Backscatter Communication With Impedance Switching for BPSK Efficiency

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing backscatter communication technologies using BPSK modulation face increased complexity and reduced communication efficiency due to the need for energy collection before communication, leading to potential delays and sub-optimal performance compared to OOK and ASK modulation.

Innovation Solution

A backscatter communication method that determines a target position situation to carry information, utilizing impedance switching at the antenna to reflect electromagnetic waves, allowing for energy collection and improved communication performance without increasing device complexity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If BPSK modulation is used for backscatter communication, then communication performance is improved, but device complexity increases due to energy collection requirements

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecommunication performanceVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the energy collection function from the backscatter communication device itself and relocates it to the incident signal source. By using the incident signal's energy directly without requiring separate energy harvesting circuits, the device complexity is reduced while maintaining BPSK modulation performance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The incident signal serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides both the energy source and the communication signal carrier. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for dedicated energy collection hardware, resolving the contradiction between performance and complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Reliability

If energy collection is performed before BPSK communication, then communication performance is improved, but communication efficiency decreases due to time delays

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecommunication performanceVSAvoidcommunication efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of performing energy collection as a preliminary step before communication (which causes delays), the patent uses the incident signal's energy in real-time during the communication process itself, eliminating the time delay while maintaining performance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The communication process continues without interruption for energy collection. The backscatter device continuously modulates the incident signal while simultaneously utilizing its energy, ensuring uninterrupted communication and maintaining high efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #20Continuity of useful action

3Device complexity

If OOK or ASK modulation is used instead of BPSK, then device complexity is reduced, but communication performance deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedevice complexityVSAvoidcommunication performance
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent copies the energy utilization approach from simpler OOK/ASK systems but applies it to BPSK modulation. By using the incident signal's energy directly, it achieves the simplicity of simpler modulations while maintaining the superior performance of BPSK.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The method enhances communication efficiency and performance by optimizing energy collection and impedance switching, maintaining device simplicity while improving spectral efficiency over traditional BPSK modulation.

Implementation Method 1

utilizing impedance switching at the antenna to reflect electromagnetic waves

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectImpedance switching: Electrical Impedance Tomography

Implementation Method 2

backscatter communication is performed according to the target position situation

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectromagnetic wave reflection: Reflection

Data Source

PatentEP4607818A1Backscatter communication method, apparatus and device, and storage medium
Publication Date: 2025.08.27 ZTE CORP
  • EP4607818A1 patent drawingFigure 1~3B
  • EP4607818A1 patent drawingFigure 3C~4B
  • EP4607818A1 patent drawingFigure 4C~6

AI summary

Provided are backscatter communication method, apparatus and device, and a storage medium. The backscatter communication method applied to a first communication node includes: (S110) determining a target position situation used to carry first information, and (S120) performing backscatter communication according to the target position situation.