Ultra-wideband impulse generation and modulation circuit

• US 6,911,874 B2
• Filed: 02/04/2002
• Issued: 06/28/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Dvorak, Mark Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Callahan, Timothy P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): COX, CASSANDRA F
• Application Number:
  US10/067,025
• Publication Number:
  US 20030146800A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,240 Days
• Field of Search: 332/112, 332/108, 332/109, 332/106, 375/239
• US Class Current: 332/112
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 7/04 Position modulation, i.e. PPM
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/7174 Pulse generation in general H04L25/03834

Abstract

A modulated ultra wideband pulse generation system is provided. The system comprises a pulse waveform generator circuit operable to generate an on-off pulse waveform, and a modulating circuit operable to receive a modulating signal and to modulate the on-off pulse waveform in response to the modulating signal. Further embodiments of the invention comprise a variable bandwidth circuit operable to alter the bandwidth of the pulses comprising the on-off pulse waveform. Various embodiments of the invention comprise on-off keying modulation, pulse position modulation, and pulse phase modulation.

Claims

1. A modulated ultra wideband pulse generation system, comprising:

a pulse waveform generator circuit operable to generate an on-off pulse waveform;

a modulating circuit, operable to receive a modulating signal and to modulate the on-off pulse waveform in response to the modulating signal to produce an ultrawideband radio frequency pulse;

an antenna; and

a capacitor placed between the antenna and the modulating circuit.

2. A modulated ultra wideband pulse generation system, comprising:

a pulse waveform generator circuit operable to generate an on-off pulse waveform;

a modulating circuit, operable to receive a modulating signal and to modulate the on-off pulse waveform in response to the modulating signal to produce an ultrawideband radio frequency pulse, wherein the pulse waveform generator circuit generates a pseudorandom waveform.

3. A modulated ultra wideband pulse generation system, comprising:

a pulse waveform generator circuit operable to generate an on-off pulse waveform;

a modulating circuit, operable to receive a modulating signal and to modulate the on-off pulse waveform in response to the modulating signal to produce an ultrawideband radio frequency pulse; and

a variable bandwidth circuit operable to change the bandwidth of the ultra wideband pulse.

4. The modulated ultra wideband pulse generation system of claim 3, wherein the variable bandwidth circuit comprises a lowpass filter.

5. The modulated ultra wideband pulse generation system of claim 4, wherein the lowpass filter comprises a resistor—

capacitor circuit wherein at least one of the resistor and capacitor are variable.

6. A modulated ultra wideband pulse generation system, comprising:

a pulse waveform generator circuit operable to generate an on-off pulse waveform;

a modulating circuit, operable to receive a modulating signal and to modulate the on-off pulse waveform in response to the modulating signal to produce an ultrawideband radio frequency pulse;

wherein the modulating circuit comprises a pulse position modulator operable to selectively delay the on-off pulse waveform in response to a modulating signal, the pulse position modulator comprising a resistor—

capacitor lowpass filter having a time constant that is varied in response to the modulating signal, operable to selectively delay the pulse position in response to the modulating signal.

7. A modulated ultra wideband pulse generation system, comprising:

a pulse waveform generator circuit operable to generate an on-off pulse waveform;

a modulating circuit, operable to receive a modulating signal and to modulate the on-off pulse waveform in response to the modulating signal to produce an ultrawideband radio frequency pulse;

wherein the modulating circuit comprises a phase modulator operable to selectively change the phase of the waveform in response to a modulating signal, wherein the phase modulator comprises an exclusive or (XOR) gate having the on-off pulse waveform as one input, a modulating signal as a second input, and a modulated signal as an output.

8. A method of producing a modulated ultra wideband pulse, comprising:

generating an on-off pulse waveform;

modulating the on-off pulse waveform in response to a received modulating signal to produce a modulated ultrawideband radio frequency pulse; and

,

wherein the generated on off pulse waveform comprises a random or pseudorandom stream of on-off pulses.

9. A method of producing a modulated ultra wideband pulse, comprising:

generating an on-off pulse waveform;

modulating the on-off pulse waveform in response to a received modulating signal to produce a modulated ultrawideband radio frequency pulse; and

changing the bandwidth of the on-off pulse waveform via a variable bandwidth circuit.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the variable bandwidth circuit comprises a resistor—

capacitor lowpass circuit wherein at least one of the resistor and capacitor are variable.

11. A method of producing a modulated ultra wideband pulse, comprising:

generating an on-off pulse waveform; and

modulating the on-off pulse waveform in response to a received modulating signal to produce a modulated ultrawideband radio frequency pulse, wherein modulating the on-off pulse waveform comprises modulating the pulse position such that the pulse position is selectively delayed in response to a modulating signal, and wherein the pulse position is modulated via a resistor—

capacitor lowpass filter having a time constant that is varied in response to the modulating signal, operable to selectively delay the pulse position in response to the modulating signal.

12. A method of producing a modulated ultra wideband pulse, comprising:

generating an on-off pulse waveform; and

modulating the on-off pulse waveform in response to a received modulating signal to produce a modulated ultrawideband radio frequency pulse, wherein modulating the on-off waveform comprises phase modulation of the waveform such that the phase of the waveform is selectively changed in response to a modulating signal wherein the phase modulation is performed via a circuit comprising an exclusive or (XOR) gate having the on-off pulse waveform as one input, a modulating signal as a second input, and a modulated signal as an output.