A new pulse detector based on super-regeneration for UWB low power applications

Abstract

Over the recent past, super-regenerative architecture has been used for narrow band systems, dedicated to ultra low power applications. This paper aims to demonstrate the interest of this architecture for impulse UWB signals. First, it shows that, for a given mean power, superregenerative receiver is more efficient for impulse signal than for narrow band signal. After reminding the general theory of such receivers, it highlights how the architecture can be matched to the UWB signal in order to optimize detection performance. At last, BER curves based on simulation results are drawn for realistic UWB channel model. It shows that we can reach working point compatible with UWB low power applications and opens the door to a new class of UWB receivers.

A New Symmetric Transceiver Architecture for Pulsed Short-Range Communication

“…Recently, super-regenerative architecture has also been proposed for impulse UWB receivers [9], [10]. The principle is reminded in Fig.…”

“…Indeed, since the target communication range is only tens of centimeters, no linear amplifiers, such as power amplifier in transmission or low-noise amplifier in reception, are necessary to compensate the path loss between the transceivers. All the needed gain is achieved from superregeneration [10]. Basically, the SRO is connected directly to the antenna.…”

“…This is well in line with the application since energy of impulses is concentrated in time. Nevertheless, good synchronization between incoming pulses and sensitivity period is needed to achieve maximum sensitivity [10], [12]. An original method for phase synchronization is explained in Section III.…”

“…According to [10] the waveform of the damping function in reception can be adjusted so that the bandwidth of receiver is adapted to the incoming pulse. Thus, the receiver operates like a pulse-matched filter.…”

An automatic pulse alignment method for slope controlled super-regenerative receiver systems

“…Due to the low duty cycle nature of such systems it is sufficient for the receiver to be active only during pulse reception. The super-regenerative receiver inherently possesses such a property due to the quench signal ( [4], [5]). Nevertheless, for achieving maximum sensitivity in a super-regenerative receiver the excitation pulse is to be aligned with the zero crossing of the damping co-efficient.…”