Distributed co-operating nodes using time reversal

• US 9,548,799 B2
• Filed: 04/07/2014
• Issued: 01/17/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ziva Corporation
• Original Assignee: ZIV A Corporation
• Inventors: Hsu, Mark, Smith, David, Rode, Jeremy, Husain, Anis
• Primary Examiner(s): Mered, Habte
• Application Number:
  US14/247,229
• Publication Number:
  US 20140301494A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,016 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/022 Site diversity; Macro-diversity using two or more spaced independent antennas H04B7/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/026 Co-operative diversity, e.g. using fixed or mobile stations as relays
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0617 for beam forming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 7/033 using the transitions of the received signal to control the phase of the synchronising-signal-generating means, e.g. using a phase-locked loop
• 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 84/20 Master-slave selection or change arrangements

Abstract

Dynamic, untethered array nodes are frequency, phase, and time aligned, and used to focus their transmissions of the same data coherently on a target, using time reversal. Alignment may be achieved separately for the radio frequency (RF) carriers and the data envelopes. Carrier alignment may be by phase conjugation. The data is distributed across the nodes. Data distribution and/or alignment may be performed by a Master node of the array. The nodes capture a sounding signal from the target, in the same time window. Each node converts the captured sounding signal to baseband, for example, using in-phase/quadrature downconversion. Each node stores the baseband samples of the sounding pulse. Each node convolves time-reversed samples of the sounding signal with the data, and upconverts the convolved data to radio frequency. The nodes emit their respective convolved and upconverted data so that the emissions focus coherently at the target.

Claims

1. A method of configuring a plurality of radio frequency transmission nodes into a distributed time reversal mirror for transmitting to a target, the method comprising:

step for phase alignment of local clock references of all nodes of the plurality of radio frequency transmission nodes;

step for frequency alignment of the local clock references of all nodes of the plurality of radio frequency transmission nodes;

receiving a sounding signal from a target within a time capture window common to the plurality of radio frequency transmission nodes; and

generating a time-reversed sounding signal at carrier frequency using sample-reversal of the time capture window at baseband and phase-conjugation of the sounding signal at carrier frequency.

2. A method as in claim 1, wherein modulation envelope of the nodes are not aligned.

3. A method as in claim 1, wherein the step for frequency alignment is based on repetitions of the step for phase alignment.

4. A method as in claim 1, wherein a first node of the plurality of radio frequency transmission nodes is designated as Master and the step for phase alignment is performed in a round-robin manner.

5. A method of configuring a plurality of radio frequency transmission nodes into a distributed time reversal mirror for transmitting to a target, the method comprising steps of:

aligning phases of local clock references of all nodes of the plurality of radio frequency transmission nodes;

aligning frequencies of the local clock references of all nodes of the plurality of radio frequency transmission nodes;

aligning time references of all nodes of the plurality of radio frequency transmission nodes;

distributing common data for transmission to the target across the plurality of nodes;

receiving, at each node of the plurality of nodes, a sounding signal from the target within a common time capture window;

generating, at said each node, a time-reversed sounding signal at carrier frequency, the time-reversed sounding signal of said each node being generated by sample-reversal of the common time capture window at baseband and phase-conjugation at carrier frequency;

convolving, at said each node, the common data with the time-reversed sounding signal, thereby obtaining a transmission signal of said each node; and

transmitting, from said each node, said transmission signal of said each node, wherein the step of transmitting is performed at the same time from all the nodes of the plurality of nodes for coherent time-reverse focusing on the target in time and space.

6. A method as in claim 5, wherein the steps of generating and convolving are performed using I/Q processing.

7. A method as in claim 6, wherein the step of aligning frequencies comprises iterative node-to-node phase offset measurements.

8. A method as in claim 6, wherein the step of aligning time references comprises step for time alignment of all nodes of the plurality of radio frequency transmission nodes.

9. A method as in claim 6, wherein the plurality of nodes comprises a master node and at least two slave nodes, the method further comprising:

configuring the at least two slave nodes to focus time-reversed master sounding emissions on the master node in time and space; and

attempting to optimize reception of the emissions at the master node;

wherein the steps of configuring and attempting are performed before the step of transmitting.

10. A node comprising an antenna, a radio frequency transceiver coupled to the antenna, a local oscillator, and a processor coupled to the transceiver to control operation of the transceiver, wherein the node is part of a plurality of nodes, the node comprising:

means for phase alignment of the local oscillator with the local oscillators of other nodes of the plurality of nodes;

means for frequency alignment of the local oscillator with of the local oscillators of the other nodes of the plurality of nodes;

a receiver of a sounding signal from a target within a time capture window common to the plurality of nodes; and

a generator of a time-reversed sounding signal at carrier frequency using sample-reversal of the time capture window at baseband and phase-conjugation of the sounding signal at carrier frequency.

11. A node as in claim 10, wherein the node is configured to

obtain common data for transmission from the plurality of nodes to the target;

convolve the common data with the time-reversed sounding signal, thereby obtaining a transmission signal; and

transmit the transmission signal, wherein all the nodes of the plurality of nodes transmit simultaneously for coherent time-reverse focusing of transmissions carrying the common data on the target in time and space.

12. A node as in claim 11, wherein the node is configured to generate the time-reversed sounding signal and to convolve the common data using I/Q processing.

13. A node as in claim 12, wherein the means for frequency alignment is configured to perform iterative node-to-node phase offset measurements.

14. A node as in claim 12, further comprising means for time synchronization with at least one other node of the plurality of nodes.

15. An article of manufacture comprising machine-readable storage medium with program code stored in the medium in a non-volatile manner, the program code, when executed by at least one processor of a node comprising an antenna, a radio frequency transceiver coupled to the antenna, a local oscillator, and a processor coupled to the transceiver to control operation of the transceiver, wherein the node is part of a plurality of radio frequency transmission nodes, configures the node to perform:

phase alignment of local clock references of all nodes of the plurality of radio frequency transmission nodes;

frequency alignment of the local clock references of all nodes of the plurality of radio frequency transmission nodes;

receive a sounding signal from a target within a time capture window common to the plurality of radio frequency transmission nodes; and

generate a time-reversed sounding signal at carrier frequency, the time-reversed sounding signal being generated by sample-reversal of the time capture window at baseband and phase-conjugation at carrier frequency.

16. An article of manufacture as in claim 15, wherein the program code, when executed by the at least one processor, further configures the node to:

obtain common data for transmission from the plurality of radio frequency transmission nodes to the target;

convolve the common data with the time-reversed sounding signal, thereby obtaining a transmission signal; and

transmit said transmission signal, wherein the step of transmitting is performed at the same time from all the nodes of the plurality of radio frequency transmission nodes for coherent focusing on the target in time and space.