IP Library Granted Patent US 8,755,300
Granted Patent B2
US 8,755,300 · App. 13/663,187 · Granted Jun 17, 2014

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

Inventors: Eric J. Sachse (Leipzig, DE); Tilo Ferchland (Dresden, DE); Wolfram Kluge (Dresden, DE)
Assignee: Atmel Corporation
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,755,300
App. No.
13/663,187
Granted
Jun 17, 2014
Kind
B2
Abstract

A first node of a radio network initiates a mode for finding the range to a second node. The first node transmits to the second node, with the address of the second node, a range finding command, which switches the second node into the range finding mode and controls a sequence. The first node transmits in a transmission time window a first signal, which is received by the second node in an associated reception time window, a first phase value of the first signal being measured. The second node transmits in a transmission time window a second signal, which is received by the first node in an associated reception time window, a second phase value of the second signal being measured. The first frequency is changed by a frequency difference and the second frequency is changed by the frequency difference in a subsequent time window of the sequence.

Claims (31)

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

transmitting a first signal by the first node in a first transmission time window of the sequence, the first signal being received by the second node in an associated first reception time window of the sequence;

measuring a first phase value of the first signal;

receiving a second signal from the second node in a second transmission time window of the sequence, the second signal being received by the first node in an associated second reception time window of the sequence;

measuring a second phase value of the second signal;

changing 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; and

repeating the first and second transmission time windows and first and second reception time windows to change the first frequency of the first signal and the second frequency of the second signal.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein a third phase value of the first signal and a fourth phase value of the second signal are measured.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second transmission time windows and first and second reception time windows and the time window for changing the first frequency of the first signal and the second frequency of the second signal are repeated for a plurality of different first frequencies and a plurality of different second frequencies.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein a sequence of the first and/or second frequency for range finding is transmitted to the second node with a range finding command.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein a frame for synchronizing a start time of the sequence with the first and second transmission time windows and first and second reception time windows and the time window for changing the first frequency and the second frequency is transmitted from the second node to the first node under control of a command.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein an indicator to flag following payload data of a frame to be decoded contained in a frame is changed by the first node to a value associated with range finding under the control of a command, and wherein the second node transmits a frame or a synchronization frame with an altered value of the indicator in the range finding mode to the first node.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein a time synchronization of the first and second transmission time windows and the first and second reception time windows of the sequence in the first node and the node takes place as a result of the control by a command.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein a first timer is started by the first node as a function of a reception time of a frame for synchronization, wherein a second timer is started by the second node as a function of a transmission time of the frame for synchronization, and wherein the sequence is started in both nodes in a synchronized manner by the first node upon expiration of the first timer and by the second node upon expiration of the second timer.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein measurement results of range finding are transmitted from the second node to the first node with a reset value of the indicator.

10. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the altered value of the indicator is transmitted to the second node with a range finding command.

11. The method according to claim 1 , wherein a range finding command is transmitted in a secured manner, in particular encrypted.

12. A radio network system, comprising:

a first node comprising a first transceiver; and

a second node comprising a second transceiver,

wherein the first node is configured to transmit a first signal in a first transmission time window of the sequence and the second node is configured to receive the first signal and to measure a first phase value of the first signal in an associated first reception time window of the sequence,

wherein the second node is configured to transmit the second signal in a second transmission time window of the sequence, and the first node is configured to receive, under control by the command, the second signal and to measure a second phase value of the second signal in an associated second reception time window of the sequence, and

wherein the first node is configured to change the first frequency of the first signal by a frequency difference in a subsequent time window of the sequence and repeat the first transmission, and the second node is configured to change the second frequency of the second signal by the frequency difference in the subsequent time window of the sequence and repeat the second transmission.

13. The radio network system according to claim 12 , wherein the first node is configured to measure a third phase value of the first signal and the second node is configured to measure a fourth phase value of the second signal.

14. The radio network system according to claim 12 , wherein a sequence of the first and/or second frequency for range finding is transmitted to the second node with a range finding command.

15. The radio network system according to claim 12 , wherein a frame for synchronizing a start time of the sequence with the first and second transmission time windows and first and second reception time windows and the time window for changing the first frequency and the second frequency is transmitted from the second node to the first node under control of a command.

16. The radio network system according to claim 12 , wherein an indicator to flag following payload data of a frame to be decoded contained in a frame is changed by the first node to a value associated with range finding under the control of the command, and wherein the second node transmits a frame or a synchronization frame with an altered value of the indicator in the range finding mode to the first node.

17. The radio network system according to claim 12 , wherein the first node is configured to start a first tinier as a function of a reception time of a frame for synchronization, wherein the second node is configured to start a second timer as a function of a transmission time of the frame for synchronization, and wherein the sequence is started in both nodes in a synchronized manner by the first node upon expiration of the first timer and by the second node upon expiration of the second timer.

18. The radio network system according to claim 12 , wherein the second node is configured to transmit measurement results of the range finding to the first node with a reset value of the indicator.

19. The radio network system according to claim 18 , wherein the first node is configured to transmit the altered value of the indicator to the second node with a range finding command.

20. The radio network system according to claim 19 , wherein the range finding command is transmitted in a secured manner, in particular encrypted.

Assignments (18)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 14, 2022
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 060894/0437 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 11, 2022
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 059363/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 10, 2022
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 059863/0400 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 9, 2022
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 059358/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 28, 2022
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: ATMEL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 059262/0105 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 25, 2022
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 059333/0222 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 4, 2021
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 057935/0474 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 24, 2020
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 055671/0612 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 5, 2020
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INC.; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 053468/0705 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 30, 2020
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INC.; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 053466/0011 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 24, 2020
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INC.; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 053311/0305 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 18, 2018
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 047103/0206 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 25, 2018
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 046426/0001 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 10, 2017
From: ATMEL CORPORATION
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 041715/0747 →
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT COLLATERAL Recorded Apr 7, 2016
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
To: ATMEL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 038376/0001 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jan 3, 2014
From: ATMEL CORPORATION
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC. AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 031912/0173 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 30, 2013
From: ATMEL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
To: ATMEL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 030315/0732 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 29, 2013
From: SACHSE, ERIC; FERCHLAND, TILO; KLUGE, WOLFRAM
To: ATMEL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
Reel/Frame 030311/0526 →
Priority Claims (1)
DE 10 2008 063 253 · Dec 30, 2008 · national
Continuity (3)
Continuation 12649074 · Dec 29, 2009
Provisional Application 61141520 · Dec 30, 2008
Related Publication 20130155887A1 · Jun 20, 2013