Realtime Interface for Transmit Chain Nanosecond Timing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing communications and jamming systems require precise control of transmit chain characteristics like frequency, amplitude, and modulation type to be synchronized with the transmission of packetized data, necessitating costly and complex specialized hardware and software for nanosecond accuracy, which is not feasible with standard off-the-shelf components.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a realtime interface that uses a precision time reference to generate control signals for the transmit chain, allowing standard off-the-shelf processors to manage packetized data with nanosecond timing accuracy by including headers for frequency, amplitude, and modulation type, and using a precision time output gate to synchronize the transmit chain with the data transmission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If specialized hardware and software are used to achieve nanosecond timing accuracy for transmit chain control, then timing precision is improved, but system cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a precision time output gate as an intermediary component that receives standard millisecond-accurate clock signals and transforms them into nanosecond-accurate timing signals. This gate acts as a mediator between the low-precision standard processor clock and the high-precision transmit chain control requirements, enabling accurate timing without requiring the entire system to be specialized hardware.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates a copied timing reference system where the precision time output gate generates accurate timing signals that are then distributed to control both the packet transmission timing and the transmit chain reconfiguration. This copied timing reference allows standard off-the-shelf components to achieve nanosecond accuracy by relying on the gate's generated timing signals rather than requiring specialized hardware throughout the system.
2Ease of manufacture
If standard off-the-shelf processors are used for digital processing, then cost is reduced, but timing accuracy deteriorates to millisecond range
Solution Approach 1:
The precision time output gate serves as an intermediary that bridges the gap between standard processor timing capabilities and the nanosecond accuracy requirements. It takes the millisecond-accurate clock from standard processors and transforms it into nanosecond-accurate timing signals, allowing cost-effective standard hardware to achieve high-precision timing control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the timing parameter precision from millisecond range (standard processor capability) to nanosecond range (required accuracy) through the precision time output gate. This parameter transformation allows standard processors to be used while still achieving the required timing accuracy for frequency hopping and packet transmission synchronization.
3Adaptability or versatility
If transmit chain characteristics are changed on the fly for frequency hopping and modulation changes, then system versatility is improved, but synchronization difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback control where the precision time output gate continuously monitors the timing of packet transmissions and uses this information to generate accurate timing signals for subsequent transmit chain reconfigurations. This feedback mechanism ensures that frequency hops and modulation changes are synchronized with packet boundaries, maintaining system versatility while managing synchronization complexity through active timing adjustment.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary timing preparation by using the precision time output gate to pre-synchronize the transmit chain reconfiguration timing before actual frequency hops or modulation changes occur. This preliminary timing alignment ensures that when transmit characteristics are changed on the fly for frequency hopping, the changes are already synchronized with the packet transmission timing, reducing the complexity of real-time synchronization.
Data Source
AI summary
In a communications or jamming system, accurate timing for the control of the frequency, amplitude, modulation type, pulse repetition rate or other transmit characteristics is achieved for the transmission of digitally processed packetized signals through the use of standard non-realtime off-the-shelf components for the digital processing and a realtime interface which reads transmit chain headers and, with the assistance of a precise time reference, assures that the transmit chain is configured in time to transmit the packets. Note that the realtime interface assures nanosecond timing accuracy regardless of timing errors introduced by the off-the-shelf components used in upstream digital processing.