Mixed-Bandwidth Ranging Communication for Lower UWB Power
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Solution Overview
Problem
Ultra-wideband systems face high power consumption due to their wide bandwidth, which affects device efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A communication method utilizing different bandwidths for time synchronization and distance measurement, employing unidirectional time synchronization and combining narrowband and wideband operations to reduce power consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If ultra-wideband system uses wide bandwidth for communication, then transmission rate and system capacity are improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic switching between narrowband and wideband modes. The narrowband mode is used for initial time synchronization, and the wideband mode is activated only when distance measurement is required. This periodic action pattern reduces the overall duration of wideband operation, thereby lowering power consumption while maintaining the ability to achieve high transmission rates when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The communication process is segmented into distinct phases: initial time synchronization phase using narrowband, and distance measurement phase using wideband. By segmenting the communication workflow, the system activates wideband only for the specific function of distance measurement rather than continuous operation, thus reducing power consumption while preserving high transmission rate capability when required.
2Measurement precision
If ultra-wideband system uses wide bandwidth continuously, then ranging performance is improved, but bandwidth occupation and power consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs periodic activation of wideband mode specifically for distance measurement operations. The narrowband mode handles continuous time synchronization, while wideband is periodically activated only when ranging is required. This periodic action ensures high ranging performance when needed while minimizing the duration of wideband operation to reduce power consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The narrowband communication serves as an intermediary that handles time synchronization and triggers wideband activation only when distance measurement is required. This intermediary role of narrowband mode allows the system to achieve accurate ranging through wideband when needed while avoiding continuous wideband operation, thus reducing power consumption.
3Use of energy by moving object
If unidirectional time synchronization is used, then interaction between systems is reduced and power consumption decreases, but synchronization complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the time synchronization function from the bidirectional interaction and implements it as a unidirectional process. The first device sends time synchronization information to the second device without requiring immediate acknowledgment or complex handshake protocols. This extraction of the synchronization function simplifies the interaction model, reduces system complexity, and lowers power consumption by eliminating unnecessary bidirectional communication overhead.
Data Source
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AI summary
This application provides a communication method, a communication apparatus, and a communication system. The method includes: A first device sends a first frame to a second device on a first bandwidth at a first time, where the first frame is used for time synchronization between the first device and the second device. The first device sends a second frame to the second device on a second bandwidth at a second time, where the second bandwidth is greater than the first bandwidth. The first device starts, at a third time, to receive a third frame from the second device, where the third frame is a response frame of the second frame, and a difference between the third time and the second time is determined based on a symbol length in the first frame. In the method, different types of bandwidths, such as the first bandwidth and the second bandwidth, are combined, so that a time during which wideband or ultra-wideband is used can be reduced, to reduce bandwidth occupation and reduce power consumption of the device. In addition, the method uses a unidirectional time synchronization method. In other words, the first frame is sent only once on the first bandwidth. This reduces interaction between systems and further reduces power consumption of the device.