Time domain radio transmission system

• US RE41,479 E1
• Filed: 04/30/2004
• Issued: 08/10/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/1984
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Time Domain Corporation (Humatics Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Time Domain Corporation (Humatics Corporation)
• Inventors: Fullerton, Larry W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gregory; Bernarr E
• Application Number:
  US10/836,861
• Time in Patent Office: 2,293 Days
• Field of Search: 37/E10.01, 385/1, 385/2, 385/34, 455/76, 380/34, 375130-153, 375/239, 375/256, 375/345, 375/E1.001, 342/21, 342/22, 342/27, 342/28, 342/118, 342/120, 342/127, 342/132, 342/134, 342/145, 342/201, 359/237, 359/238, 359/240, 359/245, 359/265, 359/278, 359/290, 359/321, 359/322, 359/323, 359/326, 359/327, 359/332
• US Class Current: 342/27
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/0209 Systems with very large relative bandwidth, i.e. larger than 10 %, e.g. baseband, pulse, carrier-free, ultrawideband
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/061 Two dimensional planar arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/28 Conical, cylindrical, cage, strip, gauze, or like elements having an extended radiating surface; Elements comprising two conical surfaces having collinear axes and adjacent apices and fed by two-conductor transmission lines waveguide horns or mouths H01Q13/00; slot antennas H01Q13/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/7163 using impulse radio
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 14/026 using pulse time characteristics modulation, e.g. width, position, interval
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/103 Chirp modulation for spread spectrum techniques H04B1/69

Abstract

A time domain communications system wherein a broadband of time-spaced signals, essentially monocycle-like signals, are derived from applying stepped-in-amplitude signals to a broadband antenna, in this case, a reverse bicone antenna. When received, the thus transmitted signals are multiplied by a D.C. replica of each transmitted signal, and thereafter, they are, successively, short time and long time integrated to achieve detection.

Claims

1. A wideband transmission system comprising:

generating means for generating a plurality of time spaced signals, said signals varying in time spacing at least as a function of a selected signal source, and each signal of said plurality of signals having a stepped-in-amplitude portion;

transmitting means including a broad frequency band radiator responsive to said generating means for transmitting wideband, time-spaced, burst signals into a selected medium; and

receiving means responsive to wideband burst signals present in said medium, as received signals, for processing, said received signals comprising;

a template circuit providing template pulse signals occurring in like time spacing to that of said signal source,

a coincidence, coherent, detector responsive to said received signals and said template signals for providing as an output a signal pulse when a received signal and template signal are simultaneously present,

integration means responsive to outputs from said coincidence detector for providing an integral output, and

intelligence output means responsive to said integration means for providing an intelligence output when said integration means has an integrated output resulting from having integrated a plurality of signal outputs from said coincidence detector.

2. A system as set forth in claim 1 wherein a said template signal is of a curved amplitude character wherein the output of said coincidence detector has a varying gain across a cycle of detection, and said coincidence detector thereby provide gain for an enhanced signal output.

3. A system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said coincidence detector is a multiplier.

4. A system as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said integration means comprises a short-term integrator for integrating, separately, a plurality of coincidently detected signals; and

said intelligence output means includes a long-term integrator responsive to said short-term integrator for discretely sensing short-term signals and being insensitive to signal energy appearing between said short-term integrated signals.

5. A system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said system further includes modulation means coupled to said signals varying in time spacing as a function of a selected signal source, for additionally varying said last-named signals as a function of intelligence.

6. A system as set forth in claim 5 wherein said modulation means includes means for effecting a plurality of discrete values in time spacing which represent discrete coded levels of intelligence.

7. A system as set forth in claim 6 wherein said plurality comprises two time spacings, one representative of a “

1” and

the other representative of a “

0.”

8. A system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said template pulse signals each have a lobe with a first phase polarity and said received signals each have a lobe with a second phase polarity, and said coincidence detector provides an output when said received signal lobe and said template pulse signal lobe are coherent as to their phase polarity.

9. A system as set forth in claim 8 wherein said template pulses are of no longer duration than a said half cycle.

10. A system as set forth in claim 8, wherein

said integration means comprises a first integrator means and a second integrator means,

said first integrator means integrates said output of said coincidence detector for a integration time approximately equivalent to a period of one of said template pulse signals, and

said second integrator means integrates an output of the first integrator means for an integration time greater that the period of one of said template pulse signals,

whereby electrical energy reaching said first integrator means between occurrences of said template pulse signals is ignored, thus the presence of a signal output from said second integrator means indicates intelligence, whereby the signal-to-noise of said system is enhanced.

19. A system as set forth in claim 8 wherein said integration means comprises a first integrator, an amplifier, and a second integrator, connected in the named order, said first integrator integrating, separately, discrete outputs of said coincidence detector for the period of a said template pulse signal, said amplifier amplifying the output of said first integrator, and said second integrator being responsive to a plurality of amplified outputs of said amplifier for integrating said plurality of amplified outputs, whereby electrical energy reaching said first integrator between the times of said template pulse signals is ignored, thus the presence of a signal output from said second integrator indicates intelligence, whereby the signal-to-noise of said system is enhanced.

11. A wide spectrum transmission system comprising:

a pulse position modulator responsive to an intelligence signal and a dither signal, wherein said pulse position modulator produces a plurality of timing signals, wherein said timing signals vary in time as a function of said intelligence signal and said dither signal; and

an output stage, including a broadband radiator, responsive to said timing signals, wherein said output stage outputs wide spectrum signals.

12. The wide spectrum transmission system of claim 11, further comprising a receiver configured to receive and detect said wide spectrum signals.

13. A wide spectrum transmission system comprising:

a pulse position modulator responsive to a dither signal, wherein said pulse position modulator produces a plurality of timing signals, wherein said timing signals vary in time as a function of said dither signal; and

an output stage, including a broadband radiator, responsive to said timing signals, wherein said output stage outputs wide spectrum signals.

14. The wide spectrum transmission system of claim 13 further comprising a receiver configured to receive and detect said wide spectrum signals.

15. A method for the transmission of wide spectrum signals comprising the steps of:

(a) pulse position modulating responsive to an intelligence signal and a dither signal and outputting a plurality of timing signals, wherein said timing signals vary in time as a function of said intelligence signal and said dither signal;

(b) outputting wide spectrum signals responsive to said timing signals; and

(c) radiating said wide spectrum signals.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising a step of (d) receiving and detecting said wide spectrum signals.

17. A method for the transmission of wide spectrum signals comprising the steps of:

(a) pulse position modulating responsive to a dither signal and outputting a plurality of timing signals, wherein said timing signals vary in time as a function of said dither signal;

(b) outputting wide spectrum signals responsive to said timing signals; and

(c) radiating said wide spectrum signals.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising a step of (d) receiving and detecting said wide spectrum signals.