CDMA Transceiver Shared Time Interval Counter
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional two-way satellite time and frequency transfer systems are limited in their ability to perform simultaneous time transfer to multiple ground stations, requiring dedicated time interval counters for each receive channel and restricting the number of remote ground stations that can communicate with a central master clock for accurate phase and frequency measurements.
Innovation Solution
A time interval measurement code-division multiple access (CDMA) transceiver with a transmit channel and multiple receive channels, utilizing a clock manager, processor, and pseudorandom code generation modules to generate and process time measurements simultaneously across multiple channels, enabling simultaneous two-way satellite time and frequency transfer and satellite ranging.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a conventional transceiver with dedicated time interval counters for each receive channel is used, then high-resolution time interval measurements can be achieved, but the hardware size and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the time interval counter functionality from individual receive channels into a single shared counter resource. The counter is controlled by a control unit that manages multiple receive channels, allowing one counter to serve multiple channels through time-multiplexed operation. This consolidation reduces hardware complexity while maintaining measurement precision through careful control of the counter's operation across different channels.
Solution Approach 2:
The single time interval counter is designed to be universal, serving multiple receive channels rather than being dedicated to a single channel. The control unit enables the counter to be dynamically allocated to different receive channels based on measurement requirements, making the counter a multi-functional resource that can handle time interval measurements for any active receive channel.
2Productivity
If multiple dedicated time interval counters are provided for multiple receive channels, then simultaneous time transfer to multiple ground stations is enabled, but the number of programmable receive channels is limited by hardware resources
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple counter resources into a single shared counter that can be dynamically allocated to different receive channels. This merging allows the system to support more programmable receive channels than the number of physical counters, as the single counter can be time-multiplexed across multiple channels. The system achieves simultaneous time transfer capability by rapidly switching the counter between channels while maintaining measurement integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs dynamic resource allocation where the single time interval counter is dynamically assigned to different receive channels based on real-time measurement requirements. The control unit manages this dynamic allocation, allowing the counter to serve different channels at different times. This dynamic approach enables the system to adapt to varying numbers of active receive channels without being constrained by a fixed hardware configuration.
3Device complexity
If a single time interval counter is shared across multiple receive channels, then hardware size is reduced, but the ability to perform simultaneous time transfer to multiple ground stations is degraded
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs periodic action by implementing time-multiplexed operation of the single time interval counter across multiple receive channels. The counter operates periodically, being allocated to different receive channels in a systematic sequence. This periodic allocation creates the effect of simultaneous time transfer capability, as the switching between channels occurs rapidly enough to maintain measurement accuracy for all active channels while using only one physical counter.
Data Source
AI summary
A time interval measurement code-division multiple access (CDMA) transceiver including a clock manager, a transmit channel, one or more receive channels, and a processor for performing time interval measurement in two-way satellite time and frequency transfer and satellite ranging, is provided. The transmit channel generates a spread signal that is digitally phase modulated to generate and transmit the modulated intermediate frequency signal. The baseband processing of the received signal from each of the remote ground stations is performed in receive channels. A transmission time generation module generates a transmission time measurement and a reception time generation module generates a reception time measurement. The transmission time measurement and the reception time measurement are generated on a latch measurement signal that is received from a latch epoch generation module in each of the receive channels.