Spread Spectrum Signal Splitting for Fragmented Bandwidth Utilization
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge is to effectively utilize fragmented and underutilized bandwidth for communication, particularly in scenarios where bandwidth is scarce and highly variable, while maintaining low costs for transmitters and efficient signal transmission below the noise floor.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a spread spectrum signal splitting technique that separates signals into multiple predefined portions and transmits them at discrete bandwidth intervals, using Direct-Sequence Spread Spectrum (DSSS) to modulate the signal below the noise floor, allowing for efficient use of available bandwidth and simple, identical transmitters.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If signals are transmitted using conventional bandwidth allocation, then sufficient bandwidth is available for transmission, but bandwidth cost increases and availability decreases due to scarcity of contiguous spectrum blocks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments a wideband signal into multiple narrowband sub-signals, each transmitted over separate fragmented bandwidth intervals. This segmentation allows the system to utilize non-contiguous spectrum resources that would be unusable with conventional wideband transmission, thereby improving reliability while adapting to limited bandwidth availability.
2Productivity
If bandwidth is divided into fragmented intervals for transmission, then bandwidth utilization improves, but signal reconstruction complexity at the receiver increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the signal processing problem from the time domain to the frequency domain using Fast Fourier Transform (FFT). By converting narrowband sub-signals to frequency domain representations and then combining them, the receiver achieves efficient signal reconstruction despite receiving fragmented bandwidth intervals, managing complexity through dimensional transformation.
3Reliability
If transmitters are made complex to handle fragmented bandwidth, then signal transmission quality improves, but transmitter cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The transmitter segments the input signal into multiple narrowband components and assigns them to available fragmented bandwidth intervals. This segmentation approach allows the use of simple, identical transmitter units that can operate with minimal processing complexity, reducing manufacturing costs while maintaining transmission quality through the structured division and distribution of signal components.
4Productivity
If signals are transmitted below the noise floor to utilize available bandwidth, then bandwidth utilization improves, but signal detection difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple narrowband sub-signals transmitted below the noise floor into a single wideband signal at the receiver. By coherently combining the energy from multiple sub-signals that were transmitted at low power levels, the system achieves detectable signal strength at the receiver while utilizing bandwidth that would otherwise be unavailable, effectively merging weak signals to overcome detection difficulties.
Data Source
AI summary
A transmitter transmits a signal to a receiver using spread spectrum signals. The transmitter generates a respective signal. The transmitter separates the respective signal into multiple predefined portions, wherein each predefined portion is below a noise floor. The transmitter transmits at least a plurality of the predefined portions of the respective signal at discrete bandwidth intervals in accordance with a spread spectrum signal splitting technique. The discrete bandwidth intervals are portions of spectrum that are available for transmission. The receiver receives at least a plurality of the multiple predefined portions of the respective signal at the discrete bandwidth intervals. The receiver reconstructs the respective signal using at least a plurality of the predefined portions in accordance with the spread spectrum signal splitting technique.