Low-power narrow and wide band receiver system

• US 8,761,307 B1
• Filed: 06/08/2011
• Issued: 06/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Original Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Inventors: Ionescu, Dumitru Mihai, Krivokapic, Ivan, Amanullah, Abu, Zhu, Haidong, Chu, Lichung
• Primary Examiner(s): Corrielus, Jean B
• Application Number:
  US13/156,105
• Time in Patent Office: 1,112 Days
• Field of Search: 375/316, 375/340, 375/346, 375/349, 375/350
• US Class Current: 375/316
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0045 Arrangements at the receiver end
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0057 Block codes H04L1/0061, H04L1/0064 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0071 Use of interleaving interleaving per se H03M13/27

Abstract

A communications device and receiver system and method to efficiently distribute functions among radio frequency (RF), analog front end (AFE) and baseband modules for ultra-low power consumption comprising a wideband receiver subsystem selectively coupled to a signal input receiving a first frequency band, a narrowband received subsystem selectively coupled to the signal input receiving a second frequency band and, a controller configured to monitor the first frequency band using the first receiver subsystem and if a wake up signal is detected using the first receiver subsystem, connect the second receiver subsystem to the signal input and tune the second receiver subsystem to a channel transmitting the wake up signal, the wake up signal including channel selection information defining the channel for subsequent communications. Wherein, the two frequency bands overlap and center on different frequencies.

Claims

1. A receiver, comprising:

a signal input;

a first receiver subsystem coupled to the signal input and configured to receive signals transmitted on a first frequency band centered on a first frequency and comprising a plurality of channels;

a second receiver subsystem coupled to the signal input and configured to receive signals transmitted on a second frequency band centered on a second frequency and comprising one of the plurality of channels, wherein the second frequency band is narrower than and overlapped by the first frequency band and wherein the first frequency is different from the second frequency, and wherein the second receiver subsystem is configured to be selectively tuned to the one of the plurality of channels; and

a controller configured to;

monitor the first frequency band using the first receiver subsystem; and

if a wakeup signal is detected using the first receiver subsystem, connect the second receiver subsystem to the signal input and tune the second receiver subsystem to a channel transmitted in the wakeup signal, the wakeup signal including channel selection information defining the channel for subsequent communications.

2. The receiver of claim 1, wherein

the first receiver subsystem comprises a super-regenerative receiver configured to down convert the signals received on the first frequency band to a baseband frequency;

and

the second receiver subsystem comprises a receiver configured to down convert the signals received on the second frequency band to a predetermined intermediate frequency.

3. The receiver of claim 2, further comprising:

a band-pass filter coupled to the signal input and configured to pass signals transmitted on the first frequency band, including the signals transmitted on the second frequency band; and

a low-noise amplifier coupled to the band-pass filter and configured to amplify the signals passed by the band-pass filter;

and wherein the first receiver subsystem and the second receiver subsystem are coupled to the signal input via a switch coupled to the low-noise amplifier, the switch configured to switchably connect the first receiver subsystem or the second receiver subsystem to the signal input.

4. The receiver of claim 3, further comprising:

a reference oscillator, and

a phase-locked loop coupled to the reference oscillator and coupled to the first receiver subsystem and the second receiver subsystem.

5. The receiver of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to use the second receiver subsystem to sequentially monitor the plurality of channels if a predetermined level of interference is present on the first frequency band.

6. The receiver of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to use the first receiver subsystem to receive beacon communications if less than a predetermined level of interference is present on the first frequency band.

7. A method, comprising:

receiving signals transmitted on a first frequency band centered on a first frequency using a first receiver subsystem coupled to a signal input, the first frequency band comprising a plurality of channels;

receiving signals transmitted on a second frequency band centered on a second frequency using a second receiver subsystem coupled to the signal input and configured to be tuned to the second frequency band, the second frequency band comprising one of the plurality of channels, wherein the second frequency band is narrower than and overlapped by the first frequency band and wherein the first frequency is different from the second frequency;

monitoring the first frequency band using the first receiver subsystem;

connecting the second receiver subsystem to the signal input if a wakeup signal is detected using the first receiver subsystem, the wakeup signal transmitting channel selection information defining a channel for subsequent communications; and

tuning the second receiver subsystem to the channel transmitted in the wakeup signal.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein

the first receiver subsystem comprises a super-regenerative receiver down converting the signals received on the first frequency band to a baseband frequency;

and

the second receiver subsystem comprises a receiver down converting the signals received on the second frequency band to a predetermined intermediate frequency.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising

passing signals transmitted on the first frequency band by a band-pass filter coupled to the signal input;

and

amplifying the signals passed by the band-pass filter using a low-noise amplifier coupled to the band-pass filter,

wherein the first receiver subsystem and the second receiver subsystem are coupled to the signal input via a switch coupled to the low-noise amplifier, the switch electrically coupling the low-noise amplifier to either the first receiver subsystem or the second receiver subsystem.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

processing the signals received on the first frequency band and signals received on the second frequency band using a phase locked loop, said phase-locked loop coupling to a reference oscillator and also coupling to the first receiver subsystem and the second receiver subsystem.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein a controller performs the monitoring of the first frequency band using the first receiver subsystem,

the connecting of the second receiver subsystem to the signal input and the tuning of the second receiver subsystem to the channel.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the controller is configured to use the second receiver subsystem to sequentially monitor the plurality of channels if a predetermined level of interference is present on the first frequency band.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the controller is configured to use the first receiver subsystem to receive beacon communications if less than a predetermined level of interference is present on the first frequency band.

14. A receiver, comprising:

a signal input;

a first receiver subsystem coupled to the signal input and configured to receive signals transmitted on a first frequency band;

a second receiver subsystem coupled to the signal input and configured to receive signals transmitted on a second frequency band;

wherein the second frequency band is narrower than and overlapped by the first frequency band; and

a controller configured to monitor the first frequency band using the first receiver subsystem and, if a wakeup signal is detected using the first receiver subsystem, connect the second receiver subsystem to the signal input;

wherein the first frequency band comprises a plurality of channels and the second frequency band comprises one of the plurality of channels;

the second radio subsystem is configured to be selectively tuned to the one of the plurality of channels;

the wakeup signal includes channel selection information defining a channel for subsequent communications; and

the controller is configured to tune the second receiver subsystem to the channel transmitted in the wakeup signal.

15. The receiver of claim 14, wherein the first receiver subsystem comprises a super-regenerative receiver configured to down convert the signals received on the first frequency band to a baseband frequency;

and

the second receiver subsystem comprises a narrow-band receiver configured to down convert the signals received on the second frequency band to a predetermined intermediate frequency.

16. The receiver of claim 15, further comprising:

a band-pass filter coupled to the signal input and configured to pass signals transmitted on the first frequency band, including the signals transmitted on the second frequency band; and

a low-noise amplifier coupled to the band-pass filter and configured to amplify the signals passed by the band-pass filter;

and wherein the first receiver subsystem and the second receiver subsystem are coupled to the signal input via a switch coupled to the low-noise amplifier, the switch configured to switchably connect the first receiver subsystem or the second receiver subsystem to the signal input.

17. The receiver of claim 16, further comprising:

a reference oscillator; and

a phase-locked loop coupled to the reference oscillator and coupled to the first receiver subsystem and the second receiver subsystem.

18. The receiver of claim 14, wherein the controller is configured to use the second receiver subsystem to sequentially monitor the plurality of channels if a predetermined level of interference is present on the first frequency band.

19. The receiver of claim 14, wherein the controller is configured to use the first receiver subsystem to receive beacon communications if less than a predetermined level of interference is present on the first frequency band.

20. The receiver of claim 14, wherein the first frequency band includes the entire second frequency band.