Patent Application
20160007408
The subject application is directed generally to wireless signal communication systems and, more specifically, to control of wireless signal transmission levels in response to detection of attenuation parameters of the wireless signals caused by a medium carrying the wireless signals.
The application is particularly related to real time detection of moveable objects in a line of sight of sub-terahertz electromagnetic waves delivered to data streaming, charging, and other systems, and downscaling and/or up-scaling the signal levels responsive to the presence and/or absence respectively of the moveable object in the line of sight. However, the embodiments are not limited to moveable objects or to line of sight, but include control of signal transmission levels responsive to changes in signal attenuation caused by any reason such as, for example, weather conditions or the like.
Sub-terahertz systems have been used to transmit charging signals to portable device docking stations and the like for delivering power to the docking stations for purposes of recharging batteries within the portable devices, and to simply power other devices configured to receive and utilize the charging signals directly. Other sub-terahertz systems have been used to transmit signals containing information such as for example, video, audio, or other data for delivery to data streaming system receivers.
One advantage of these wireless sub-terahertz signal transmission systems is their energy transmission efficiency wherein highly focused signals are used at high frequencies to deliver energy transmission, the energy and/or data content to the target devices onto which the signals are directed. Relative to omni-directional radiating systems, the sub-terahertz systems generating beam-forming signals are able to focus a substantial entirety of the signal energy on a path toward the target device, rather than simply blanket the adjacent area with undirected radiating electromagnetic waves.
However, these systems are somewhat sensitive to changes in the characteristics of the medium in the line of sight between the beam signal transmitter and the data and or the energy consuming target device. For example, objects passing through the line of sight having a high density relative to air such as animals or people can significantly degrade the signal ultimately delivered having a high density relative to air to the signal consuming device. Essentially, the energy quality factor is significantly compromised by objects passing through the line of sight. Objects having a density lower than animals, such as rain, snow or other weather condition such as high humidity, negatively affect the energy quality factor as well.
In addition, humans passing through the line of sight risk exposure to somewhat high energy levels and possible harm or discomfort. Indeed, specialized sub-terahertz beam systems have been used by the military and other authorities for crowd control and in combat.
Therefore, methods, systems, and apparatus that provide real time detection of moveable objects in the line of sight of a sub-terahertz beam generating system, and selectively downscale a signal transmission level of the source in response to the detected object, would be highly desirable.
In accordance with an example embodiment, a self-adapting signal communication system comprises first and second transceivers wherein a transmission level of a signal transmitted from the first transceiver to the second transceiver is adjusted in accordance with an attenuation of the signal. In the example, the first transceiver includes a first receiver, a first transmitter, a first non-transient memory, and first logic operatively coupled with the first receiver, the first transmitter, and the first non-transient memory. Also in the example, the second transceiver includes a second receiver, a second transmitter, a second non-transient memory, and second logic operatively coupled with the second receiver, the second transmitter, and the second non-transient memory. The first transmitter transmits a first signal to the second transceiver at a first signal transmission level as a first transmitted signal, and the second receiver receives the first transmitted signal as a first received signal. The second logic determines an amount of degradation or attenuation of the first signal in accordance with a degradation processing of data representative of the first signal transmission level and the first received signal, and the second transmitter selectively transmits a downscale command signal to the first receiver in accordance with a level of the amount of degradation or attenuation determined by the second logic. The first receiver receives the downscale command signal. The first logic determines an adjusted signal transmission level in accordance with downscale processing of the downscale command signal, and transmits the first signal at a second signal transmission level different than the first signal transmission level as a second transmitted signal in accordance with the adjusted signal transmission level determined by the first logic.
With reference now to the drawing Figures wherein the showings are for purposes of illustrating the example embodiments only, and not for purposes of limiting same,
With continued reference to
Since the attenuation of the directed signal 114 is caused in the example by undesirable absorption of the signal energy by the animal or human 142, the system of the example embodiment downscales the signal transmission level of the directed signal 114 from the initial level N to a predetermined reduced transmission level N/x (where x>1). The second transceiver 120 determines an amount of degradation of the first signal 112 in accordance with a degradation processing of data representative of the first signal transmission level N and a level of signal as received by the second transceiver 120, and sends data representative of the determined degradation of the signal as downscale command data in the second signal 122. In the example embodiment, the first transceiver 110 is responsive to downscale command data contained in the low frequency signal 124 generated by downscale processing logic in the second transceiver 120 to reduce at time t=t1 the signal transmission level from the first level N to the second 220 signal transmission level N/x.
The animal or human 142 remains in the line of sight 130 during the time period t1>t>t2 and, accordingly, the first transceiver continues to generate and broadcast the directed signal 114 at the reduced or second 220 signal transmission level N/x during that time period as shown.
With continued reference to
It is to be appreciated that although the moving object 140 of the example was an animal or human 142, the embodiments of the system herein react similarly for any object or objects passing through or into the line of sight 130. Still further, it is to be appreciated that the embodiments herein react similarly for any cause of attenuation of the first directed signal 112 such as may include weather conditions including humidity, rain, snow, or the like.
In the example shown in
It is to be appreciated that the embodiments are not limited to any fixed number of incremental downscaling and/or up-scaling tiers and that the three (3) downscaling tiers 312, 314, 316 and two (2) up-scaling tiers 322, 324 are illustrated by way of example only. Further, it is to be appreciated that downscaling may be extended to include downscaling the signal transmission level to a level of zero (0) wherein the directed signal 114 may be discontinued or otherwise halted or suspended temporarily in accordance with the moving objects, weather conditions or other signal debilitating conditions. Lastly with reference to
The first and second logic 416, 426 and/or memories 414, 424 store instructions executable by the respective first and second processors 418, 428 and, when executed, cause the first and second transceivers 110, 120 of the system 100 of the example embodiment to operate to perform real time detection of moveable objects in, about or near a line of sight 130 of sub-terahertz electromagnetic waves communicate between the first and second transceivers 110, 120 of the system 100, and to perform downscaling and/or up-scaling the signal levels responsive to the presence and/or absence respectively of the moveable object 140 in the line of sight 130.
In accordance with the example embodiment, the first transmitter 410 transmits the first signal 112 to the second transceiver 120 at a first signal transmission level N as a first transmitted signal. The second receiver 422 of the second receiver 120 receives the first transmitted signal 112 as a first received signal, and the second logic 426 executes to determine an amount of degradation of the first signal 112 in accordance with a degradation processing of data representative of the first signal transmission level and the first received signal 112. The data representative of the first signal transmission level may be communicated to the second transceiver 120 within the first received signal 112, or part of a separate signal (not shown) or via an associated communication network (not shown), such as, for example a local area network (LAN) or a wireless local area network (WLAN). The second transmitter 420 selectively transmits a downscale command signal 122 to the first receiver 412 in accordance with a level of the amount of degradation determined by the second logic 426. The first receiver 412 receives the downscale command signal 122 and the first logic 416 executes to determine an adjusted signal transmission level in accordance with downscale processing of the downscale command signal 122. Lastly, the first transmitter 410 transmits the first signal 112 at a second signal transmission level N/x different than the first signal transmission level N as a second transmitted signal 112′ in accordance with the adjusted signal transmission level determined by the first logic 416.
In accordance with a particular example embodiment, the first transmitter 410 transmits the first signal 112 as the first transmitted signal at the first signal transmission level N comprising a first signal transmission frequency F1 and a first signal transmission energy E1. The first transmitter 410 is configured to transmit the first signal 112 at the second signal transmission level N/x as the second transmission signal 112′ comprising one or more of a second transmission frequency F2 less than the first signal transmission frequency F1 or a second signal transmission energy E2 less than the first signal transmission energy E1. In accordance with the embodiment, the first transmitter 410 selectively transmits the first signal 112 at the first signal transmission level E1 comprising a first signal transmission frequency F1 of about 194.2 GHz, and the first transmitter 410 selectively transmits the second signal 112′ at the second signal transmission level N/x comprising a second signal transmission frequency F2 of about 6 GHz. Further in accordance with the embodiment, the first transmitter 410 selectively transmits the first signal 112 at the first signal transmission level E1 comprising a first signal transmission energy of about 100 Watts, and the first transmitter 410 selectively transmits the second signal 112′ at the second signal transmission level E2 comprising a second signal transmission energy of about 15 Watts.
As noted above, the system 100 of the example embodiment is operable to upscale the first signal transmission level when the attenuation of the signal is improved such as for example when the moving object 140 exits the line of sight 130. In this regard, the second receiver 422 receives the second transmitted signal as a second received signal, and the second logic 426 determines an updated amount of degradation of the second signal 122′ in accordance with the degradation processing of data representative of the second signal transmission level and the second received signal. The second transmitter 420 selectively transmits an upscale command signal 430 to the first receiver 412 in accordance with a level of an updated amount of degradation determined by the second logic 426. The first receiver 412 receives the upscale command signal 430, and the first logic 416 determines an updated signal transmission level N in accordance with the upscale processing of the upscale command signal 430. Thereafter, the first transmitter 410 transmits the second signal 122′ at a third signal transmission level N greater than the second signal transmission level N/x as a third transmitted signal 122″ in accordance with the updated signal transmission level determined by the first logic 416.
In a further example embodiment, the second logic 426 includes machine learning logic configured to determine the amount of degradation of the first signal 122 in accordance with machine learning degradation processing of the first transmitted signal 122 and the first received signal. More particularly, in an example embodiment, the machine learning logic is configured to determine the amount of degradation of the first signal in accordance with the machine learning degradation processing of a plurality of first transmitted signals and a plurality of first received signals over a predetermined time period.
At 530, the logic 426 of the second transceiver 120 is operative to determine whether a moving object 140 has passed into the line of sight 130 or, equivalently, whether any other physical or other properties of the medium of the line of sight 130 have changed having an adverse effect on the signal 112. If the conditions of the medium comprising the line of sight 130 have not changed as determined at 530, the first transceiver 110 continues to transmit the first signal 112 at the first signal transmission level N.
However, if at 530 it is determined that the characteristics of the medium comprising the line of sight 130 have changed, the first and second transceivers 110, 120 operate at 530 to execute a downscaling of the signal transmission level from the original signal transmission level N to a reduced or decremented signal transmission level and equals N−1.
At step 550, the logic 426 of the second transceiver 120 determines whether the attenuation of the first transmitted signal has been reduced. If the attenuation of the signal is not reduced, the first transceiver 110 continues to transmit the first signal at the original signal transmission level N at step 520. However, if an attenuation of the signal is determined by the logic 426 of the second transceiver 120, the first and second transceivers 110, 120 cooperate to perform an upscale such as shown at 320 of
At step 630, the receiver 412 of the first transceiver 110 selectively receives a downscale command from the transmitter 420 of the second transceiver 120. If it is determined at step 630 that no downscale command has been received, the first transceiver 110 continues to generate the first signal 112 at the first transmission level N. However, if it is determined at step 630 that a downscale command has been received by the first transceiver from the second transceiver 120, the logic 416 of the first transceiver 110 performs a downscaling operation at 630 wherein the signal transmission level is reduced from an original level N to a downscaled or reduced level N=N−1.
At step 650, the logic 416 of the first transceiver 110 determines whether an upscale command has been received from the second transceiver 120. If an upscale command has not been received at step 540, the first transceiver 110 continues to generate and transmit the first signal 112 at the first transmission level N. However, if it is determined at step 640 that an upscale command has been received from the second transceiver 120, the logic 416 of the first transceiver 110 performs an upscale operation at step 660 wherein the original signal transmission level N is increased or otherwise up-scaled to a signal transmission level N=N+1.
If no attenuation is detected by the logic 426 at step 730, the logic 426 determines at step 760 whether any attenuation of the signal 112 is reduced. If no reduction in the signal transmission level is determined at step 760, the logic 426 continues to check for any further signal attenuation at step 730. However, if a reduction in the signal transmission level is determined at step 760, the second transceiver 120 prepares and sends at step 770 an upscale command signal from the second transceiver 420 to the first receiver 412. Thereafter, the logic 426 updates the signal transmission level counter from the original signal transmission level N to a revised or upscaled level N=N+1.
In the embodiment shown in
In the embodiment shown in
The embodiments herein have been described with reference to preferred structures and method steps. However, it is to be appreciated that the claims herein are not limited to those precise structures, steps, or their specific descriptions. Rather, the claims are to be given their broadest possible interpretation as appropriate.
In addition, while certain embodiments have been described, these embodiments have been presented by way of example only, and are not intended to limit the scope of the claimed inventions. Indeed, the novel embodiments described herein may be embodied in a variety of other forms; furthermore, various omissions, substitutions and changes in the form of the embodiments described herein may be made without departing from the spirit of the claimed inventions. The accompanying claims and their equivalents are intended to cover such forms or modifications as would fall within the scope and spirit of the inventions.
