of the phases for the changed frequency values of the frequencies in the first and second node occurs equidistant in time to one another.

7. A circuit of a node of a radio network, the circuit comprising:

a transceiver configured to receive a first signal with a first frequency by downmixing to an intermediate frequency;

a phase measurement unit configured to measure a first value of a first phase for a first frequency value of the first frequency; and

a control circuit;

wherein the transceiver is configured to transmit a second signal with a first frequency value of a second frequency,

wherein the control circuit is configured to change the first frequency and the second frequency, a second frequency value of the first frequency and the first frequency value of the first frequency have a frequency difference, and a second frequency value of the second frequency and the first frequency value of the second frequency have the frequency difference,

wherein the phase measurement unit is configured to measure a second value of the first phase for the second frequency value of the first frequency,

wherein the transceiver is configured to transmit the second signal with a second frequency value of the second frequency,

wherein the first frequency of the first signal and the second frequency of the second signal are spaced apart by an amount of the intermediate frequency, and

wherein the circuit is configured to perform at least one of transmitting the values of the first phase by the transceiver and receiving a first value of a second phase for the first frequency value of the second frequency and a second value of the second phase for the second frequency value of the second frequency.

8. The circuit according to claim 7, wherein the circuit is configured to calculate a distance to another node from the first value and second value of the first phase and from the first value and second value of the second phase and from the frequency difference.

9. The circuit according to claim 7, further comprising:

a control circuit configured to control a mode for distance measurement;

a local oscillator configured to set a frequency of the distance measurement, the frequency comprising one of a transmission frequency and a reception frequency;

a sideband filter configured to filter a receive signal of the distance measurement; and

a switch connectable to the control circuit for controlling a switch position,

wherein the sideband filter and the switch are connected for switching the filtering between a top sideband of the frequency and a bottom sideband of the frequency, and

wherein the control circuit is configured to control the switching of the filtering as a function of the mode for distance measurement.

10. A system having a first node and a second node of a radio network, the system configured to:

transmit a first signal with a first frequency by the first node that is received by the second node by downmixing to a first intermediate frequency;

determine a first value of a first phase for a first frequency value of the first frequency by the second node;

transmit a second signal with a second frequency by the second node that is received by the first node by downmixing to a second intermediate frequency;

measure a first value of a second phase for a first frequency value of the second frequency by the first node, the first frequency and the second frequency being changed in that a second frequency value of the first frequency and the first frequency value of the first frequency have a frequency difference and in that a second frequency value of the second frequency and the first frequency value of the second frequency have the frequency difference;

determine a second value of the first phase by the second node for the second frequency value of the first frequency;

determine a second value of the second phase by the first node for the second frequency value of the second frequency, wherein an amount of the first and second intermediate frequency is the same;

space apart the first frequency of the first signal and the second frequency of the second signal by the amount of the first and second intermediate frequency; and

calculate a distance between the first node and the second node from the first value and the second value of the first phase and from the first value and the second value of the second phase and from the frequency difference.