US 8,300,547 B2 · Circuit, system and method for communication between two nodes of a radio network

Abstract

A circuit, system, and method for range finding between two nodes of a radio network, in particular in conformance with the industry standard IEEE 802.15.4. A mode for finding the range to a second node is initiated by the first node. A command for range finding with the address of the second node is transmitted from the first node to the second node in the mode for range finding. The second node is switched into the range finding mode by the command. A sequence is controlled by the command in the range finding mode. As a result of the control by the command, a first signal is transmitted by the first node in a transmission time window of the sequence and the first signal is received by the second node in an associated reception time window of the sequence, and a first phase value of the first signal is measured. As a result of the control by the command, a second signal is transmitted by the second node in a transmission time window of the sequence and the second signal is received by the first node in an associated reception time window of the sequence, and a second phase value of the second signal is measured. As a result of the control by the command, the first frequency of the first signal is changed by a frequency difference and the second frequency of the second signal is changed by the frequency difference in a subsequent time window of the sequence.

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Claims20

Dependent claims

A method for communication between two nodes of a radio network, the method comprising:

initiating a mode for finding a range to a second node by the first node;
transmitting a command for range finding with an address of the second node from the first node to the second node in the mode for range finding;
switching the second node into the range finding mode by the command;
controlling a sequence by the command in the range finding mode;
transmitting, as a result of the control by the command, a first signal by the first node in a transmission time window of the sequence, the first signal being received by the second node in an associated reception time window of the sequence;
measuring a first phase value of the first signal;
transmitting, as a result of the control by the command, a second signal by the second node in the transmission time window of the sequence, the second signal being received by the first node in an associated reception time window of the sequence;
measuring a second phase value of the second signal;
and
changing, as a result of the control by the command, the first frequency of the first signal by a frequency difference and changing the second frequency of the second signal by the frequency difference in a subsequent time window of the sequence.

7 more elements

A first node of a radio network, the first node comprising:

a circuit comprising a transceiver, the circuit configured to:
initiate a range finding mode for measurement of a distance to a second node of a radio network;
transmit, to the second node, a range finding command comprising an address of the second node, and a first signal in a transmission time window of a sequence of the command, causing the second node to:
switch into the range finding mode by the command, based at least in part on the address of the command;
receive the first signal and measure a first phase value of the first signal in an associated reception time window of the sequence;
transmit, to the first node, a second signal in the transmission time window of the sequence;
and
change in a subsequent time window of the sequence a second frequency of the second signal by a frequency difference;
receive the second signal and measure a second phase value of the second signal in an associated reception time window of the sequence;
and
change in the subsequent time window of the sequence a first frequency of the first signal by the frequency difference.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Description4,339 words

Summary2,764 words

#1. Field of the Invention

#The present invention concerns a circuit, a system, and a method for communication between two nodes of a radio network.

#2. Description of the Background Art

Brief description of the drawings3 figures

#The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus, are not limitive of the present invention, and wherein:

#FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of a radio network with nodes A, B, C, and D,

#FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram for synchronization, and

Detailed description1,499 words

#FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of a radio network in accordance with the industry standard IEEE 820.15.4 with nodes A, B, C, and D. The nodes A, B, and C are designed to use a standard-conformant (MAC) command RRC from the range of reserved IEEE 820.15.4 MAC command IDs for range finding. In contrast, the node D has no function for range finding.

#In the exemplary embodiment in FIG. 1, node A is the initiator of the range finding of the distance dAB to node B. The target address of node B is known to node A. In the radio network in the exemplary embodiment in FIG. 1, node A is authorized to communicate directly with node B. Node A will trigger the post-processing of the measured data. The post-processing here includes measured data from node A and also measured data M (SFD) from node B.

#The node A sends a range finding command RRC to the node B. For the actual range finding, a synchronization of a sequence in the node A and a sequence in the node B is advantageous. To this end, the node B sends a synchronization frame Fsync (SFD′) to the node A.

Facts

Application

12/649,074Filed 29 Dec 2009 · us provisional application

Priority

DE 10 2008 063 25330 Dec 2008

Published

US 2010/0165866 A11 Jul 2010

Granted

30 Oct 2012

Term ends

1 Dec 2030

Estimated · how

20 years from earliest known nonprovisional domestic filing plus recorded patent term adjustment, including 337 days of adjustment. Maintenance-fee lapses, terminal disclaimers and statutory extensions have not been checked. The continuity chain may be incomplete; this is not an enforceability determination.

Classification0 codes

Timeline

30 Dec 2008Priority claimedDE 10 2008 063 253
29 Dec 2009Application filedUS 12/649,074
29 Dec 2009Assigned to Atmel Automotive GmbHassignment of assignor's interest
1 Jul 2010PublishedUS 2010/0165866 A1
4 Mar 2011Assigned to Atmel Corporationassignment of assignor's interest
30 Oct 2012GrantedUS 8,300,547 B2
3 Jan 2014Assigned to Morgan Stanley Senior Funding, Inc. AS Administrative Agentpatent security agreement
7 Apr 2016Assigned to Atmel Corporationtermination and release of security interest in patent collateral
10 Feb 2017Assigned to Jpmorgan Chase Bank, N.A., AS Administrative Agentsecurity interest
25 Jun 2018Assigned to Jpmorgan Chase Bank, N.A., AS Administrative Agentsecurity interest
18 Sep 2018Assigned to Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, AS Notes Collateral Agentsecurity interest
24 Apr 2020Assigned to Jpmorgan Chase Bank, N.A., AS Administrative Agentsecurity interest
30 May 2020Assigned to Microchip Technology Inc., Silicon Storage Technology, Inc., Atmel Corporation, Microsemi Corporation, Microsemi Storage Solutions, Inc.release of security interest
5 Jun 2020Assigned to Wells Fargo Bank, National Associationsecurity interest
24 Dec 2020Assigned to Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, AS Collateral Agentsecurity interest
4 Jun 2021Assigned to Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, AS Notes Collateral Agentsecurity interest
25 Feb 2022Assigned to Microchip Technology Incorporated, Silicon Storage Technology, Inc., Atmel Corporation, Microsemi Corporation, Microsemi Storage Solutions, Inc.release of security interest
28 Feb 2022Assigned to Atmel Corporationrelease of security interest
9 Mar 2022Assigned to Microchip Technology Incorporated, Silicon Storage Technology, Inc., Atmel Corporation, Microsemi Corporation, Microsemi Storage Solutions, Inc.release of security interest
10 Mar 2022Assigned to Microchip Technology Incorporated, Silicon Storage Technology, Inc., Atmel Corporation, Microsemi Corporation, Microsemi Storage Solutions, Inc.release of security interest
11 Mar 2022Assigned to Microchip Technology Incorporated, Silicon Storage Technology, Inc., Atmel Corporation, Microsemi Corporation, Microsemi Storage Solutions, Inc.release of security interest
14 Mar 2022Assigned to Microchip Technology Incorporated, Silicon Storage Technology, Inc., Atmel Corporation, Microsemi Corporation, Microsemi Storage Solutions, Inc.release of security interest
12 Oct 2026TodayWithin its term
1 Dec 2030Term endsEstimated, includes 337 days of adjustment

Circuit, system and method for communication between two nodes of a radio network

Life of this patent

Circuit, system and method for communication between two nodes of a radio network

Life of this patent

Life of this patent

Abstract

Drawings

Drawings

Claims20

Description4,339 words

Drawings

Classification0 codes

Life of this patent

Description4,339 words