Wireless communication system

• US 20060280227A1
• Filed: 06/12/2006
• Published: 12/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: KCR Wireless Inc.
• Original Assignee: Telecommunications Research Laboratories
• Inventors: Pinkney, John A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,925,224 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 375/139
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/69 Spread spectrum techniques
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2001/6912 using chirp

Abstract

An apparatus to facilitate wireless communication where one side of the link is designed for ultra-low power consumption. The apparatus comprises two types of transceivers: a full function transceiver (called the “Controller”) and a reduced function transceiver (called the “Terminal”), which are normally connected in a “star” network configuration (i.e. several Terminals communicating with one Controller). The Controller communicates with Terminals directly using chirp signals which contain the modulated data to be transmitted. The Terminal communicates with the Controller by re-transmitting “carrier” chirp signals which have been sent to it by the Controller. In this way the Terminal does not generate any of its own RF signals, thereby reducing its power consumption. The Terminals may not communicate directly with each other, only indirectly through the Controller.

Claims

1. A wireless transceiver, comprising:

an antenna;

a re-transmitter connected to the antenna, the re-transmitter incorporating a modulator; and

a data processor including a data sink and a data source, the data sink being connected to receive signals from the antenna and the data source being connected to the modulator to provide modulation of data onto re-transmitted signals.

2. The wireless transceiver of claim 1 in which the data processor incorporates a dispersive filter between the antenna and the data sink.

3. The wireless transceiver of claim 2 in which the data processor incorporates a demodulator between the dispersive filter and the data sink.

4. The wireless transceiver of claim I in which the re-transmitter incorporates a delay module between the modulator and the antenna.

5. The wireless transceiver of claim I in which the re-transmitter incorporates a re-transmit disable switch connected to receive a control signal from the data source.

6. A method of wireless communication between transceivers in which the transceivers include at least a controller and a terminal, the method comprising the steps of:

the controller transmitting signals to the terminal according to a protocol;

the terminal processing the signals in a re-transmit mode and a data processing mode;

in which, in the re-transmit mode, the terminal modulates and re-transmits signals received from the controller; and

in the data processing mode, the terminal demodulates signals received from the controller.

7. The method of claim 6 in which, according to the protocol, the controller sends unmodulated signals to the terminal for re-transmission.

8. The method of claim 6 in which the signals transmitted by the controller are spread spectrum signals.

9. The method of claim 8 in which the signals transmitted by the controller are chirp spread spectrum signals, and the chirp spread spectrum signals each have a chirp time.

10. The method of claim 9 in which the terminal delays re-transmission of chirp spread spectrum signals by at least the chirp time.

11. The method of claim 6 in which the terminal modulates the signal for re-transmission by time delay modulation.

12. The method of claim 6 in which the terminal modulates the signal for re-transmission by on-off keying.

13. The method of claim 6 in which the terminal modulates the signal for re-transmission by frequency shift keying.