WO1996009694B1 - An ultrawide-band communications system and method - Google Patents

Abstract

An impulse radio communications system using one or more subcarriers to communicate information from an impulse radio transmitter (901) to an impulse radio receiver (1400). The use of subcarriers provides impulse radio transmissions added channelization, smoothing and fidelity. Subcarriers of different frequencies or waveforms can be used to add channelization of impulse radio signals. The impulse radio uses modulated subcarrier(s) for time positioning a periodic timing signal or a coded timing signal. Alternatively, the coded timing signal can be summed or mixed with the modulated subcarrier(s) and the resultant signal is used to time modulate the periodic timing signal. Direct digital modulation of data is another form of subcarrier modulation for impulse radio signals. Direct digital modulation can be used alone to time modulate the periodic timing signal or the direct digitally modulated periodic timing signal can be further modulated with one or more modulated subcarrier signals.

Claims

AMENDED CLAIMS

[received by the International Bureau on 11 April 1996 (11.04.96); original claims 93-95 added; remaining claims unchanged (2 pages)]

93. An impulse radio communication apparatus comprising at least one of:

a transmitter having

a time base, wherein said time base outputs a periodic timing signal; and a modulator, wherein said modulator time position modulates said periodic timing signal according to a subcarrier signal and outputs a subcarrier time

positioned signal; and

a receiver having a cross-correlator, wherein said cross-correlator cross-correlates a received subcarrier time positioned signal with a decode signal to output a baseband signal;

and demodulator means, coupled to said cross-correlator, for demodulating said

baseband signal.

94. An impulse radio transmitter comprising:

a time base; a code source coupled to said time base; a subcarrier modulator coupled to said time base and said code source; and

an output stage coupled to said time base, said code source, and said

subcarrier modulator. 7 8

95. An impulse radio receiver comprising:

a decode source; a decode timing modulator coupled to said decode source;

a cross correlator coupled to said decode source and said decode timing

modulator; and a subcarrier demodulator coupled to said cross correlator, said decode source, and said decode timing modulator.