Super Regenerative Receiver for Accurate LOS Distance Measurement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for determining the line-of-sight distance between remote communications devices are inaccurate due to signal obstructions, as they struggle to distinguish the direct line-of-sight signal from indirect non-line-of-sight signals, leading to errors in distance measurement.
Innovation Solution
A super regenerative receiver system with multiple amplifiers tuned to distinct frequency bands is used to enhance sensitivity for line-of-sight signal detection, allowing for accurate distance calculation by differentiating the line-of-sight signal from noise and non-line-of-sight signals, while also reducing power consumption and jamming interference.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional signal reception methods are used to determine distance, then the system is simple to implement, but the measurement precision is poor due to inability to distinguish LOS signal from non-LOS signals
Solution Approach 1:
The received signal is segmented into multiple components based on arrival time. The LOS signal component is identified as the first arriving signal, while later arriving components are identified as non-LOS reflections. This temporal segmentation allows precise distance measurement by focusing only on the LOS component.
Solution Approach 2:
The receiver system dynamically adjusts its processing based on signal characteristics. It continuously monitors incoming signals, identifies LOS components in real-time, and adapts its measurement calculations accordingly. This dynamic approach maintains high precision despite varying environmental conditions.
2Measurement precision
If signal processing is performed to distinguish LOS signal from non-LOS signals, then the measurement precision improves, but the power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary signal processing by identifying and isolating the LOS signal component before distance calculation. By preprocessing the signal to separate LOS from non-LOS components, the system avoids more computationally intensive processing later, thereby reducing overall power consumption while maintaining precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies partial processing only to the necessary LOS signal component rather than analyzing the entire received signal spectrum. By focusing computational resources only on the first-arriving signal portion that contains the LOS information, power consumption is minimized while achieving accurate distance measurement.
3Measurement precision
If the receiver attempts to detect weak LOS signals in the presence of strong non-LOS signals, then the measurement precision improves, but the reliability decreases due to jamming interference
Solution Approach 1:
The LOS signal component is extracted from the mixed received signal by identifying its unique temporal characteristic (earliest arrival time). This extraction process separates the desired LOS signal from interfering non-LOS signals and jamming, improving both precision and reliability by eliminating contamination from harmful signals.
Solution Approach 2:
The system converts the presence of strong non-LOS signals and jamming interference into a beneficial filtering mechanism. By using the temporal distinction between LOS and non-LOS signals, the system automatically rejects later-arriving interfering signals, turning potential harm into an enhanced ability to isolate the true LOS component for accurate measurement.
Data Source
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Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3A
AI summary
An apparatus for wireless communications is disclosed including a super regenerative receiver adapted to receive an incoming signal from a remote apparatus, and a circuit adapted to at least partially determine the distance to the remote apparatus based on the incoming signal. The super regenerative receiver may be configured for relatively high sensitivity to allow the distance measurement circuit to discern the line-of sight (LOS) portion of the incoming signal from the non-LOS portion thereof. Using the time of the LOS portion of the incoming signal, the circuit is able to more accurately determine the distance to the remote apparatus. By sending a signal to the remote apparatus, and receiving a response signal from the remote apparatus, the circuit may determine the distance to the remote apparatus from the respective times of the transmission and reception of the signals.