Optimization of ultra-wideband communication through a wire medium

Abstract

Apparatus and methods to optimize ultra-wideband communication through wire and cable media are provided. One apparatus comprises an ultra-wideband transmitter structured to transmit a training set of ultra-wideband pulses through the wire medium. An ultra-wideband receiver is structured to receive the training set of ultra-wideband pulses from the wire medium. A determination of which of the pulses within the training set is best suited for communication through the media is then performed. This Abstract is provided for the sole purpose of complying with the Abstract requirement rules that allow a reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the disclosure contained herein. This Abstract is submitted with the explicit understanding that it will not be used to interpret or to limit the scope or the meaning of the claims.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An ultra-wideband communication system for a wire medium, comprising: 
 an ultra-wideband transmitter structured to transmit a training set of ultra-wideband pulses through the wire medium; and    an ultra-wideband receiver structured to receive the training set of ultra-wideband pulses from the wire medium.    
     
     
         2 . The ultra-wideband communication system of  claim 1 , wherein each of the ultra-wideband pulses comprising the training set comprise a pulse of electromagnetic energy having a duration that can range from about 10 picoseconds to about 10 milliseconds.  
     
     
         3 . The ultra-wideband communication system of  claim 1 , wherein each of the ultra-wideband pulses comprising the training set comprise a pulse of electromagnetic energy having a duration that can range from about 10 picoseconds to about 10 milliseconds and a power that can range from about +30 power decibels to about −60 power decibels, as measured at a single radio frequency.  
     
     
         4 . The ultra-wideband communication system of  claim 1 , wherein the training set of ultra-wideband pulses comprises at least one ultra-wideband pulse selected from a group consisting of: a pre-distorted pulse, a pre-emphasized pulse, a shaped pulse, a substantially triangular pulse, a substantially square pulse, a pulse occupying a portion of a radio frequency spectrum, with a segment of the occupied radio frequency spectrum substantially eliminated; and a pulse occupying a portion of a radio frequency spectrum, with a segment of the occupied radio frequency spectrum amplified.  
     
     
         5 . The ultra-wideband communication system of  claim 1 , wherein the ultra-wideband transmitter comprises an ultra-wideband pulse modulator that is structured to transmit a multiplicity of ultra-wideband pulses.  
     
     
         6 . The ultra-wideband communication system of  claim 1 , wherein the ultra-wideband receiver comprises an ultra-wideband pulse demodulator that is structured to receive a multiplicity of ultra-wideband pulses.  
     
     
         7 . The ultra-wideband communication system of  claim 1 , wherein the wire medium is selected from a group consisting of: an optical fiber ribbon, a fiber optic cable, a single mode fiber optic cable, a multi-mode fiber optic cable, a twisted pair wire, an unshielded twisted pair wire, a plenum wire, a PVC wire, a coaxial cable, and an electrically conductive material.  
     
     
         8 . The ultra-wideband communication system of  claim 1 , wherein the wire medium is selected from a group consisting of: a power line, an optical network, a cable television network, a community antenna television network, a community access television network, a hybrid fiber coax system network, a public switched telephone network, a wide area network, a local area network, a metropolitan area network, a TCP/IP network, a dial-up network, a switched network, a dedicated network, a nonswitched network, a public network and a private network.  
     
     
         9 . The ultra-wideband communication system of  claim 1 , wherein the ultra-wideband receiver contains information about the training set, and after receiving the training set, responds to the ultra-wideband transmitter with information relating to which of the ultra-wideband pulses in the training set was received in a form that is most similar to a transmitted form.  
     
     
         10 . A method of optimizing ultra-wideband communications through a wire medium, the method comprising the steps of: 
 transmitting a training set of ultra-wideband pulses through the wire medium, the training set of ultra-wideband pulses comprising at least one ultra-wideband pulse;    receiving the training set of ultra-wideband pulses from the wire medium; and    determining which of the ultra-wideband pulses in the training set was received in a form that is most similar to a transmitted form.    
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the step of determining which of the ultra-wideband pulses in the training set was received in the form that is most similar to the transmitted form is selected from a group of steps selected from: 
 correlating each of the received ultra-wideband pulses with a corresponding pulse template, and determining which of the transmitted ultra-wideband pulses most closely matches its corresponding pulse template;    calculating a received signal strength indicator for each of the transmitted ultra-wideband pulses, and selecting the pulse having a highest received signal strength indicator; and    determining a radio frequency content for each of the transmitted ultra-wideband pulses, and selecting the pulse having a received radio frequency content that is most similar to a transmitted radio frequency content.    
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the wire medium is selected from a group consisting of: a power line, an optical network, a cable television network, a community antenna television network, a community access television network, and a hybrid fiber coax system.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the wire medium is selected from a group consisting of: an optical fiber ribbon, a fiber optic cable, a single mode fiber optic cable, a multi-mode fiber optic cable, a twisted pair wire, an unshielded twisted pair wire, a plenum wire, a PVC wire, a coaxial cable, and an electrically conductive material.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the at least ultra-wideband pulse comprises a pulse of electromagnetic energy having a duration that can range from about 10 picoseconds to about 10 milliseconds.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the at least ultra-wideband pulse comprises a pulse of electromagnetic energy having a duration that can range from about 10 picoseconds to about 10 milliseconds and a power that can range from about +30 power decibels to about −60 power decibels, as measured at a single frequency.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the training set of ultra-wideband pulses comprises at least one ultra-wideband pulse selected from a group consisting of: a pre-distorted pulse, a pre-emphasized pulse, a shaped pulse, a substantially triangular pulse, a substantially square pulse, a pulse occupying a portion of a radio frequency spectrum, with a segment of the occupied radio frequency spectrum substantially eliminated; and a pulse occupying a portion of a radio frequency spectrum, with a segment of the occupied radio frequency spectrum amplified.  
     
     
         17 . A method of optimizing ultra-wideband communications through a wire medium, the method comprising the steps of: 
 transmitting a data set of ultra-wideband pulses through the wire medium, the data set of ultra-wideband pulses comprising a group of bits; and    receiving the data set of ultra-wideband pulses from the wire medium; and    determining a data set bit-error-rate.    
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further including the step of adjusting an ultra-wideband pulse recurrence frequency relative to the data set bit-error-rate.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the data set bit-error-rate comprises a percentage of bits that have an error relative to a total number of received bits.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the wire medium is selected from a group consisting of: an optical fiber ribbon, a fiber optic cable, a single mode fiber optic cable, a multi-mode fiber optic cable, a twisted pair wire, an unshielded twisted pair wire, a plenum wire, a PVC wire, a coaxial cable, and an electrically conductive material.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the wire medium is selected from a group consisting of: a power line, an optical network, a cable television network, a community antenna television network, a community access television network, a hybrid fiber coax system network, a public switched telephone network, a wide area network, a local area network, a metropolitan area network, a TCP/IP network, a dial-up network, a switched network, a dedicated network, a nonswitched network, a public network and a private network.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 17 , further including a step selected from a group consisting of: 
 correlating each of the received ultra-wideband pulses with a corresponding pulse template, and determining which of the transmitted ultra-wideband pulses most closely matches its corresponding pulse template;    calculating a received signal strength indicator for each of the transmitted ultra-wideband pulses, and selecting the pulse having a highest received signal strength indicator; and    determining a radio frequency content for each of the transmitted ultra-wideband pulses, and selecting the pulse having a received radio frequency content that is most similar to a transmitted radio frequency content.    
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein each of the ultra-wideband pulses comprises a pulse of electromagnetic energy having a duration that can range from about 10 picoseconds to about 10 milliseconds.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein each of the ultra-wideband pulses comprises a pulse of electromagnetic energy having a duration that can range from about 10 picoseconds to about 10 milliseconds and a power that can range from about +30 power decibels to about −60 power decibels, as measured at a single frequency.