U.S. patent application number 10/459376 was filed with the patent office on 2004-02-05 for adaptive spatial temporal selective attenuator with restored phase.
Invention is credited to Michalson, William R., Progri, Ilir F..
Application Number | 20040021515 10/459376 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 29739960 |
Filed Date | 2004-02-05 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040021515 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Michalson, William R. ; et
al. |
February 5, 2004 |
Adaptive spatial temporal selective attenuator with restored
phase
Abstract
An adaptive attenuator is provided, the adaptive attenuator
including at least two sensor ports. Each of the sensor ports
receives an input signal that includes data on a first channel and
a reference sequence on a second channel. One or more delay ports
is coupled to each sensor port for receiving the input signal, and
a computational port is coupled to the sensor ports and the delay
ports. The computational port receives the input signal and the
output of the delay ports and performs one or more computations to
produce a processed signal which is substantially free of
interference. A phase restorer receives the processed signal and
the reference sequence and restores phase to the processed signal
in accordance with the reference sequence.
Inventors: |
Michalson, William R.;
(Charlton, MA) ; Progri, Ilir F.; (Worcester,
MA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BROMBERG & SUNSTEIN LLP
125 SUMMER STREET
BOSTON
MA
02110-1618
US
|
Family ID: |
29739960 |
Appl. No.: |
10/459376 |
Filed: |
June 11, 2003 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60387697 |
Jun 11, 2002 |
|
|
|
60387701 |
Jun 11, 2002 |
|
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
330/149 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G01S 19/21 20130101;
H04B 1/707 20130101; G01S 19/36 20130101; G01C 21/206 20130101;
G01S 5/0289 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
330/149 |
International
Class: |
H03F 001/26 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. An adaptive attenuator comprising: at least two sensor ports,
each of the sensor ports receiving an input signal, the input
signal including data on a first channel and a reference sequence
on a second channel; one or more delay ports coupled to each sensor
port for receiving the input signal; a computational port coupled
to the sensor ports and the delay ports, the computational port
receiving the input signal and the output of the delay ports and
performing one or more computations to produce a processed signal
which is substantially free of interference; and a phase restorer
for receiving the processed signal and the reference sequence and
restoring phase to the processed signal in accordance with the
reference sequence.
2. An attenuator according to claim 1, wherein the sensor ports
include an antenna.
3. An attenuator according to claim 1, wherein the computation port
includes a processor.
4. An attenuator according to claim 1, wherein the first channel is
a quadrature-phase channel.
5. An attenuator according to claim 1, wherein the first channel is
an in-phase channel.
6. A system for transmitting interference-free data in a
geolocation system, the system comprising: at least two sensor
ports, each of the sensor ports receiving an input signal, the
input signal including data on a first channel and a reference
sequence on a second channel; one or more delay ports coupled to
each sensor port for receiving the input signal; a computational
port coupled to the sensor ports and the delay ports, the
computational port receiving the input signal and the output of the
delay ports and performing one or more computations to produce a
processed signal which is substantially free of interference; a
phase restorer for receiving the processed signal and the reference
sequence; and restoring phase to the processed signal in accordance
with the reference sequence; and a receiver for receiving the
output of the phase restorer and the processed signal and reading
the data.
7. A system according to claim 6, wherein the data is synchronized
with the reference sequence.
8. A system according to claim 6, wherein the sensor ports include
an antenna.
9. A system according to claim 6, wherein the computation port
includes a processor.
10. A system according to claim 6, wherein the first channel is a
quadrature-phase channel.
11. A system according to claim 6, wherein the first channel is an
in-phase channel.
12. A method for mitigating interference in a geolocation system,
the method comprising: sensing an input signal at two or more
sensor ports, the input signal including data on a first channel
and a reference sequence on a second channel; delaying the input
signal at one or more delay ports; performing one or more
computations on the input signal and the output of the delay ports
to produce a processed signal which is substantially free of
interference; and restoring phase to the processed signal in
accordance with the reference sequence.
13. A method according to claim 12, further comprising: reading
data from the processed signal in accordance with the reference
sequence.
14. A method according to claim 13, wherein reading data from the
processed signal includes reading data in synchrony with the
reference signal.
15. A method according to claim 14, wherein reading data from the
processed signal includes using a detection criterion for data bit
transition.
16. A method according to claim 13, wherein reading data from the
processed signal includes using a detection criterion for data bit
transition.
17. A method according to claim 14, wherein reading data from the
processed signal in synchrony with the reference sequence includes
using an auto-correlation function peak for detecting for data bit
transition.
18. A method according to claim 14, wherein reading data from the
processed signal in synchrony with the reference sequence includes
cross-correlating the signal with the reference sequence to detect
data bit transition.
19. A method according to either of claims 13, wherein reading data
from the processed signal in accordance with the reference signal
includes using detection means to detect data bit transition.
20. A method according to either of claims 14, wherein reading data
from the processed signal in accordance with the reference signal
includes using detection means to detect data bit transition.
Description
[0001] The present application claims priority from U.S.
Provisional Applications Serial Nos. 60/387,697 and 60/387,701 both
of which are hereby incorporated herein, in their entirety by
reference.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The present invention relates to wireless signaling systems,
and more particularly to apparatuses and methods for providing an
adaptive temporal selective attenuator with restored phase.
BACKGROUND ART
[0003] The vulnerability of a Global Positioning System ("GPS")
signal to various types of interference is well known. Any
interference signal near the band of the GPS signal can saturate
the GPS receiver and, at the same time, deteriorate the
auto-correlation properties of the GPS signal and its PRN code.
This results in loss of lock on the GPS signal. This type of near
band interference is common in pseudo-satellite, or pseudolite,
systems in which the emitters are in close proximity to each other
and to the pseudolite receiver. This situation is common when
pseudolites are used in ground-based, indoor or underground
positioning systems.
[0004] Interference from nearby pseudolites may be reduced by using
a phased array antenna to reduce the amplitude of signals from
directions other than that of the desired signal. However such
antenna systems introduce a distortion to signal received from the
desired pseudolite (which typically transmits a GPS-type of
signal). The need for, restoring the phase of a combined signal
coming out of the phased array when processing is performed in a
time domain is not new. For example, the Extended Replica Folding
Acquisition Search Technique ("XFAST") exploits the
cross-correlation property of the code waveforms in such a way that
the entire time uncertainty interval can be searched
simultaneously. XFAST performs the processing in the frequency
domain, which makes it less susceptible to time delay and phase
distortion introduced by jamming suppression insertion.
[0005] Another approach appears to improve the receiver's tracking
loop to handle high dynamic stress and radio frequency interference
("RFI") conditions. This technique, known as the FLL-assisted-PLL
provides, under RFI conditions, both the dynamic robustness due to
FLL and the performance accuracy due to PLL. Nevertheless, there
exists a limitation to this approach because of the saturation of
the receiver due to powerful interference sources or hostile
jammers.
[0006] An example of the use of an adaptive spatial temporal
selective attenuator has been discussed by Progri and Michalson in
"Adaptive Spatial and Temporal Selective Attenuator in the Presence
of Mutual Coupling and Channel Errors" presented at the Institute
of Navigation (ION GPS 2000, Sep. 19-22 2000, Salt Lake City, Utah,
pp. 462-470). This publication and presentation are incorporated
herein, in their entirety, by reference.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention,
an adaptive attenuator includes at least two sensor ports. Each of
the sensor ports receives an input signal that includes data on a
first channel and a reference sequence on a second channel. One or
more delay ports is coupled to each sensor port for receiving the
input signal, and a computational port is coupled to the sensor
ports and the delay ports. The computational port receives the
input signal and the output of the delay ports and performs one or
more computations to produce a processed signal that is
substantially free of interference. A phase restorer receives the
processed signal and the reference sequence and restores phase to
the processed signal in accordance with the reference sequence. In
accordance with a related embodiment, the sensor ports may include
an antenna. In accordance with a further related embodiment, the
computation port may include a processor. The first channel may be
a quadrature-phase channel. Similarly, the first channel may be an
in-phase channel.
[0008] In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, a
system for transmitting substantially interference-free data in a
geolocation system includes at least two sensor ports. Each of the
sensor ports receives an input signal, and the input signal
includes data on a first channel and a reference sequence on a
second channel. One or more delay ports is coupled to each sensor
port for receiving the input signal, and a computational port is
coupled to the sensor ports and the delay ports. The computational
port receives the input signal and the output of the delay ports
and performs one or more computations to produce a processed signal
that is substantially free of interference. A phase restorer
coupled to the computational port receives the processed signal and
the reference sequence and restores phase to the processed signal
in accordance with the reference sequence. A receiver coupled to
the phase restorer receives the output of the phase restorer and
the processed signal and reads the data. In accordance with a
related embodiment, the data may be read in synchrony with the
reference sequence. In accordance with a further related
embodiment, the computation port may include a processor. In
accordance with yet another related embodiment, the first channel
may be a quadrature-phase channel. Additionally, the first channel
may be an in-phase channel.
[0009] In accordance with a further embodiment of the invention, a
method for mitigating interference in a geolocation system includes
sensing an input signal at two or more sensor ports. The input
signal includes data on a first channel and a reference sequence on
a second channel. The input signal is delayed on one or more delay
ports, and one or more computations is performed on the input
signal and the output of the delay ports to produce a processed
signal which is substantially free of interference. Phase is
restored to the processed signal in accordance with the reference
sequence. In accordance with a related embodiment, data is read
from the processed signal in synchrony with the reference sequence.
Reading data from the processed signal in accordance with the
reference signal or in synchrony with the reference signal may
include using a detection criterion or other detection means for
data bit transition. Reading data from the processed signal in
synchrony with the reference sequence may include using an
auto-correlation function peak of the processed signal as the
detection criterion for data bit transition. Reading data from the
processed signal in accordance with the reference may further
include signal cross-correlating with reference sequence to yield
data bit transition.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] The foregoing features of the invention will be more readily
understood by reference to the following detailed description,
taken with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0011] FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an adaptive spatial
temporal selective attenuator with restored phase in accordance
with an embodiment of the invention;
[0012] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a system for
transmitting substantially interference-free data in a geolocation
system in accordance with another embodiment of the invention;
[0013] FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a method for mitigating
interference in a geolocation system; and
[0014] FIG. 4 is a flow chart illustrating a method for mitigating
interference in a geolocation system in accordance with a further
embodiment of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS
[0015] The present invention provides users with the ability
mitigate narrowband, wideband and wideband pseudorandom noise
interference. Such interference may be caused either as a result of
unintentional, in-band interference or intentional jamming. By
employing the apparatuses and methods of the invention, users may
track a desired GPS or GPS-like signal in such environments.
Applications of the embodiments of the invention include, but are
not limited to aviation, ground transportation, military mobile
units, indoor navigation and underground navigation.
[0016] FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an adaptive spatial
temporal selective attenuator with restored phase in accordance
with an embodiment of the invention. The attenuator 100 utilizes a
plurality of antenna or sensor ports to provide a plurality of
spatial degrees of freedom and may use a plurality of temporal
shifter delays to provide a plurality of temporal degrees of
freedom.
[0017] As shown in FIG. 1, the attenuator 100 includes a
computation port 105, which may be a processor and at least two
sensor ports 101. The attenuator 100 also includes one or more
temporal shifter delays or delay ports 102. The total input signal
received by one sensor port is the sum of an input signal and an
interference signal. The input signal may be a coded signal with
data only on one channel. The data may be transmitted on either an
in-phase channel or a quadrature-phase channel. A second channel
(the channel without data) is then used as a reference channel. The
reference signal channel contains one or more known pseudo-random
related sequences 103.
[0018] The computational port 105 receives the input signal and the
output of the delay ports 102 and performs one or more computations
to produce a processed signal that is substantially free of
interference. For example, cross-correlating the reference
sequences 103 with the total received signal vector yields the
desired pointing vector. Moreover, cross-correlating the total
received signal (desired input signal and interference signal) with
its Hermitian transpose matrix produces an auto-correlation matrix.
A desired set of multipliers 104 may be obtained by the inner
product of the inverse of the auto-correlation matrix with the
pointing vector.
[0019] The processed signal produced by the computational port 105
is received by a phase restorer 106. The phase restorer 106
computes the processed signal as the inner product of the Hermitian
transpose of the desired set of multipliers 104 with the total
received signal vector. The phase restorer 106 also exploits the
reference sequences 103 from the reference signal channel to
restore the phase of the processed signal from the computational
port 105.
[0020] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a system for
transmitting substantially interference-free data in a geolocation
system in accordance with another embodiment of the invention. The
system of FIG. 2 may be used in a geolocation system such as the
geolocation system disclosed in co-pending application entitled
"Reconfigurable Indoor Geolocation System" filed on the same day as
the present application (Jun. 11, 2003) and bearing attorney docket
number 2627/103 which is incorporated herein by reference.
[0021] In accordance with the embodiment of FIG. 2, a system 200
for transmitting substantially interference-free data includes at
least two sensor ports 201. Each of the sensor ports 201 receives
an input signal, and the input signal includes data on a first
channel and a reference sequence 203 on a second channel. One or
more delay ports 202 is coupled to each sensor port 201 for
receiving the input signal, and a computational port 205 is coupled
to the sensor ports and the delay ports. As in FIG. 1, each of the
sensor ports 201 may include an antenna, and the computation port
205 may include a processor or other computational device. The
computational port 205 receives the input signal as well as the
output of the delay ports 202 and performs one or more computations
(such as those described with respect to the computation port 105
of FIG. 1) to produce a processed signal that is substantially free
of interference. A phase restorer 206 coupled to the computational
port 205 receives the processed signal and the reference sequence
203 and restores phase to the processed signal in accordance with
the reference sequence 203. A receiver 207 coupled to the phase
restorer 206 receives the output of the phase restorer as well as
the processed signal and reads the data.
[0022] The receiver 207 may read the data in accordance with the
reference sequence 203 in two ways. First, if the input signal
contains only one known pseudo-random reference sequence on the
second channel, then the auto-correlation function peak of the
processed signal (produced by the computation port 205) is used as
the detection criterion for data bit transition. If the input
signal contains two known pseudo-random or pseudo-random related
sequences, then the processed signal may be cross-correlated with
the second pseudo-random sequence to yield the data bit
transition.
[0023] If the desired signal structure and sampling frequency are
known, the number of antenna or sensor ports, the element geometry,
and the number of delay ports may be selected to yield optimum
system performance. Further, algorithms such as recursive Cholesky
and modified Graham Schmid orthogonalization ("MGSO") may be
employed to produce fast and efficient computation of the desired
set of multipliers. (For further discussion regarding recursive
Cholesky and modified Graham Schmid orthogonalization see "A
Comparison Between the Recursive Cholesky and MGSO Algorithms"
presented by Progri et al. at the Institute of Navigation (ION NTM
2002, Jan. 28-30 2002, San Diego, Calif., pp. 655-665). This
publication and presentation are hereby incorporated herein, in
their entirety, by reference.)
[0024] FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a method for mitigating
interference in a geolocation system. In process 301, an input
signal is sensed at two or more sensor ports or antenna elements.
The input signal includes data on a first channel and a reference
sequence on a second channel. The input signal is delayed 302 on
one or more delay ports, and one or more computations is performed
303 on the input signal and the output of the delay ports at
computational port. The computational port produces a processed
signal which is substantially free of interference and phase is
restored 304 to the processed signal in accordance with the
reference sequence.
[0025] FIG. 4 is a flow chart illustrating a method for mitigating
interference in a geolocation system in accordance with a further
embodiment of the invention. In accordance with this embodiment an
input signal is sensed 401 at two or more sensor ports. As above,
the input signal includes data on a first channel and a reference
sequence on a second channel. The input signal is delayed 402 on
one or more delay ports, and one or more computations is performed
403 on the input signal and the output of the delay ports at
computational port. The computational port produces a processed
signal which is substantially free of interference and phase is
restored 404 to the processed signal in accordance with the
reference sequence. If the input signal contains only one known
pseudo-random reference sequence on the second channel, then the
auto-correlation function peak of the processed signal is used 405
as the detection criterion for data bit transition. If the input
signal contains two known pseudo-random or pseudo-random related
sequences, then the processed signal is cross-correlated 406 with
the second pseudo-random sequence to yield the data bit transition.
The data is then read 407 by the receiver. Other detection
techniques, such as blind source detection, which are known in the
art, may be substituted for using auto-correlation or
cross-correlation to detect data bit transitions.
[0026] Further disclosure relating to adaptive spatial and temporal
selective attenuation may be found in "An Investigation of the
Adaptive Temporal Selective Attenuator" presented by Progri et al.
at the Institute of Navigation (ION GPS, 2001, Sep. 11-14 2001,
Salt Lake City, Utah., pp. 1952-1960), "An Investigation of the
Adaptive Spatial Temporal Selective Attenuator" presented by Progri
and Michalson at the Institute of Navigation (ION GPS, 2001, 11-14
September, Salt Lake City Utah., pp. 1985-1996), "An Investigation
of a GPS Adaptive Temporal Selective Attenuator" (Progri et al.
NAVIGATION, Journal of the Institute of Navigation, Vol. 49, No. 3,
Fall 2002, pp. 137-147) and "An Improved Adaptive Spatial Temporal
Selective Attenuator" also presented by Progri and Michalson at the
Institute of Navigation (ION GPS, 2001, Sep. 11-14 2001, Salt Lake
City, Utah., pp. 932-938). All of the above referenced publications
and presentations are hereby incorporated herein, in their
entirety, by reference.
[0027] While the invention has been described in connection with
specific embodiments thereof, it will be understood that it is
capable of further modification. This application is intended to
cover any variation, uses, or adaptations of the invention and
including such departures from the present disclosure as come
within known or customary practice in the art to which invention
pertains.
* * * * *