SIGNALS RECEPTION CHAIN

Abstract

This invention relates to a signals reception chain comprising:

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

This invention will be better understood after reading the description of example embodiments given purely for guidance and in no way limitatively, with reference to the appended drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 shows an example of a principle diagram for the reception chain according to this invention,

FIG. 2 graphically shows a UWB signal, a noisy UWB signal and the instantaneous power of a signal at the output from the reception chain according to the invention,

FIG. 3 shows a reception chain according to this invention, comprising a first example input interface,

FIG. 4 shows a reception chain according to this invention, comprising a second example input interface,

FIG. 5 shows a reception chain according to this invention, comprising a third example input interface,

FIG. 6 shows a reception chain according to this invention, comprising a fourth example input interface,

FIG. 7 shows a reception chain according to a first embodiment of this invention,

FIG. 8 shows a reception chain according to a second embodiment of this invention,

FIG. 9 shows an instantaneous power signal after filtering, digitized on 1 bit, and an instantaneous power signal after filtering, digitized on several bits.

Claims

1. A signals reception chain comprising: an input interface receiving a signal and transforming the received signal into at least two signals correlated in phase or in opposite phase, each of the correlated signals being distributed on at least one channel,at least one analog-digital converter on at least 1 bit of the correlated signals, on each of the channels,digital processing means of the converted signals comprising at least means of performing operations between said converted signals.

2. The signals reception chain of claim 1, also comprising at least one amplifier.

3. The signals reception chain of claim 2, the amplifier being arranged between the input interface and the analog-digital converter.

4. The signals reception chain of claim 2, the amplifier making a linear or non-linear amplification, such as amplification with saturation.

5. The signals reception chain of claim 2, the amplifier having a constant gain.

6. The signals reception chain of claim 1, the means of performing operations comprising at least one multiplier.

7. The signals reception chain of claim 6, the multiplier comprising at least one exclusive OR gate when the received signal is transformed into two correlated signals and when the conversion is done on 1 bit.

8. The signals reception chain of claim 7, the output from the exclusive OR gate of the multiplier being an inverter output when the two correlated signals are in phase.

9. The signals reception chain of claim 1, the means of performing operations comprising at least one adder of the converted signals when said converted signals are in phase.

10. The signals reception chain of claim 1, the means of performing operations comprising, when said converted signals are in opposite phase, at least one subtracter between said signals.

11. The signals reception chain of claim 1, the means of performing operations making at least one linear combination of the converted signals.

12. The signals reception chain of claim 1, the means of performing operations making at least one equalization of the converted signals.

13. The signals reception chain (1) of claim 1, the analog-digital converter (6a, 6b) being asynchronous.

14. The signals reception chain of claim 1, the analog-digital converter comprising at least one comparator when the conversion is done on 1 bit.

15. The signals reception chain of claim 1, the input interface comprises at least one antenna.

16. The signals reception chain of claim 1, the input interface comprising at least one antenna for each channel.

17. The signals reception chain of claim 1, the input interface distributing the received signal on each channel.

18. The signals reception chain of claim 15, the input interface comprising at least one low noise differential amplifier comprising at least two differential inputs, the first being connected to the antenna and the second to a zero potential, for example a ground, and at least one output for each channel.

19. The signals reception chain of claim 18, the second differential input being connected to the zero potential through at least one impedance.

20. The signals reception chain of claim 15, the input interface comprising at least one balun transformer comprising a primary connected between the antenna and a zero potential, for example a ground, and a secondary connected to the channels.

21. The signals reception chain of claim 20, the primary being connected to the zero potential through at least one impedance.

22. The signals reception chain of any one of claims 19 or 21, the impedance being equal to the equivalent impedance of the antenna.

23. The signals reception chain of claim 1, the input interface comprising at least one low noise amplifier.

24. The signals reception chain of claim 1, the digital processing means comprising at least one filter, such as a pass band filter, and/or at least one sampler, and/or at least one dynamically adapted filter, after the means of performing operations.

25. The signals reception chain of claim 1, the digital processing means comprising, after the operation means, a communication channel for processing of the transmitted data and a positioning channel to measure a distance separating the reception chain from a received signal transmitter.

26. The signals reception chain of claim 1, the digital processing mean comprising, at least one integrator filter, and/or at least one coherent integrations filter, and/or at least one demodulator and at least one synchronizer, for processing of the transmitted data.

27. The signals reception chain of claim 1, the digital processing means comprising at least one signal received samples selector and/or at least one coherent integrations filter, to measure a distance separating the reception chain from a received signal transmitter.

28. The signals reception chain of claim 26, the digital processing means comprising at least one signal received samples selector and/or at least one coherent integrations filter, to measure a distance separating the reception chain from a received signal transmitter.

29. The signals reception chain of claim 28, when the digital processing means comprise the demodulator and the synchronizer, the signal received samples selector being connected to said demodulator and synchronizer.

30. A method for signals reception including the following steps: reception of a signal,transformation of the received signal into at least two signals correlated in phase or in opposite phase,distribution of each correlated signal on at least one channel,analog-digital conversion of the correlated signals on at least 1 bit,production of at least one operation between the digital correlated signals.

31. The signals reception method of claim 30, also including a step of amplification of the correlated signals.

32. The signals reception method of claim 31, the amplification step being done between the step of distribution of correlated signal on at least one channel and the step of analog-digital conversion of the correlated signals on at least 1 bit.

33. The signals reception method of claim 31, the amplification of the correlated signals being a linear or non-linear amplification, such as amplification with saturation and/or with constant gain.

34. The signals reception method of claim 31, including at least one additional low noise amplification step on at least one of the channels before the step of amplification of the correlated signals.

35. The signals reception method of claim 30, the operation between the digital correlated signals including at least one multiplication.

36. The signals reception method of claim 30, the operation between the digital correlated signals including at least one addition when said signals are in phase.

37. The signals reception method of claim 30, the operation between the digital correlated signals including at least one subtraction between said signals when said correlated signals are in opposite phase.

38. The signals reception method of claim 30, the operation between the digital correlated signals including at least one linear combination of the signals.

39. The signals reception method of claim 30, the operation between the digital correlated signals including at least one signals equalization.

40. The signals reception method of claim 30, including at least one filtering step, for example a pass band filtering, and/or at least one sampling step, and/or at least one dynamically adapted filtering step, after the operation step between the correlated signals.

41. The signals reception method of claim 30, including at least one step to distribute the signal obtained over at least one communication channel and at least one positioning channel, after the operation step between the correlated signals.

42. The signals reception method of claim 30, the analog-digital conversion being asynchronous.

43. The signals reception method of claim 30, including at least one integration step of the multiplied signal, and/or at least one coherent integrations step, and/or at least one demodulation and synchronization step, for processing transmitted data.

44. The signals reception method of claim 30, including at least one step to select samples of the received signal, and/or at least one coherent integrations step to measure a distance separating a reception chain using said reception method from a received signal transmitter.