Ultra-wideband (UWB) receiver device and method for operating a UWB device

1. A method for operating an ultra-wideband (UWB) device, the method comprising:

powering down a first receive path of a multipath UWB device while leaving a second receive path of the multipath UWB device powered up;

powering down channel estimation, tracking, and demodulation functions of the second receive path; and

performing an acquisition function using the second receive path while the first receive path is powered down and while the channel estimation, tracking, and demodulation functions of the second receive path are powered down.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the acquisition function comprises analog-to-digital conversion (ADC) and correlator functions.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

performing the channel estimation, tracking, and demodulation functions when presence of an UWB signal is detected, wherein only one receive path is used to implement the channel estimation, tracking, and demodulation functions and all other receive paths are powered down while the powered up receive path implements the channel estimation, tracking, and demodulation functions.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the acquisition function comprises analog-to-digital conversion (ADC) and correlator functions, and further comprising:

when presence of an UWB signal is detected, powering down the acquisition function and performing the channel estimation, tracking, and demodulation functions, wherein only one receive path is used to implement the channel estimation, tracking, and demodulation functions and all other receive paths are powered down while the powered up receive path implements the channel estimation, tracking, and demodulation functions.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

performing the channel estimation, tracking, and demodulation functions when presence of an UWB signal is detected, wherein more than one receive path is used to implement the channel estimation, tracking, and demodulation functions.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

performing the channel estimation function when presence of an UWB signal is detected, wherein more than one of the receive paths are used to implement the channel estimation function; and

performing the demodulation function after the channel estimation function is completed, wherein only one receive path is used to implement the demodulation function.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the multipath UWB device receives an impulse-radio ultra-wideband (IR-UWB) signal.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein only two receive paths are available for performing the acquisition function such that only the second receive path is used to implement the acquisition function and the first receive path is powered down during the acquisition function.

9. A computer program product comprising executable instructions encoded in a non-transitory computer readable medium which, when executed by the UWB device, carry out or control the method of claim 1 .

10. A method for operating an ultra-wideband (UWB) device, the method comprising:

powering down at least one receive path of a multipath UWB device while leaving only one receive path powered up;

powering down channel estimation, tracking, and demodulation functions of the receive path that is powered up; and

performing an acquisition function using the powered up receive path while all other receive paths are powered down and the channel estimation, tracking, and demodulation functions of the powered up receive path are powered down.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the acquisition function comprises analog-to-digital conversion (ADC) and correlator functions.

12. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

performing the channel estimation, tracking, and demodulation functions when presence of an UWB signal is detected, wherein only one receive path is used to implement the channel estimation, tracking, and demodulation functions and all other receive paths are powered down while the powered up receive path implements the channel estimation, tracking, and demodulation functions.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the acquisition function comprises analog-to-digital conversion (ADC) and correlator functions, and further comprising:

when presence of an UWB signal is detected, powering down the acquisition function and performing the channel estimation, tracking, and demodulation functions, wherein only one receive path is used to implement the channel estimation, tracking, and demodulation functions and all other receive paths are powered down while the powered up receive path implements the channel estimation, tracking, and demodulation functions.

14. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

performing the channel estimation, tracking, and demodulation functions when presence of an UWB signal is detected, wherein more than one receive path is used to implement the channel estimation, tracking, and demodulation functions.

15. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

performing the channel estimation function when presence of an UWB signal is detected, wherein more than one of the receive paths are used to implement the channel estimation function; and

performing the demodulation function after the channel estimation function is completed, wherein only one receive path is used during the demodulation function.

16. The method of claim 10 , wherein the multipath UWB device receives an impulse-radio ultra-wideband (IR-UWB) signal.

17. A computer program product comprising executable instructions encoded in a non-transitory computer readable medium which, when executed by the UWB device, carry out or control the method of claim 10 .

18. An ultra-wideband (UWB) device comprising:

a first receive path configured to implement acquisition, channel estimation, tracking, and demodulation functions;

a second receive path configured to implement acquisition, channel estimation, tracking, and demodulation functions; and

a processor configured to:

power down the first receive path while leaving the second receive path powered up during the acquisition function; and

power down the channel estimation, tracking, and demodulation functions of the second receive path during the acquisition function.

19. The UWB device of claim 18 , wherein the first receive path includes ADC, correlator, and acquisition blocks to implement the acquisition function and wherein the ADC, correlator, and acquisition blocks remain powered up during implementation of the acquisition function.

20. The UWB device of claim 18 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

power up the first receive path when presence of a UWB signal is detected; and

power up the channel estimation, tracking, and demodulation functions of the second receive path when presence of a UWB signal is detected.