UWB Pulse Detection Using Delayed Signal Self-Correlation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing ultra-wideband (UWB) wireless location systems face challenges in accurately detecting pulses of a signal, especially under distortion, and require a high number of transmitted pulses, which increases manufacturing costs and energy consumption.

Innovation Solution

A method that involves time-shifting the received signal by a predetermined number of delays to generate delayed signals, correlating these with the original signal at candidate instants, calculating maximum correlation values, and detecting pulses based on these values, thereby reducing the need for additional transmitted pulses.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If a correlator uses a local replica of the transmitted signal for pulse detection, then pulse detection accuracy is improved under low distortion conditions, but the method becomes ineffective when signal distortion is high

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepulse detection accuracyVSAvoidrobustness against distortion
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses a copy of the received signal itself (delayed version) as the reference for correlation, rather than using a pre-stored local replica of the transmitted signal. This allows the reference to automatically adapt to any distortions that occurred during transmission, maintaining detection accuracy while being robust against distortion.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The patent performs preliminary time-shifting of the received signal to create delayed versions before correlation. This preliminary action enables the system to search for the optimal alignment between the received signal and its delayed version, ensuring accurate pulse detection even when distortion has altered the signal characteristics.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Measurement precision

If the DHTR method is used with reference pulses and modulation pulses, then pulse detection performance is improved under distortion, but the system complexity and energy consumption increase due to excess transmitted data

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepulse detection performanceVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the essential information needed for pulse detection by using a simplified correlation approach that operates directly on the received signal without requiring the complex DHTR encoding scheme. This removes the unnecessary reference pulses and modulation pulses, reducing system complexity while maintaining detection performance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent enables the received signal to serve itself as the reference for detection by correlating it with time-shifted versions of itself. This self-service approach eliminates the need for separate reference signal transmission and complex encoding/decoding schemes, thereby reducing system complexity and energy consumption.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Reliability

If more pulses are transmitted to improve detection reliability, then pulse detection robustness is improved, but energy consumption and manufacturing costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedetection robustnessVSAvoidenergy consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent enables the received signal to serve itself as the reference for detection by correlating it with time-shifted versions of itself. This self-service approach eliminates the need for separate reference signal transmission and complex encoding/decoding schemes, thereby reducing system complexity and energy consumption.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

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 approach enables precise and robust pulse detection with reduced energy consumption and manufacturing costs by minimizing the number of transmitted pulses, improving the accuracy and efficiency of UWB wireless location systems.

Implementation Method 1

a time-shifting step of the received signal according to a predetermined number Ns of delays corresponding to different multiples of Tc, so as to generate Ns delayed signals

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectTime-shifting:

Implementation Method 2

a correlation step, at a candidate instant for pulse detection, of the received signal with each of the delayed signals, so as to obtain Ns correlation values associated with said candidate instant

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCorrelation:

Data Source

PatentEP3552316B1Method and device for the detection of a pulse of a signal
Publication Date: 2021.11.10 UWINLOC
  • EP3552316B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3552316B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3552316B1 patent drawing

AI summary

The invention relates to a method for the detection, by a receiver device, of a pulse of a signal received by said receiver device, said received signal corresponding to data emitted with a predetermined period Tc, each data item being encoded by a presence or an absence of pulse. Furthermore, said method comprises the following steps: - a step (100) of temporal shifting of the received signal according to a predetermined number Ns of delays corresponding to different multiples of Tc, so as to generate Ns delayed signals, - a step (200) of correlating, at the level of a candidate instant for the detection of a pulse, the received signal with each of the delayed signals, so as to obtain Ns correlation values associated with said candidate instant, - a step (300) of calculating a maximum correlation value from among the Ns correlation values associated with the candidate instant, - a step (400) of detecting a pulse of the received signal as a function of said maximum correlation value.