UWB Impulse Radio Transceiver with Dual Clock Timer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional wireless communication protocols, such as IEEE 802.15.1 (Bluetooth), IEEE 802.15.4 (Zigbee), and IEEE 802.11a/b/g (Wi-Fi), struggle to achieve ultra-efficient wireless communications and ultra-low power consumption, especially at lower data rates due to their inherent architecture and limited duty cycling ability.
Innovation Solution
The development of ultra-wideband (UWB) transmitters, receivers, and transceivers that utilize a dual clock timer system for synchronization, an integrated DC/DC converter, and a duty cycled transceiver circuit to achieve low power consumption. Additionally, the use of impulse radio technology with pulse bundles having real-time configurable parameters, and a quasi low-IF architecture to enhance energy efficiency and interference rejection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If conventional wireless communication protocols (IEEE 802.15.1, 802.15.4, 802.11a/b/g) are used, then data transmission can be achieved, but power consumption remains high and duty cycling capability is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic action through duty-cycled operation where the transceiver alternates between active transmission/reception periods and low-power sleep periods. The dual clock timer system enables precise timing of these periodic cycles, allowing the system to achieve sub-nanojoule per bit energy efficiencies by keeping the transceiver inactive during most time intervals while maintaining data transmission capability when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies parameter changes by dynamically adjusting the dual clock timer parameters and pulse bundle characteristics to match varying data rate requirements. The system can change operating parameters such as pulse repetition rate, bandwidth, and duty cycle duration to optimize the balance between power consumption and data transmission capability across several orders of magnitude in data rate.
2Use of energy by moving object
If impulse radio with pulse bundles is used, then energy efficiency is improved, but synchronization complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses copying by implementing a dual clock timer system where one clock signal is copied and phase-shifted to create timing references for both transmitter and receiver. This copying approach simplifies synchronization by distributing identical timing patterns rather than requiring complex phase-locking mechanisms, enabling the system to achieve sub-nanojoule energy efficiency while maintaining manageable synchronization complexity.
3Speed
If data rate is increased, then transmission speed is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by implementing adaptive duty cycling where the transceiver adjusts its active time based on the required data rate. At higher data rates, the system can use shorter pulse durations and lower duty cycles, while at lower data rates, longer sleep periods reduce power consumption. The dual clock timer enables dynamic adjustment of timing parameters to optimize the trade-off between speed and energy efficiency across several orders of magnitude in data rate.
Data Source
AI summary
Ultra-Wideband (UWB) technology exploits modulated coded impulses over a wide frequency spectrum with very low power over a short distance for digital data transmission. Today's leading edge modulated sinusoidal wave wireless communication standards and systems achieve power efficiencies of 50 nJ/bit employing narrowband signaling schemes and traditional RF transceiver architectures. However, such designs severely limit the achievable energy efficiency, especially at lower data rates such as below 1 Mbps. Further, it is important that peak power consumption is supportable by common battery or energy harvesting technologies and long term power consumption neither leads to limited battery lifetimes or an inability for alternate energy sources to sustain them. Accordingly, it would be beneficial for next generation applications to exploit inventive transceiver structures and communication schemes in order to achieve the sub nJ per bit energy efficiencies required by next generation applications.