Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for estimating a distance between nodes of an LPWA network. First and second nodes, respectively, successively transmit a narrow band signal at a plurality of carrier frequencies to each other. The second and first nodes, respectively, receive the transmitted signals and demodulate them into baseband signals. Complex values representative of a forward-backward function of the transmission channel between two nodes are obtained from the baseband demodulated signals. These complex values are then provided to a previously supervisingly trained neural network, the neural network giving an estimation of the distance separating the first node and the second node. The present invention also relates to a method for estimating the position of a node in an LPWA network using the above-noted distance estimation method.

Abstract: A method is provided for estimating at least one characteristic of a signal received by a receiver, the signal having been transmitted in succession by a plurality of antennas in successive time segments, each segment being dedicated to one separate antenna, the signal being modulated into the form of pulses according to ultra-wideband modulation.

Abstract: A method for locating a connected object within an LPWA network using a plurality of base stations. The connected object transmits packets in RF frequency channels forming a virtual band being scanned once in the uplink direction and once in the downlink direction in a symmetrical manner. The base stations receiving the signal perform an RF to intermediate frequency translation and then a baseband translation in digital mode. The phase differences of arrival for each pair of base stations and the attenuation coefficients of each transmission channel between the connected object and each base station enable a composite transfer function to be constructed for each pair of base stations. The peaks of highest amplitude are detected in the corresponding impulse responses and the distance differences between the connected object and the different base stations are derived therefrom. The position of the object is then estimated by hyperbolic trilateration.

Abstract: A method is provided for estimating at least one characteristic of a signal received by a receiver, the signal having been transmitted in succession by a plurality of antennas in successive time segments, each segment being dedicated to one separate antenna, the signal being modulated into the form of pulses according to ultra-wideband modulation.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for transmission of data on a frequency spectrum divided into a plurality Nf of spectrum fragments (f1, f2) each of which covers a frequency band, the frequency bands being discontiguous. The device comprises a packet generator configured to generate a data packet comprising a payload and at least one occurrence of a constant envelope signalling sequence. Said sequence, for example a modified Zadoff-Chu sequence, comprises N complex symbols and consists of a plurality of complex symbol sets each associated with one of the spectrum fragments. Each set comprises N/Nf complex symbols and each complex symbol of a set comprises a scaling term to the frequency band covered by the spectrum fragment associated with this set and a spectral transposition term in the frequency band covered by the spectrum fragment associated with this set.

Abstract: A method for locating a connected object within an LPWA network using a plurality of base stations. The connected object transmits packets in RF frequency channels forming a virtual band being scanned once in the uplink direction and once in the downlink direction in a symmetrical manner. The base stations receiving the signal perform an RF to intermediate frequency translation and then a baseband translation in digital mode. The phase differences of arrival for each pair of base stations and the attenuation coefficients of each transmission channel between the connected object and each base station enable a composite transfer function to be constructed for each pair of base stations. The peaks of highest amplitude are detected in the corresponding impulse responses and the distance differences between the connected object and the different base stations are derived therefrom. The position of the object is then estimated by hyperbolic trilateration.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for estimating a distance between nodes of an LPWA network. A first node (a second node resp.) successively transmits a narrow band signal at a plurality of carrier frequencies (421). The second (the first resp.) node receives the transmitted signals and demodulates them into baseband (422). Complex values representative of a forward-backward function of the transmission channel between two nodes are obtained (423) from the baseband demodulated signals. These complex values are then provided to a previously supervisingly trained neural network (425), the neural network giving an estimation of the distance separating the first node and the second node. The present invention also relates to a method for estimating the position of a node in an LPWA network using said distance estimation method.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for transmission of data on a frequency spectrum divided into a plurality Nf of spectrum fragments (f1, f2) each of which covers a frequency band, the frequency bands being discontiguous. The device comprises a packet generator configured to generate a data packet comprising a payload and at least one occurrence of a constant envelope signalling sequence. Said sequence, for example a modified Zadoff-Chu sequence, comprises N complex symbols and consists of a plurality of complex symbol sets each associated with one of the spectrum fragments. Each set comprises N/Nf complex symbols and each complex symbol of a set comprises a scaling term to the frequency band covered by the spectrum fragment associated with this set and a spectral transposition term in the frequency band covered by the spectrum fragment associated with this set.

Abstract: A method for determining the multipath components of a propagation channel in a geolocation system or an IR-UWB telecommunications system. The IR-UWB emitter emits a plurality of UWB impulses at a plurality of central frequencies, sequentially or in parallel. The receiver translates the response of the channel to each of these impulses into the baseband, integrates it over a plurality of time intervals in order to provide intensity samples related to successive times of flight. The intensity samples related to the same time of flight and to the various frequencies are combined in order to provide a composite sample at the output of a multiband IR-UWB receiver module. The multipath components are determined from the composite samples exceeding a predetermined threshold value.

Abstract: A method for determining the multipath components of a propagation channel in a geolocation system or an IR-UWB telecommunications system. The IR-UWB emitter emits a plurality of UWB impulses at a plurality of central frequencies, sequentially or in parallel. The receiver translates the response of the channel to each of these impulses into the baseband, integrates it over a plurality of time intervals in order to provide intensity samples related to successive times of flight. The intensity samples related to the same time of flight and to the various frequencies are combined in order to provide a composite sample at the output of a multiband IR-UWB receiver module. The multipath components are determined from the composite samples exceeding a predetermined threshold value.

Abstract: A robust frequency drift tracking receiver. The received signal is translated to an intermediate frequency in the RF stage by a quadrature demodulator, and is then brought into the base band by a digital mixer made by a CORDIC. A base band processing stage allows for a synchronization of the receiver relative to the data frame, to estimate data and to output a counter-reaction signal to the CORDIC, obtained by integration of successive frequency corrections, with a predetermined step.

Abstract: A robust frequency drift tracking receiver. The received signal is translated to an intermediate frequency in the RF stage by a quadrature demodulator, and is then brought into the base band by a digital mixer made by a CORDIC. A base band processing, stage allows for a synchronisation of the receiver relative to the data frame, to estimate data and to output a counter-reaction signal to the CORDIC, obtained by integration of successive frequency corrections with a predetermined step.

Abstract: A robust time shift tracking UWB receiver. After translating in baseband by a quadrature demodulator, the received UWB pulsed signal is integrated on successive time windows, and then sampled. The complex samples are then correlated with a coding sequence from the transmitter and then transmitted on the one hand to a phase estimator and a demodulating/detecting module. The latter estimates the symbol emitted and provides it to the estimator which removes the modulation effect for estimating, at each time-symbol, the phase of the complex samples. A phase rotation follow-up module determines a compensated phase rotation and a non-compensated phase rotation from a reference instant. Controlling means deduce from the non-compensated phase rotation a time offset to be applied to the integration windows.

Abstract: A method for determining arrival time of a UWB pulse at a receiver. When a pulse is modulated at an RF frequency, the receiver includes a quadrature demodulator, a first correlating stage for correlating the in-phase signal with the first and second signals of an orthogonal base on a time window and a second correlating stage for correlating the quadrature signal with the first and second signals of the orthogonal base on the same window, a phase estimator estimating the phase of the signal received in the orthogonal base from the correlation results of the first and/or second correlating stage(s), and a computing device determining the arrival time from the phase thus estimated.

Abstract: A pulsed multi-channel UWB receiver. The receiver includes a first stage translating a received signal into baseband or at an intermediate frequency, a second stage carrying out quadrature mixing on the in-phase and quadrature channels of the first stage, a third stage carrying out an integration on a time window of the signals from the second stage, and a fourth stage carrying out a combination of the integration results from the third stage to provide the real part and the imaginary part of the modulation symbol. The receiver is configurable according to the receiving channel and processing type selected.

Abstract: A UWB receiver with time drift correction. After a frequency translation by a quadrature demodulator, a pulsed UWB signal received is integrated on successive time windows, and then sampled. A phase shift estimator determines a phase difference between samples separated by a multiple of the sampling period approaching the period of the pulses of the signal. A controller deduces from this phase difference a time offset to be applied to integrators to synchronize the receiver on the signal received.

Abstract: A robust time shift tracking UWB receiver. After translating in baseband by a quadrature demodulator, the received UWB pulsed signal is integrated on successive time windows, and then sampled. The complex samples are then correlated with a coding sequence from the transmitter and then transmitted on the one hand to a phase estimator and a demodulating/detecting module. The latter estimates the symbol emitted and provides it to the estimator which removes the modulation effect for estimating, at each time-symbol, the phase of the complex samples. A phase rotation follow-up module determines a compensated phase rotation and a non-compensated phase rotation from a reference instant. Controlling means deduce from the non-compensated phase rotation a time offset to be applied to the integration windows.

Abstract: A UWB receiver with time drift correction. After a frequency translation by a quadrature demodulator, a pulsed UWB signal received is integrated on successive time windows, and then sampled. A phase shift estimator determines a phase difference between samples separated by a multiple of the sampling period approaching the period of the pulses of the signal. A controller deduces from this phase difference a time offset to be applied to integrators to synchronize the receiver on the signal received.

Abstract: A method for determining arrival time of a UWB pulse at a receiver. When a pulse is modulated at an RF frequency, the receiver includes a quadrature demodulator, a first correlating stage for correlating the in-phase signal with the first and second signals of an orthogonal base on a time window and a second correlating stage for correlating the quadrature signal with the first and second signals of the orthogonal base on the same window, a phase estimator estimating the phase of the signal received in the orthogonal base from the correlation results of the first and/or second correlating stage(s), and a computing device determining the arrival time from the phase thus estimated.

Abstract: A pulsed multi-channel UWB receiver. The receiver includes a first stage translating a received signal into baseband or at an intermediate frequency, a second stage carrying out quadrature mixing on the in-phase and quadrature channels of the first stage, a third stage carrying out an integration on a time window of the signals from the second stage, and a fourth stage carrying out a combination of the integration results from the third stage to provide the real part and the imaginary part of the modulation symbol. The receiver is configurable according to the receiving channel and processing type selected.