Method and apparatus for positioning pulses over time by applying time-hopping codes having pre-defined characteristics

• US 6,671,310 B1
• Filed: 06/12/2000
• Issued: 12/30/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Humatics Corporation
• Original Assignee: Time Domain Corporation (Humatics Corporation)
• Inventors: Richards, James L., Fullerton, Larry W., Roberts, Mark D., Pendergrass, Marcus H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Khai
• Application Number:
  US09/591,690
• Time in Patent Office: 1,296 Days
• Field of Search: 375/138, 375/130, 375/139, 375/241, 375/242, 375/237, 375/239, 370/342, 370/441, 370/515, 370/335, 370/320
• US Class Current: 375/138
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/7176 Data mapping, e.g. modulation
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2001/6908 using time hopping
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 13/0074 Code shifting or hopping
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 13/10 Code generation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/4902 Pulse width modulation; Pulse position modulation

Abstract

A method for positioning pulses over time (via a time layout) applies time-hopping codes having pre-defined characteristics. The time layout can be sequentially subdivided into at least first and second time components that have the same or different sizes. The method applies a first time-hopping code having first pre-defined properties to the first time component and a second time-hopping code having second pre-defined properties to the second time component. The pre-defined properties may relate to the auto-correlation property, the cross-correlation property, and spectral properties, as examples. The codes can be used to specify subcomponents within a frame, and positions (range-based, or discrete) within the subcomponents, where the pulses are positioned.

Claims

1. A method of positioning pulses over time, comprising the steps of:

specifying pulse positioning over time in accordance with a time layout subdivided into at least a first time component and a second time component;

applying a first time-hopping code having first pre-defined properties in relation to said first time component; and

applying a second time-hopping code having second pre-defined properties in relation to said second time component.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said one or more time components are any one of:

a same size; and

a different size, in relation to one another.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said time layout is sequentially subdivided into at least a first time component and a second time component.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said first and second subdivision time components are any one of:

a same size; and

a different size, in relation to one another.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said first pre-defined properties relate to a correlation property of the pulses.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said correlation property is an auto-correlation property of the pulses.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein said correlation property is a cross-correlation property.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said second pre-defined properties relate to a different correlation property that the first pre-defined properties.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said different correlation property is an auto-correlation property.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein said different correlation property is a cross-correlation property.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said second pre-defined properties relate to a spectral property.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said first pre-defined properties relate to a spectral property, and wherein said second pre-defined properties relate to at least one of said spectral property and a different spectral property.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein said first time-hopping code is generated using a numerical code generation technique with desirable autocorrelation properties.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said numerical code generation technique comprises at least one of:

a Welch-Costas Array code generation technique;

a Golomb-Costas Array code generation technique; and

a Hyperbolic Congruential code generation technique.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein said second time-hopping code is generated using a numerical code generation technique with desirable cross-correlation properties.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said numerical code generation technique comprises at least one of:

a Quadratic Congruential code generation technique;

a Linear Congruential code generation technique; and

a Hyperbolic Congruential code generation technique.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of said first and said second time-hopping codes is generated using a numerical code generation technique with desirable spectral properties.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said numerical code generation technique comprises at least one of:

linear congruential pseudorandom number generator technique;

additive lagged-Fibonacci pseudorandom number generator technique;

linear feedback shift register pseudorandom number generator technique;

lagged-Fibonacci shift register pseudorandom number generator technique;

chaotic code pseudorandom number generator technique; and

optimal Golomb ruler code pseudorandom number generator technique.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein said first time-hopping code specifies a partition within a value range layout, and

wherein said second time-hopping code specifies a range value within said partition.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said partition is any one of:

a frame;

a subcomponent of a frame; and

any smaller component of a subcomponent of a frame.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein said first time-hopping code specifies a partition within a value range layout, and

wherein said second time-hopping code specifies a discrete value within said partition.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein said partition is any one of:

a frame;

a subcomponent of a frame; and

any smaller component of a subcomponent of a frame.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein said first time-hopping code is generated using a numerical code generation technique with desirable auto-correlation properties.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein said numerical code generation technique comprises at least one of:

a Welch-Costas code generation technique;

a Golomb-Costas code generation technique;

a Quadratic Congruential code generation technique;

a Linear Congruential code generation technique; and

a Hyperbolic Congruential code generation technique.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein said second time-hopping code is generated using a numerical code generation technique with desirable spectral properties.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein said numerical code generation technique comprises at least one of:

linear congruential pseudorandom number generator technique;

additive lagged-Fibonacci pseudorandom number generator technique;

linear feedback shift register pseudorandom number generator technique;

lagged-Fibonacci shift register pseudorandom number generator technique;

chaotic code pseudorandom number generator technique; and

optimal Golomb ruler code pseudorandom number generator technique.

27. The method of claim 1, wherein said first time-hopping code specifying a positioning of the pulses is repeated until an event occurs, whereupon said second time-hopping code is repeated to specify another positioning of the pulses.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the first time-hopping code is any one of:

a Welch-Costas code;

a Golomb-Costas code; and

a Hyperbolic Congruential code.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein the said event is signal acquisition.

30. The method of claim 27, wherein the second time-hopping code is any one of:

a Quadratic Congruential code;

a Linear Congruential code; and

a Hyperbolic Congruential code.

31. The method of claim 1, wherein a combination comprising said first time-hopping code specifying a positioning of the pulses and said second time-hopping code specifying a second positioning of the pulses is repeated.

32. An impulse transmission system comprising:

a Time Modulated Ultra Wideband Transmitter;

a Time Modulated Ultra Wideband Receiver; and

said Time Modulated Ultra Wideband Transmitter and said Time Modulated Ultra Wideband Receiver employ at least a first and second time-hopping code, wherein said first and second time-hopping codes specify pulse positioning over time in accordance with a time layout subdivided into at least a first and second time component, said first time-hopping code having first pre-defined properties is applied to said first time component, and said second time-hopping code having second pre-defined properties is applied to said second time component.

33. The impulse transmission system of claim 32, wherein said one or more time components are any one of:

a same size; and

a different size, in relation to one another.

34. The impulse transmission system of claim 32, wherein said time layout is sequentially subdivided into at least a first time component and a second time component.

35. The impulse transmission system of claim 34, wherein said first and second subdivision time components are any one of:

a same size; and

a different size, in relation to one another.

36. The impulse transmission system of claim 32, wherein said first pre-defined properties relate to a correlation property of the pulses.

37. The impulse transmission system of claim 36, wherein said correlation property is an auto-correlation property of the pulses.

38. The impulse transmission system of claim 36, wherein said correlation property is a cross-correlation property.

39. The impulse transmission system of claim 32, wherein said second pre-defined properties relate to a different correlation property.

40. The impulse transmission system of claim 39, wherein said different correlation property is an auto-correlation property.

41. The impulse transmission system of claim 39, wherein said different correlation property is a cross-correlation property.

42. The impulse transmission system of claim 32, wherein said second pre-defined properties relate to a spectral property.

43. The impulse transmission system of claim 32, wherein said first pre-defined properties relate to a spectral property, and wherein said second pre-defined properties relate to at least one of said spectral property and a different spectral property.

44. The impulse transmission system of claim 32, wherein said first time-hopping code is generated using a numerical code generation technique with desirable autocorrelation properties.

45. The impulse transmission system of claim 44, wherein said numerical code generation technique comprises at least one of:

a Welch-Costas Array code generation technique;

a Golomb-Costas Array code generation technique; and

a Hyperbolic Congruential code generation technique.

46. The impulse transmission system of claim 32, wherein said second time-hopping code is generated using a numerical code generation technique with desirable cross-correlation properties.

47. The impulse transmission system of claim 46, wherein said numerical code generation technique comprises at least one of:

a Quadratic Congruential code generation technique;

a Linear Congruential code generation technique; and

a Hyperbolic Congruential code generation technique.

48. The impulse transmission system of claim 32, wherein at least one of said first and said second time-hopping codes is generated using a numerical code generation technique with desirable spectral properties.

49. The impulse transmission system of claim 48, wherein said numerical code generation technique comprises at least one of:

linear congruential pseudorandom number generator technique;

additive lagged-Fibonacci pseudorandom number generator technique;

linear feedback shift register pseudorandom number generator technique;

lagged-Fibonacci shift register pseudorandom number generator technique;

chaotic code pseudorandom number generator technique; and

optimal Golomb ruler code pseudorandom number generator technique.

50. The impulse transmission system of claim 32, wherein said first time-hopping code specifies a partition within a value range layout, and

wherein said second time-hopping code specifies a range value within said partition.

51. The impulse transmission system of claim 50, wherein said partition is any one of:

a frame;

a subcomponent of a frame; and

any smaller component of a subcomponent of a frame.

52. The impulse transmission system of claim 32, wherein said first time-hopping code specifies a partition within a value range layout, and

wherein said second time-hopping code specifies a discrete value within said partition.

53. The impulse transmission system of claim 52, wherein said partition is any one of:

a frame;

a subcomponent of a frame; and

any smaller component of a subcomponent of a frame.

54. The impulse transmission system of claim 52, wherein said first time-hopping code is generated using a numerical code generation technique with desirable auto-correlation properties.

55. The impulse transmission system of claim 54, wherein said numerical code generation technique comprises at least one of:

a Welch-Costas code generation technique;

a Golomb-Costas code generation technique;

a Quadratic Congruential code generation technique;

a Linear Congruential code generation technique; and

a Hyperbolic Congruential code generation technique.

56. The impulse transmission system of claim 52, wherein said second time-hopping code is generated using a numerical code generation technique with desirable spectral properties.

57. The impulse transmission system of claim 56, wherein said numerical code generation technique comprises at least one of:

linear congruential pseudorandom number generator technique;

additive lagged-Fibonacci pseudorandom number generator technique;

linear feedback shift register pseudorandom number generator technique;

lagged-Fibonacci shift register pseudorandom number generator technique;

chaotic code pseudorandom number generator technique; and

optimal Golomb ruler code pseudorandom number generator technique.

58. The impulse transmission system of claim 32, wherein said first time-hopping code specifying a positioning of the pulses is repeated until an event occurs, whereupon said second time-hopping code is repeated to specify another positioning of the pulses.

59. The impulse transmission system of claim 58, wherein the first time-hopping code is any one of:

a Welch-Costas code;

a Golomb-Costas code; and

a Hyperbolic Congruential code.

60. The impulse transmission system of claim 58, wherein the said event is signal acquisition.

61. The impulse transmission system of claim 58, wherein the second time-hopping code is any one of:

a Quadratic Congruential code;

a Linear Congruential code; and

a Hyperbolic Congruential code.

62. The impulse transmission system of claim 32, wherein a combination comprising said first time-hopping code specifying a positioning of the pulses and said second time-hopping code specifying a second positioning of the pulses is repeated.