Abstract: An apparatus for and a method of iterative equalization for communication over noisy channels suitable for use with a wide range of different types of communications systems and channels that is particularly applicable to power line based communication systems. Equalization of received symbols is achieved by iteratively removing the influence of previous symbols dispersed due to channel ISI. Equalization is performed using iterative subtraction in combination with calculations based on the inverse of the transfer matrix. The impulse response of previous symbols is subtracted out to yield the impulse response of the received symbol. The estimate of the current symbol {tilde over (B)}n is then calculated by passing the modified received symbol through a matched filer which functions to remove the effect of channel ISI from the symbol. Multiple iterations are performed to improve the accuracy of the resultant symbol decision.

Abstract: A novel robust communications scheme whereby a repetition code at the transmitter and an associated cumulative decoder at the receiver are used to increase the reliability of transmission in a communications system. The robust communications scheme of the present invention is effective to increase the reliability of transmission by repetitively transmitting each data segment a number of times in accordance with a repetition code and subsequently collecting the received energy at the receiver over an accordingly longer period of time. Accumulating the received energy over a longer period of time at the receiver, yields a marked improvement in the signal to noise ratio (SNR) of the receiver.

Abstract: A novel and useful acquisition and synchronization mechanism for spread spectrum communication systems whereby a synchronization sequence comprising a plurality of known symbols spaced apart by predefined time delay intervals is transmitted as the start of packet signal. At the transmitter, a synchronization sequence is transmitted at the beginning of each packet. A synchronization sequence is generated which includes a plurality of symbols with predefined time gaps between each of the symbols. Multiple synchronization sequences may be generated wherein each sequence comprises a unique set of time delays or gaps between each of the symbols. Each set of unique time delays or gaps between symbols of a sequence is stored as a synchronization sequence gap template in memory.

Abstract: A novel and useful apparatus for and method of automatic gain control (AGC) using Kalman filtering and hysteresis. A nonlinear, time-variant loop filter such as a Kalman filter is employed in the feedback loop of an AGC circuit. The circuit is able to transition quickly and make fast adaptations to new levels of the input signal by use of a restart mechanism used to dynamically modify the gain of the loop filter thus enabling the AGC circuit to quickly adapt to changes in the signal level of the input. An AGC circuit incorporating a hysteresis circuit in the feedback loop is also disclosed.

Abstract: A novel and useful mechanism for detecting intrusion and jamming attempts by an imposter node. A time window defined as an emergency window is reserved after the end of a packet and before an acknowledgement window. Nodes that detect the presence of an intruder transmit an emergency packet during the emergency time window to inform the receive node that the packet it received was sent from an imposter node. Attempts to jam the transmission of the emergency packet from the victim node to the receive node are detected by listening during the emergency window time period for carrier signal that indicates that an emergency packet is trying to be sent. An emergency packet request message is sent in response so the victim node resends the emergency packet.

Abstract: A novel and useful acquisition and synchronization mechanism for spread spectrum communication systems whereby a synchronization sequence comprising a plurality of known symbols spaced apart by predefined time delay intervals is transmitted as the start of packet signal. At the receiver, the received signal is correlated against the synchronization sequence using the predefined gaps or time delay intervals inserted between the symbols. The received signal is linearly correlated to generate a correlation peak for each symbol received. The expected position of each correlation peak is calculated and compared to the positions of the correlation peaks received. If the number of matches exceeds a threshold, synchronization is declared.

Abstract: A interleaver/de-interleaver mechanism for reducing the latency of transmitted interleaved codewords. The interleaver/de-interleaver mechanism utilizes a shortened first codeword which functions to offset the interleaving and transmission on subsequent codewords so as to achieve reduced latency depending on the degree of shortening applied. The interleaver/de-interleaver mechanism is particularly useful in power line carrier based systems to reduce the exposure to burst errors by providing interleaving with minimal latency penalty.

Abstract: A novel and useful interleaver/de-interleaver mechanism for reducing the latency of transmitted interleaved codewords. The interleaver/de-interleaver mechanism utilizes a shortened first codeword which functions to offset the interleaving and transmission of subsequent codewords so as to achieve reduced latency depending on the degree of shortening applied. The interleaver/de-interleaver mechanism is particularly useful in power line carrier based systems to reduce the exposure to burst errors by providing interleaving with minimal latency penalty.

Abstract: A novel and useful acquisition and synchronization mechanism for spread spectrum communication systems whereby a synchronization sequence comprising a plurality of known symbols spaced apart by predefined time delay intervals is transmitted as the start of packet signal. At the receiver, the received signal is correlated against the synchronization sequence using the predefined gaps or time delay intervals inserted between the symbols. The received signal is linearly correlated to generate a correlation peak for each symbol received. The expected position of each correlation peak is calculated and compared to the positions of the correlation peaks received. If the number of matches exceeds a threshold, synchronization is declared.

Abstract: An apparatus for and a method of interfacing a host to a modem. Data is transferred between the host and the modem via a serial interface. The modem provides the physical layer implementation functions (i.e., transmission and reception functions) in addition to providing low level MAC layer function processing. Functions provided include collision detection, back-off algorithm according to a programmed back-off time, conditional transmission, automatic retransmissions and ACK/NACK packet generation and processing. This serves to eliminate any stringent access timing constraints usually placed on the host processor resulting in reduced cost and complexity of the host.

Abstract: A direct sequence spread spectrum receiver for use in a communication system that utilizes code shift keying (CSK) modulation. Code shift keying modulation transmits data in the form of circularly rotated spreading waveforms such as PN sequences. The data is conveyed in the amount of rotation applied to the spreading waveform before it is transmitted. While tracking, the receiver decodes the received symbols yielding the original transmitted data. The input frequency range of the receiver is divided into one or more frequency bands. For each frequency band, the received signal is filtered, digitized and split into I and Q data streams wherein the Q data stream is delayed by ¼ƒc. Both I and Q data streams are sampled and correlated with an adaptive template. The received data is clocked into a shift register and circularly rotated and a correlation sum is generated. The correlation output of both I and Q channels are summed over all the frequency bands and a maximum correlations is determined.

Abstract: A novel and useful windowing mechanism for reducing the out of band harmonics of an output transmit signal. The windowing mechanism functions to smooth the transition between two consecutive transmit waveforms. The mechanism of present invention is particularly useful in communication systems characterized by consecutively transmitted symbols whereby the concatenation of transmitted waveforms causes discontinuities between symbols. The windowing mechanism is operative to reduce the effect of these discontinuities to reduce out of band harmonics of the transmitted output signal. The windowing mechanism extends each transmit waveform both earlier and later in time thus creating extending waveform portions on either end of the transmit waveform. The extended portions are then multiplied by a suitable windowing function and the result is summed with the next transmit waveform.

Abstract: A soft decision maximum likelihood detection method and apparatus. Both encoding and decoding schemes are provided for a forward error correcting code. The decoding technique utilizes soft decision maximum likelihood decoding especially suited for codes that operate on symbols rather than bits. The decoding technique utilizes a maximum likelihood function in combination with an erasure correcting coding scheme to correct b+1 errors in a block wherein the erasure correcting code itself can correct up to b erasures. The decoding method uses likelihood values for all possible symbol values for each received symbol in addition to hard decisions. First, the (b+1)th error is corrected by assuming a single error in each symbol location. Then, for each symbol in a codeword all valid symbol possibilities are tested. For each symbol possibility, the metric of the resulting codeword is calculated using the likelihoods provided by the receiver.

Abstract: A transmitter apparatus and method for use in a spread spectrum data communications system that utilizes the Differential Code Shift Keying (DCSK) or non-differential Code Shift Keying (CSK) modulation technique. The transmitter transmits data in the form of packets to the receiver. Each packet is consists of a header, one or more data symbols followed by a CRC checksum. The preamble comprises a sequence of one or more zero rotated symbols and one or more predetermined non-zero rotated symbols. In one embodiment, a shift index is calculated based on the input data. The shift index is used to form the address in a PN sample ROM. The PN sequence is read out using a counter of length modulo the PN sequence length. Samples of the PN sequence are read out and input to a Manchester encoder whose output is amplified and filtered to obtain a particular spectrum shape. In a second embodiment, the shift index is loaded into a counter and used as a starting address to address the PN sample ROM.

Abstract: An apparatus for and method for acquiring synchronization for use in communications systems, i.e., acquiring the presence of a packet of data and associated timing information. A sequence of symbols having known rotation and phase is transmitted to the receiver. The receiver attempts to match the received vectors in a predefined manner in order to determine whether a signal or noise is being received. CSK modulation is used for the synchronization acquisition stage and, any desired data carrying modulation may be switched to once synchronization is obtained, which may or may not be CSK. The transmitter transmits data in the form of packets to the receiver, wherein each packet is preceded by a preamble comprising a number of symbols. The length of the preamble can be any suitable number of symbols such that the receiver is able to synchronize with the transmitter. The preamble comprises a sequence of rotated or non-rotated symbols, inverted or non-inverted (or generally phase-rotated by some amount).

Abstract: A novel and useful windowing mechanism for reducing the out of band harmonics of an output transmit signal. The windowing mechanism functions to smooth the transition between two consecutive transmit waveforms. The mechanism of the present invention is particularly useful in communication systems characterized by consecutively transmitted symbols whereby the concatenation of transmitted waveforms causes discontinuities between symbols. The windowing mechanism is operative to reduce the effect of these discontinuities to reduce out of band harmonics of the transmitted output signal. The windowing mechanism extend each transmit waveform both earlier and later in time thus creating extending waveform portions on either end of the transmit waveform. The extended portions are then multiplied by a suitable windowing function and the result is summed with the next transmit waveforms.

Abstract: A novel robust communications scheme whereby a repetition code at the transmitter and an associated cumulative decoder at the receiver are used to increase the reliability of transmission in a communications system. The robust communications scheme of the present invention is effective to increase the reliability of transmission by repetitively transmitting each data segment a number of times in accordance with a repetition code and subsequently collecting the received energy at the receiver over an accordingly longer period of time. Accumulating the received energy over a longer period of time at the receiver, yields a marked improvement in the signal to noise ratio (SNR) of the receiver.

Abstract: A novel and useful media access control (MAC) protocol that is intended for use over noisy shared media channels. The MAC protocol provides layer 2 functionality over a network using a shared medium including a backoff mechanism for CSMA/CA channel access, link addressing that reduces the overhead of long MAC addresses, a flooding scheme having controlled exposure for broadcast transmissions, multicast transmissions using selective ACKs, implementation of traffic prioritization using an adaptive backoff scheme, a second layer repeater establishment process and multi-packet transport for short packets and fragmentation for long packet transport.

Abstract: A novel and useful apparatus for and method of automatic gain control (AGC) using Kalman filtering and hysteresis. A nonlinear, time-variant loop filter such as a Kalman filter is employed in the feedback loop of an AGC circuit. The circuit is able to transition quickly and make fast adaptations to new levels of the input signal by use of a restart mechanism used to dynamically modify the gain of the loop filter that enables the AGC circuit to quickly adapt to changes in the signal level of the input. An AGC circuit incorporating a hysteresis in the feedback loop is also disclosed.

Abstract: A novel and useful distributed synchronization mechanism. The synchronization loop of each station on the shared media based network considers only synchronization signals received having a time phase earlier than the time phase of its internal clock. From among the plurality of synchronization signals received by a given station having a time phase earlier than that of its internal clock, only the earliest of the received synchronization signals is considered. This allows the use of a second order synchronization tracking loop wherein both the phase and rate of the internal clock are tracked and adjusted. The station with the fastest internal clock effectively functions as an ad-hoc synchronization master for all stations in a given maximum connected group.