Distributed co-operating nodes using time reversal

• US 9,497,722 B2
• Filed: 05/02/2012
• Issued: 11/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ziva Corporation
• Original Assignee: Ziva Corporation
• Inventors: Husain, Anis, Rode, Jeremy, Smith, David, Hsu, Mark, Achour, Maha
• Primary Examiner(s): Lai, Andrew
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hasan, Mahmudul
• Application Number:
  US14/114,901
• Publication Number:
  US 20140126567A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,658 Days
• Field of Search: 370/350, 342/103, 375/267, 375/347
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/024 Co-operative use of antennas of several sites, e.g. in co-ordinated multipoint or co-operative multiple-input multiple-output [MIMO] systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 3/0638 Clock or time synchronisation among nodes; Internode synchronisation synchronization for ring networks H04L12/422; data switching networks with synchronous transmission H04L12/43
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 3/0682 by delay compensation, e.g. by compensation of propagation delay or variations thereof, by ranging
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/001 Synchronization between nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/0015 one node acting as a reference for the others
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/0025 synchronizing potentially movable access points
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/0065 using measurement of signal travel time
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

Methods and systems for coherent distributed communication techniques using time reversal are disclosed. In one aspect, cooperating nodes of a cluster can move relative to each other and relative to an intended receiver of the nodes'"'"' data transmissions. The nodes are synchronized to a common time reference, and data for transmission from the cluster is distributed to the nodes. The intended receiver sends a sounding signal to the nodes. Each node receives the sounding signal, obtains the channel response between the intended receiver and itself, and time-reverses the channel response. Each node then convolves its time-reversed channel response with the data to obtain the node'"'"'s convolved data. Each node waits a predetermined time following the time reference signal, as determined based on the common time reference. At the expiration of the predetermined time period, the nodes simultaneously transmit their convolved data.

Claims

1. A method of transmitting from a plurality of nodes, the method comprising steps of:

synchronizing each node of the plurality of nodes to a common time reference of all nodes of the plurality of nodes, so that all nodes of the plurality of nodes are enabled to transmit synchronously following a predetermined synchronization period after a trigger signal is sent from a trigger node of the plurality of nodes;

obtaining at said each node of the plurality of nodes information sufficient to transmit from said each node a time-reversed signal corresponding to said each node, the time-reversed signal corresponding to said each node being such that when all nodes of the plurality of nodes synchronously transmit respective time-reversed signals, the time-reversed signals transmitted by all nodes of the plurality of nodes combine spatially and temporally to focus on a subject, the step of obtaining comprising steps of receiving at said each node one or more waveforms resulting from a sounding signal, and time-reversing at said each node the one or more waveforms resulting from the sounding signal;

sending the trigger signal from the trigger node of the plurality of nodes; and

transmitting the time-reversed signals from all nodes of the plurality of nodes, one of the time-reversed signals per corresponding node, so that a combination of the plurality of time-reversed signals is spatially and temporally focused on the subject, the step of transmitting being performed in response to expiration of the predetermined synchronization period following the step of sending the trigger signal;

wherein the nodes of the plurality of nodes art untethered ad hoc nodes movable relative to each other, and each node of the plurality of nodes has a different physical clock.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of synchronizing comprises:

determining at said each node of the plurality of nodes, other than a selected node, frequency offset of a physical clock of said each node of the plurality of nodes other than the selected node from a physical clock of the selected node, and

determining signal flight times between at least some nodes of the plurality of nodes.

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising measuring the predetermined synchronization period at said each node based on the common time reference of all nodes of the plurality of nodes.

4. The method according to claim 3, further comprising receiving the trigger signal at all nodes of the plurality of nodes other than the trigger node.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the common time reference is based on the physical clock of the trigger node.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the subject is an intended receiver of the time-reversed signals, and every node of the plurality of nodes is within radio frequency (RF) Line-of-Sight (LoS) of one or more other nodes of the plurality of nodes.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the sounding signal is emitted by the intended receiver;

all nodes of the plurality of nodes receive the one or more waveforms resulting from the sounding signal in an identical temporal window; and

time-reversing at said each node the one or more waveforms received at said each node results in said each node obtaining a time-reversed channel response between said each node and the intended receiver.

8. The method according to claim 5, wherein the subject is a first scatterer, the time-reversed signals are intended for an intended receiver, the intended receiver not being the first scatterer, and every node of the plurality of nodes is within radio frequency (RF) Line-of-Sight (LoS) of one or more other nodes of the plurality of nodes.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein:

the sounding signal comprises one or more channel sounding bursts transmitted from the intended receiver, the one or more waveforms comprising reflections of the one or more channel sounding bursts from one or more scatterers, the one or more scatterers comprising the first scatterer, and

the step of obtaining further comprises processing the one or more waveforms using Singular Value Decomposition to determine first signatures for launching from all nodes of the plurality of nodes a first transmission temporally and spatially focused on the first scatterer, each first signature corresponding to a different node of the plurality of nodes;

the method further comprising;

generating the time-reversed signal corresponding to said each node by convolving data intended for the intended receiver with the signature corresponding to said each node.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising comparing one or more of the first signatures to a plurality of stored signatures, wherein the stored signatures are stored in a database together with identifications of objects corresponding to the stored signatures.

11. A method of transmitting from a first node of a plurality of nodes, the method comprising steps of:

synchronizing the first node to a common time reference of the plurality of nodes, so that all nodes of the plurality of nodes are enabled to transmit synchronously following a predetermined synchronization period after a trigger signal is sent from a trigger node of the plurality of nodes;

obtaining at the first node information sufficient to transmit from the first node a time-reversed signal corresponding to the first node such that when all nodes of the plurality of nodes synchronously transmit respective time-reversed signals, the time-reversed signals transmitted by all nodes of the plurality of nodes combine spatially and temporally to focus on an intended receiver, the step of obtaining comprising steps of receiving at the first node one or more waveforms caused by a sounding signal emitted by the intended receiver, and time-reversing at the first node the one or more waveforms received at the first node, resulting in the first node obtaining a time-reversed channel response between the first node and the subject;

receiving the trigger signal at the first node; and

transmitting from the first node the time-reversed signal corresponding to the first node in response to expiration of the predetermined synchronization period following the trigger node sending the trigger signal;

wherein all nodes of the plurality of nodes are untethered ad hoc nodes movable relative to each other, and each node of the plurality of nodes has a different physical clock.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the step of synchronizing comprises determining at the first node (1) frequency offset of the physical clock of the first node from a physical clock of a selected node of the plurality of nodes, and (2) signal flight time between the first node and the selected node.

13. The method according to claim 12, further comprising measuring the predetermined synchronization period at the first node based on the common time reference, the physical clock of the first node being different from the common clock reference.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the first node is within radio frequency (RF) Line-of-Sight (LoS) of one or more other nodes of the plurality of nodes.

15. A node comprising an antenna, a transceiver coupled to the antenna, and a processor coupled to the transceiver to control operation of the transceiver, wherein the node is part of a plurality of cooperative nodes, the node being configured to:

synchronize the node to a common time reference of the plurality of cooperative nodes, so that all nodes of the plurality of cooperative nodes are enabled to transmit synchronously following a predetermined synchronization period after a trigger signal is sent from a trigger node of the plurality of cooperative nodes;

obtain at the node information sufficient to transmit from the node a time-reversed signal corresponding to the node, the time-reversed signal corresponding to the node being such that when all nodes of the plurality of cooperative nodes synchronously transmit respective time-reversed signals, the time-reversed signals transmitted by all nodes of the plurality of cooperative nodes combine spatially and temporally to focus on an intended receiver of the time-reversed signals, wherein the node is configured to obtain the information by receiving a sounding signal from the intended receiver, and time-reversing the sounding signal received at the node, resulting in the node obtaining a time-reversed channel response between the node and the intended receiver;

receive the trigger signal at the node; and

transmit from the node the time-reversed signal corresponding to the node in response to expiration of the predetermined synchronization period following the trigger node sending the trigger signal;

wherein all nodes of the plurality of cooperative nodes are untethered ad hoc nodes movable relative to each other, and each node of the plurality of cooperative nodes has a different physical clock.

16. The node according to claim 15, wherein the node is further configured to synchronize to the common time reference by:

determining at the node frequency offset of the physical clock of the node from a physical clock of a selected node of the plurality of cooperative nodes, and

determining signal flight time between the node and the selected node.

17. The node according to claim 16, wherein the node is further configured to measure the predetermined synchronization period at the node based on the common time reference, the physical clock of the node being different from the common clock reference.

18. The node according to claim 17, wherein the node is within radio frequency (RF) Line-of-Sight (LoS) of one or more other nodes of the plurality of cooperative nodes.

19. The node according to claim 18, wherein the plurality of nodes comprises at least three nodes.

20. A system comprising a plurality of nodes, each node of the plurality of nodes comprising an antenna, a transceiver coupled to the antenna, and a processor coupled to the transceiver to control operation of the transceiver, wherein the plurality of nodes is configured to:

synchronize each node of the plurality of nodes to a common time reference of all nodes of the plurality of nodes, so that all nodes of the plurality of nodes are enabled to transmit synchronously following a predetermined synchronization period after a trigger signal is sent from a trigger node of the plurality of nodes;

obtain at said each node of the plurality of nodes information sufficient to transmit from said each node a time-reversed signal corresponding to said each node, the time-reversed signal corresponding to said each node being such that when all nodes of the plurality of nodes synchronously transmit respective time-reversed signals, the time-reversed signals transmitted by all nodes of the plurality of nodes combine spatially and temporally to focus on a subject, wherein the plurality of nodes is configured to obtain the information by receiving at said each node one or more waveforms caused by a sounding signal, and time-reversing at said each node the one or more waveforms received at said each node to result in said each node obtaining a time-reversed channel response between said each node and the subject;

send the trigger signal from the trigger node of the plurality of nodes; and

transmit the time-reversed signals from all nodes of the plurality of nodes, a time-reversed signal per corresponding node, so that a combination of the plurality of time-reversed signals is spatially and temporally focused on the subject, the time-reversed signals being transmitted in response to expiration of the predetermined synchronization period following sending of the trigger signal;

wherein the nodes of the plurality of nodes are untethered ad hoc nodes movable relative to each other, and each node of the plurality of nodes has a different physical clock.

21. A system according to claim 20, wherein the plurality of nodes is further configured to synchronize by

determining at said each node of the plurality of nodes, other than a selected node of the plurality of nodes, frequency offset of a physical clock of said each node of the plurality of nodes, other than the selected node, from a physical clock of the selected node;

and

determining signal flight times between the selected node and at least one other node of the plurality of nodes; and

wherein the plurality of nodes comprises at least three nodes.

22. A system according to claim 21, wherein the plurality of nodes is further configured to measure the predetermined synchronization period at said each node based on the common time reference of all nodes of the plurality of nodes.

23. A system according to claim 22, wherein the plurality of nodes is further configured to receive the trigger signal at all nodes of the plurality of nodes other than the trigger node.

24. A system according to claim 23, wherein the common time reference is based on the physical clock of the trigger node.

25. A system according to claim 24, wherein the subject is an intended receiver of the time-reversed signals transmitted from all nodes of the plurality of nodes, and every node of the plurality of nodes is within radio frequency (RF) Line-of-Sight (LoS) of one or more other nodes of the plurality of nodes.

26. A system according to claim 25, wherein all nodes of the plurality of nodes receive the sounding signal in an identical temporal window.

27. A system according to claim 24, wherein the subject is a first scatterer, the time-reversed signals transmitted from all nodes of the plurality of nodes are intended for an intended receiver, the intended receiver not being the first scatterer, and every node of the plurality of nodes is within radio frequency (RF) Line-of-Sight (LoS) of one or more other nodes of the plurality of nodes.

28. A system according to claim 27, wherein

the sounding signal comprises one or more channel sounding bursts transmitted from the intended receiver, the one or more waveforms received at said each node comprising reflections of the one or more channel sounding bursts from one or more scatterers, the one or more scatterers comprising the first scatterer;

the plurality of nodes is further configured to process the one or more waveforms using Singular Value Decomposition to determine first signatures for launching from all nodes of the plurality of nodes a first transmission temporally and spatially focused on the first scatterer, each first signature corresponding to a different node of the plurality of nodes; and

the plurality of nodes is further configured to generate the time-reversed signal corresponding to said each node by convolving data intended for the intended receiver with the signature corresponding to said each node.

29. A system according to claim 28, wherein the plurality of nodes is further configured to compare one or more of the first signatures to a plurality of stored signatures, wherein the stored signatures are stored in a database together with identifications of objects corresponding to the stored signatures.

30. A method of transmitting from a plurality of nodes, the method comprising steps of:

step for synchronizing each node of the plurality of nodes to a common time reference of all nodes of the plurality of nodes, so that all nodes of the plurality of nodes are enabled to transmit synchronously following a predetermined synchronization period after a trigger signal is sent from a trigger node of the plurality of nodes;

step for obtaining at said each node of the plurality of nodes information sufficient to transmit from said each node a time-reversed signal corresponding to said each node, the time-reversed signal corresponding to said each node being such that when all nodes of the plurality of nodes synchronously transmit respective time-reversed signals, the time-reversed signals transmitted by all nodes of the plurality of nodes combine spatially and temporally to focus on a subject;

sending the trigger signal from the trigger node of the plurality of nodes; and

step for transmitting the time-reversed signals from all nodes of the plurality of nodes, a one of the time-reversed signals per corresponding node, so that a combination of the plurality of time-reversed signals transmitted from all nodes of the plurality of nodes is spatially and temporally focused on the subject, the step of transmitting being performed in response to expiration of the predetermined synchronization period following the step of sending the trigger signal;

wherein the nodes of the plurality of nodes are untethered ad hoc nodes movable relative to each other, and each node of the plurality of nodes has a different physical clock.