System and method for a single stage tunable ultra-wideband pulse generator
AssigneeUniversity of South Florida
InventorsErick Maxwell, Thomas Weller
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention provides a single-stage tunable Ultra-Wideband (UWB) pulse generator, by creating and differentiating a variable edge rate signal. Edge rate variability is introduced by first applying a step recovery diode (SRD) to compress the edges of the source and then applying a simple RC network to adjust the edge rate. Next, the resulting signal is differentiated using microstrip transmission lines. The tunable generator resulting from this approach demonstrates a Gaussian and monocycle pulses with good symmetry and low distortion over the tunable range.
Claims22
A method for generating an ultra-wideband (UWB) pulse, the method comprising:
- receiving an input signal comprising at least one waveform, the at least one waveform having a rising edge and a falling edge;
- generating a tuned square wave from the at least one waveform, the turned square wave generated by compressing the rising edge of the at least one waveform using a first step recovery diode, by compressing the falling edge of the at least one waveform using a second step recovery diode and by controlling the slew rate of the rising edge and the falling edge of the at least one waveform using an RC network;
- differentiating the tuned square wave to form a Gaussian pulse;
- and
- differentiating the Gaussian pulse to form a monocycle UWB pulse.
A pulse-duration tunable ultra-wideband (UWB) pulse generator comprising:
- a variable edge rate compressor to receive a waveform having a rising edge and a falling edge, the variable edge rate compressor comprising:
- a first step recovery diode having an anode and a cathode, the first step recovery diode to compress the rising edge of the received waveform;
- a second step recovery diode having an anode coupled to the cathode of the first step recovery diode and a cathode coupled to the anode of the first step recovery diode, the second step recovery diode to compress the falling edge of the received waveform;
- and
- a resistor coupled to the anode of the second step recovery diode and a capacitor trimmer coupled between the resistor and the cathode of the second step recovery diode to form an RC network, the RC network to control the slew rate of the rising edge and the falling edge of the received waveform;
- a Gaussian pulse former coupled to the variable edge rate compressor;
- and
- a differentiator coupled to the Gaussian pulse former.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.