Ultra-wideband correlating receiver

Abstract

A receiver for ultra-wideband communications is provided. One feature of the receiver architecture is that includes only a single correlator. The receiver may be used in wireless and wire communication mediums. The single correlator may be used to update a locally generated signal based on an incoming signal and detect data. Another embodiment receiver may be used in a multi-path environment. 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.

1 . An ultra-wideband signal receiver comprising: 
 a template generator structured to generate a local signal similar to an incoming ultra-wideband signal;    a single correlator structured to correlate the incoming ultra-wideband signal with the local signal;    a ultra-wideband signal amplifier structured to amplify the signal received from the single correlator; and    an ultra-wideband signal sequence energy estimator structured to estimate an energy of the signal received from the ultra-wideband signal amplifier.    
   
   
       2 . The ultra-wideband signal receiver of  claim 1 , wherein the template generator comprises: 
 a timing signal generator that generates a periodic signal;    a gate that gates the periodic signal to produce the local signal; and    an amplifier in communication with the gate.    
   
   
       3 . The ultra-wideband signal receiver of  claim 1 , further including a digital signal processor structured to generate an output signal to the template generator.  
   
   
       4 . The ultra-wideband signal receiver of  claim 1 , wherein the local signal is a pulse of electromagnetic energy that has a duration ranging from about 10 picoseconds to about 1 millisecond.  
   
   
       5 . The ultra-wideband signal receiver of  claim 1 , wherein the incoming signal comprises a plurality of ultra-wideband pulses, and wherein each of the plurality of ultra-wideband pulses has a duration ranging from about 10 picoseconds to about 1 millisecond.  
   
   
       6 . The ultra-wideband signal receiver of  claim 1 , wherein the single correlator comprises: 
 a mixer; and    a matched filter.    
   
   
       7 . The ultra-wideband signal receiver of  claim 6 , wherein the single correlator mixes the local signal with the incoming ultra-wideband signal, and passes the mixed signal through the matched filter.  
   
   
       8 . The ultra-wideband signal receiver of  claim 1 , wherein the ultra-wideband signal sequence energy estimator provides a reference related to an amount of correlation between the local signal and the incoming ultra-wideband signal.  
   
   
       9 . The ultra-wideband signal receiver of  claim 6 , wherein the mixer is a multiplier configured to multiply the local signal with the incoming signal.  
   
   
       10 . The ultra-wideband signal receiver of  claim 6 , further comprising an amplifier that comprises an automatic gain control amplifier.  
   
   
       11 . The ultra-wideband signal receiver of  claim 1 , wherein the signal sequence energy estimator comprises: 
 an absolute value detector; and    an integrator.    
   
   
       12 . The ultra-wideband signal receiver of  claim 11 , wherein the absolute value detector is a square law detector.  
   
   
       13 . The ultra-wideband signal receiver of  claim 11 , wherein the integrator is configured to integrate the signal over a predetermined time period that ranges from about 100 nanoseconds to about 1 millisecond.  
   
   
       14 . An ultra-wideband signal receiver, comprising: 
 a template generator structured to generate a local signal similar to an incoming ultra-wideband signal;    a single correlator structured to correlate the incoming ultra-wideband signal with the local signal;    a ultra-wideband signal amplifier structured to amplify the signal received from the single correlator;    an ultra-wideband signal sequence energy estimator structured to estimate an energy of the signal received from the ultra-wideband signal amplifier; and    an ultra-wideband signal level quantizer.    
   
   
       15 . The ultra-wideband signal receiver of  claim 14 , wherein the ultra-wideband signal level quantizer is structured to quantize the signal and forward the quantized signal to a digital signal processor.  
   
   
       16 . The ultra-wideband signal receiver of  claim 15 , wherein the digital signal processor may perform a function selected from a group consisting of: decoding the quantized signal, error correcting the quantized signal, and formatting the quantized signal.  
   
   
       17 . The ultra-wideband signal receiver of  claim 14 , wherein the template generator comprises: 
 a timing signal generator that generates a periodic signal;    a gate that gates the periodic signal to produce the local signal; and    an amplifier in communication with the gate.    
   
   
       18 . The ultra-wideband signal receiver of  claim 14 , wherein the single correlator comprises: 
 a mixer; and    a matched filter.    
   
   
       19 . The ultra-wideband signal receiver of  claim 14 , wherein the single correlator mixes the local signal with the incoming ultra-wideband signal, and passes the mixed signal through the matched filter.  
   
   
       20 . The ultra-wideband signal receiver of  claim 14 , wherein the ultra-wideband signal sequence energy estimator provides a reference related to an amount of correlation between the local signal and the incoming ultra-wideband signal.  
   
   
       21 . The ultra-wideband signal receiver of  claim 14 , wherein the signal sequence energy estimator comprises: 
 an absolute value detector; and    an integrator.    
   
   
       22 . An ultra-wideband signal receiver, comprising: 
 two receivers structured to receive an incoming ultra-wideband signal;    a selector switch structured to selectively receive a signal from either of the two receivers;    a signal level quantizer structured to receive a signal from the selector switch; and    a digital signal processor structured to receive the signal from the signal level quantizer.    
   
   
       23 . The ultra-wideband signal receiver of  claim 22 , wherein each of the two receivers comprises a corellator, a template generator, a pulse amplifier, and a pulse sequence energy estimator.