Ultra-wideband communication through twisted-pair wire media

• US 20040141561A1
• Filed: 12/23/2003
• Published: 07/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intellectual Ventures Holding 73 LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Pulse-Link Incorporated
• Inventors: Santhoff, John, Moore, Steven A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,167,525 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 375/257
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/7163 using impulse radio
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/71632 Signal aspects H04B1/7172 and H04B1/7176 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/719 Interference-related aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/25751 Optical arrangements for CATV or video distribution adaptations of television systems for optical transmission H04N7/22
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2001/6908 using time hopping
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5416 by adding signals to the wave form of the power source
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5445 Local network
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/00 Line transmission systems combined with near-field transmission systems H04B5/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/542 the information being in digital form
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/78 CATV [Community Antenna Television] systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2801 Broadband local area networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6118 involving cable transmission, e.g. using a cable modem
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6168 involving cable transmission, e.g. using a cable modem
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17309 Transmission or handling of upstream communications

Abstract

Methods and apparatus that transmit ultra-wideband pulses through twisted-pair wire media are provided. One method includes transmitting an ultra-wideband pulse through the twisted-pair wire media at dissimilar time periods. Another method includes transmitting an ultra-wideband pulse through the twisted-pair wire media at dissimilar radio frequencies. Yet another method includes transmitting an ultra-wideband pulse through the twisted-pair wire media at dissimilar time periods and at dissimilar radio frequencies. This Abstract is provided for the sole purpose of complying with the Abstract requirement rules that allow a reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the disclosure contained herein. This Abstract is submitted with the explicit understanding that it will not be used to interpret or to limit the scope or the meaning of the claims.

Claims

1. An ultra-wideband communication system for a wire medium, comprising:

an ultra-wideband transmitter structured to transmit an ultra-wideband pulse through a twisted-pair wire medium; and

an ultra-wideband receiver structured to receive the ultra-wideband pulse from the twisted-pair wire medium.

2. The ultra-wideband communication system of claim 1, wherein the ultra-wideband pulse comprises a pulse of electromagnetic energy having a duration that can range between about 10 picoseconds to about 1 millisecond.

3. The ultra-wideband communication system of claim 1, wherein the ultra-wideband pulse comprises a pulse of electromagnetic energy having a duration that can range between about 0.1 nanoseconds to about 100 nanoseconds and a power that can range between about +30 power decibels to about −

60 power decibels, as measured at a single frequency.

4. The ultra-wideband communication system of claim 1, wherein the twisted-pair wire medium comprises at least two wires twisted together.

5. The ultra-wideband communication system of claim 1, wherein the twisted-pair wire medium is selected from a group consisting of:

two pairs of twisted-pair wires;

three pairs of twisted-pair wires;

four pairs of twisted-pair wires;

25 pairs of twisted-pair wires;

50 pairs of twisted-pair wires; and

100 pairs of twisted-pair wires.

6. The ultra-wideband communication system of claim 1, wherein the ultra-wideband transmitter comprises:

a data processor;

a pulse generator communicating with the data processor, the pulse generator configured to generate a plurality of electromagnetic pulses;

at least one amplifier communicating with the pulse generator; and

at least one filter communicating with the amplifier.

7. The ultra-wideband communication system of claim 1, wherein the ultra-wideband receiver comprises:

at least one filter;

at least one amplifier communicating with the at least one filter;

at least one electromagnetic pulse detector communicating with the at least one amplifier; and

a data processor communicating with the at least one amplifier.

8. The ultra-wideband communication system of claim 6, wherein the data processor includes a data modulator.

9. The ultra-wideband communication system of claim 8, wherein the data modulator modulates data onto the plurality of electromagnetic pulses by a modulation method selected from a group consisting of:

pulse amplitude modulation, pulse position modulation, pulse width modulation, on-off keying;

binary phase shift keying, quadrature phase shift keying, multi-level binary phase shift keying, multi-level quadrature phase shift keying, pulse frequency modulation, coded recurrence modulation, ternary modulation, and sloped amplitude modulation.

10. The ultra-wideband communication system of claim 6, wherein the at least one amplifier includes an automatic gain control.

11. The ultra-wideband communication system of claim 6, wherein the at least one filter comprises at least two band-pass filters.

12. The ultra-wideband communication system of claim 11, wherein a frequency response of a first band-pass filter is distinct from the frequency response of a second band-pass filter.

13. The ultra-wideband communication system of claim 11, wherein a frequency response of a first band-pass filter overlaps the frequency response of a second band-pass filter.

14. The ultra-wideband communication system of claim 1, wherein the twisted-pair wire medium is selected from a group consisting of:

a shielded Category 1 twisted-pair, a shielded Category 2 twisted-pair, a shielded Category 3 twisted-pair, a shielded Category 4 twisted-pair, a shielded Category 5 twisted-pair, a shielded copper twisted-pair, an unshielded Category 1 twisted-pair, an unshielded Category 2 twisted-pair, an unshielded Category 3 twisted-pair, an unshielded Category 4 twisted-pair, an unshielded Category 5 twisted-pair, and an unshielded Category 5 twisted-pair.

15. A method of communication through a wire media, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a twisted-pair wire media comprising a first wire and a second wire;

transmitting a first ultra-wideband pulse on the first wire; and

transmitting a second ultra-wideband pulse on the second wire;

wherein the first and second ultra-wideband pulses are transmitted at dissimilar time periods.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of transmitting the first and second ultra-wideband pulses at dissimilar time periods reduces cross talk between the first and second wires.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the steps of transmitting the first ultra-wideband pulse on the first wire and transmitting the second ultra-wideband pulse on the second wire comprises:

transmitting the first ultra-wideband pulse according to a first transmission code;

transmitting the second ultra-wideband pulse according to a second transmission code;

wherein the first and second transmission codes prevent the first and second ultra-wideband pulses from being transmitted substantially simultaneously.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the first and second transmission codes are orthogonal.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the first and second transmission codes are generated pseudo-randomly.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising the steps of:

receiving a signal on either the first or second wire;

disregarding the signal if the signal is received at a time period that does not correspond to a transmitted time period.

21. The method of claim 15, further comprising the steps of:

transmitting the first and second ultra-wideband pulses across substantially all of a bandwidth of the first and second wires.

22. The method of claim 15, further comprising the steps of:

transmitting the first and second ultra-wideband pulses across a portion of a bandwidth of the first and second wires.

23. A method of communication through a wire media, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a twisted-pair wire media comprising a first wire and a second wire;

transmitting a first ultra-wideband pulse on the first wire; and

transmitting a second ultra-wideband pulse on the second wire;

wherein the first and second ultra-wideband pulses are transmitted at dissimilar radio frequencies.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the step of transmitting the first and second ultra-wideband pulses at dissimilar radio frequencies reduces cross talk between the first and second wires.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the steps of transmitting the first ultra-wideband pulse on the first wire and transmitting the second ultra-wideband pulse on the second wire comprises:

transmitting the first ultra-wideband pulse according to a first transmission code;

transmitting the second ultra-wideband pulse according to a second transmission code;

wherein the first and second transmission codes prevent the first and second ultra-wideband pulses from being transmitted substantially simultaneously.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the first and second transmission codes are orthogonal.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the first and second transmission codes are generated pseudo-randomly.

28. The method of claim 23, further comprising the steps of:

receiving a signal on either the first or second wire;

disregarding the signal if the signal is received at a radio frequency that does not correspond to a transmitted radio frequency.

29. The method of claim 23, further comprising the steps of:

transmitting the first and second ultra-wideband pulses at dissimilar time periods.

30. A method of communication through a wire media, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a twisted-pair wire media comprising a first wire and a second wire;

transmitting a first ultra-wideband pulse on the first wire; and

transmitting a second ultra-wideband pulse on the second wire;

wherein the first and second ultra-wideband pulses are transmitted at dissimilar radio frequencies and at dissimilar radio frequencies.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the step of transmitting the first and second ultra-wideband pulses at dissimilar time periods and radio frequencies reduces cross talk between the first and second wires.

32. The method of claim 30, wherein the steps of transmitting the first ultra-wideband pulse on the first wire and transmitting the second ultra-wideband pulse on the second wire comprises:

transmitting the first ultra-wideband pulse according to a first transmission code;

transmitting the second ultra-wideband pulse according to a second transmission code;

wherein the first and second transmission codes prevent the first and second ultra-wideband pulses from being transmitted substantially simultaneously and at similar radio frequencies.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the first and second transmission codes are orthogonal.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein the first and second transmission codes are generated pseudo-randomly.

35. The method of claim 30, further comprising the steps of:

receiving a signal on either the first or second wire;

disregarding the signal if the signal is received at a radio frequency and a time period that does not correspond to a transmitted radio frequency and time period.

36. A method of communication through a wire media, the method comprising the steps of:

means for providing a twisted-pair wire media comprising a first wire and a second wire;

means for transmitting a first ultra-wideband pulse on the first wire; and

means for transmitting a second ultra-wideband pulse on the second wire;

wherein the first and second ultra-wideband pulses are transmitted at dissimilar radio frequencies.

37. A method of communication through a wire media, the method comprising the steps of:

means for providing a twisted-pair wire media comprising a first wire and a second wire;

means for transmitting a first ultra-wideband pulse on the first wire; and

means for transmitting a second ultra-wideband pulse on the second wire;

wherein the first and second ultra-wideband pulses are transmitted at dissimilar time periods.

38. A method of communication through a wire media, the method comprising the steps of:

means for providing a twisted-pair wire media comprising a first wire and a second wire;

means for transmitting a first ultra-wideband pulse on the first wire; and

means for transmitting a second ultra-wideband pulse on the second wire;

wherein the first and second ultra-wideband pulses are transmitted at dissimilar time periods and at dissimilar radio frequencies.