Supplemental Modulator Distortion for IoT Timing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wireless communication systems lack a method to efficiently inject supplemental signals into data modulated carrier signals without violating communications protocols, limiting their use in IoT devices with reduced size, weight, cost, and power requirements.
Innovation Solution
A wireless access point is configured with a supplemental modulator that distorts the data modulated carrier signal within an error bound of the communications protocol, allowing the injection of supplemental signals such as timing signals, which can be detected by devices with minimal communication stacks, enabling synchronization and data reporting in IoT devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a supplemental signal is injected into a data modulated carrier signal by distorting it beyond protocol error bounds, then the supplemental signal can be detected more easily, but the communication protocol compliance is violated causing transmission errors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by carefully controlling the distortion parameters of the carrier signal. The supplemental modulator adjusts amplitude, frequency, or phase parameters within specific ranges that allow supplemental signal embedding while maintaining compliance with communication protocol error thresholds. This resolves the contradiction by finding optimal parameter values that satisfy both detection accuracy and protocol compliance requirements.
2Device complexity
If IoT devices use minimal communication stacks to reduce size, weight, and power consumption, then device complexity is reduced, but the ability to communicate with conventional wireless networks is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses the supplemental signal as an intermediary communication layer. Instead of requiring full communication stacks, the IoT device uses a simplified stack that can detect and respond to supplemental signals embedded in carrier waves from conventional access points. This intermediary approach enables compatibility with conventional networks while maintaining minimal device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The supplemental signal mechanism provides universal compatibility across different network types. The same minimal communication stack can interact with both conventional wireless networks (through supplemental signal detection) and specialized IoT networks, making the device versatile without increasing complexity.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional wireless networks are used without supplemental signal capability, then implementation is simpler, but timing synchronization and data reporting capabilities are insufficient for IoT applications
Solution Approach 1:
The supplemental signal carries preliminary timing information that enables IoT devices to synchronize their operations before actual data transmission begins. Access points embed timing signals in advance within the supplemental communication layer, allowing devices to pre-coordinate their data reporting schedules without complicating the core communication infrastructure.
Data Source
AI summary
A wireless access point or other transmitter can be configured to inject a supplemental signal into a data modulated carrier signal. In some examples, a transmitter system includes an antenna, a primary modulator, and a supplemental modulator. The primary modulator receives a baseband data signal and a carrier signal and outputting to the antenna a data modulated carrier signal according to a communications protocol. The supplemental modulator injects a supplemental signal into the data modulated carrier signal by distorting the data modulated carrier signal within an error bound of the communications protocol. A corresponding receiving system includes an antenna and a supplemental signal detector for detecting the supplemental signal by detecting the distortion within the data modulated carrier signal.