UWB IR RFID Transceiver Impulse Radio Design
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current RFID systems rely on carrier-based modulation techniques, which are complex and require stringent timing accuracy for UWB IR receivers, posing challenges in multipath propagation and signal separation, especially in short-range wireless communications.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a UWB IR transceiver system that generates and receives UWB IR interrogation and reply signals using a transmitter portion with a digital-to-analog converter and impulse generator, and a receiver portion with a template generator and mixer, allowing for accurate time resolution and positioning capabilities, along with a tag that uses backscatter modulation based on clock pulses from the UWB IR signal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If carrier-based modulation techniques are used in RFID systems, then communication reliability is improved, but device complexity increases and timing accuracy requirements become more stringent
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the fundamental parameter of modulation technique from carrier-based to impulse radio. By using short baseband pulses separated in time by gaps instead of continuous carrier waves, the system achieves simplified transmitter design without power amplifiers or modulation components like VCOs and mixers, while maintaining communication reliability through the immune nature of impulse radio to multipath propagation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and removes complex components from the transmitter design. By eliminating the need for power amplifiers, voltage controlled oscillators, and mixers through the adoption of impulse radio with baseband signals, the system achieves the same communication function with significantly reduced device complexity
2Productivity
If UWB IR techniques are implemented for short-range wireless communications, then data transmission rate is improved, but timing accuracy requirements become more stringent
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs periodic impulse transmission with gaps between pulses. By using short baseband pulses separated in time by gaps rather than continuous signals, the system achieves high data rates while the periodic nature provides natural timing references that simplify receiver timing accuracy requirements
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses impulse templates at the receiver that are copies of the transmitted pulse shapes. By correlating received signals with known impulse templates, the system achieves accurate timing synchronization without requiring extremely stringent timing accuracy in the hardware design
3Reliability
If impulse radio is used instead of conventional continuous wave radios, then immunity to multipath propagation is improved, but receiver timing accuracy demands increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent prepares impulse templates in advance at the receiver that match the expected transmitted pulse shapes. By having these reference templates ready before signal arrival, the receiver can quickly correlate and identify pulse timing without requiring extremely precise real-time timing adjustments
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the signal structure from continuous waves to short pulsed baseband signals with gaps. This parameter change provides inherent timing information in the pulse edges and gaps, making the system more immune to multipath while actually reducing rather than increasing timing accuracy demands through the use of template correlation
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution simplifies RFID system design, enhances signal separation, and provides accurate time resolution and positioning, while eliminating the need for costly circulators and complex modulation techniques, effectively addressing multipath propagation issues and improving communication efficiency in both long and short-distance scenarios.
Implementation Method 1
a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) that converts the baseband interrogation sequence into a baseband analog interrogation signal
Implementation Method 2
an impulse generator that converts the baseband analog interrogation signal into the UWB interrogation signal
Implementation Method 3
an amplifier that amplifies the UWB interrogation signal
Implementation Method 4
a mixer configured to produce a baseband analog signal from the UWB reply signal and the impulse template signal
Implementation Method 5
The antenna modulator is configured to transmit at least the tag identifier through backscatter modulation of the UWB IR interrogation signal
Data Source
AI summary
Ultra wideband (UWB) techniques are applied to radio frequency identification (RFID). For instance, a reader generates a UWB IR interrogation signal, and receives a UWB IR reply signal from an RFID tag in response to the interrogation signal. In addition, the reader may generate from the UWB IR reply signal a baseband response sequence. This sequence includes at least a tag identifier. A reader may store at least a tag identifier. Upon receipt of a UWB IR interrogation signal, the tag obtains a plurality of clock pulses from the UWB IR interrogation signal. Based on the plurality of clock pulses, the reader transmits at least the tag identifier in a UWB IR response signal.