Systems and Methods for Reducing Undesirable Behaviors in RF Communications

• US 20190013880A1
• Filed: 08/22/2017
• Published: 01/10/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/05/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Calamp Wireless Networks Inc. (CalAmp Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LoJack Corporation (Solera Holdings Incorporated)
• Inventors: Whelan, Yvonne
• Granted Patent: US 10,461,868 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/04 Circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/40 Circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 15/00 Suppression or limitation of noise or interference by means associated with receiver H04B1/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/18 Monitoring during normal operation

Abstract

Systems and methods for reducing undesirable behaviors in RF communications in accordance with embodiments of the invention are disclosed. In one embodiment, a vehicle telematics device includes a processor, a transceiver, an amplifier, and a memory connected to the processor and storing a transmission control application, wherein the transceiver is connected to the amplifier, the amplifier is connected to the processor, and the transmission control application directs the processor to format data to be transmitted by the transceiver, determine a leading bit-edge of the transceiver signal, direct the amplifier to sequentially amplify the transceiver signal, transmit data, and direct the amplifier to sequentially de-amplify the transceiver signal.

Claims

1. A vehicle telematics device, comprising:

a processor;

a transceiver coupled to the processor to receive data to be transmitted;

an amplifier coupled to the transceiver to receive a transceiver output signal, the amplifier coupled to the processor to receive an amplification control signal to control the amplification of the transceiver output signal by the amplifier; and

a memory coupled to the processor, the memory storing a transmission control application;

wherein the transmission control application directs the processor to;

format the data to be transmitted by the transceiver;

generate the amplification control signal;

direct the amplifier to sequentially amplify the transceiver output signal based on the amplification control signal;

transmit the formatted data; and

direct the amplifier to sequentially de-amplify the transceiver output signal based on the amplification control signal.

2. The vehicle telematics device of claim 1, wherein the direction to the processor to format the data to be transmitted includes prepending a buffer signal to the data before data modulation begins.

3. The vehicle telematics device of claim 1, wherein the leading bit-edge in the transceiver output signal is determined by monitoring an input/output port of the transceiver for a transition in an output status signal related to a functional call of the data to be transmitted.

4. The vehicle telematics device of claim 3, wherein the monitoring of the input/output port of the transceiver occurs after receiving the data to be transmitted.

5. The vehicle telematics device of claim 1, wherein the transmission control application further directs the processor to monitor the conditions of the transceiver before formatting the data.

6. The vehicle telematics device of claim 5, wherein the transmission control application further directs the processor to adjust the sequential amplification and the sequential de-amplification of the amplifier based upon the monitored conditions of the transceiver.

7. The vehicle telematics device of claim 1, wherein the sequential amplification of the amplifier is completed faster than the sequential de-amplification of the amplifier.

8. The vehicle telematics device of claim 1, wherein the sequential amplification and de-amplification of the amplifier are non-linear.

9. The vehicle telematics device of claim 8, wherein the sequential amplification and de-amplification of the amplifier are achieved through a non-linear pulse wave modulated (PWM) signal applied as the amplification control signal to the amplifier.

10. The vehicle telematics device of claim 1, wherein the power of the amplified transceiver output signal is approximately 2 Watts.

11. A method for reducing undesirable behaviors in RF communications, the method comprising:

formatting data to be transmitted out of a vehicle telematics device using a processor and instructions stored in a memory of the vehicle telematics device;

determining a leading bit-edge of a transceiver output signal from a transceiver of the vehicle telematics device;

directing an amplifier of the vehicle telematics device to sequentially amplify the transceiver output signal using an amplifier of the vehicle telematics device;

transmitting the formatted data using the transceiver and the amplifier of the vehicle telematics device; and

directing the amplifier to sequentially de-amplify the transceiver output signal.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the formatting of the data includes prepending a buffer signal to the data before data modulation begins.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the leading bit-edge in the transceiver output signal is determined by monitoring an input/output port of the transceiver for a transition in an output status signal related to a functional call of the data to be transmitted.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the monitoring of the input/output port of the transceiver occurs after receiving the data to be transmitted.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising monitoring the conditions of the transceiver prior to formatting the data.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising adjusting the sequential amplification and de-amplification of the amplifier based on the monitored conditions of the transceiver.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the sequential amplification of the amplifier is completed faster than the sequential de-amplification of the amplifier.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the sequential amplification and de-amplification of the transceiver are non-linear.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the sequential amplification and de-amplification of the amplifier are achieved through a pulse wave modulated (PWM) signal applied as a control signal to the amplifier.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein the power of the amplified transceiver output signal is approximately 2 Watts.