A Non-Coherent Receiver Used For IR-UWB Location System

Ultra wideband (UWB) technology originated in the late1960’s at the Sperry Research Center (Sudbury, MA), then part of the Sperry Rand Corporation, under the direction of Dr. Gerald F. Ross. UWB had since been used in U.S. military radar, positioning and communication systems. However, not before than2002did FCC (Federal Communications Commission) approve this technology can be used for civilian communication. From then on, UWB technology acquired large-scale researches.2000s is the most brilliant period of UWB technology. UWB can not compete with IEEE802.11at the high-speed data rate communications after2010, but this technology still in the relevant research in other civilian areas, such as precise parking radar, indoor positioning system.This dissertation is based on the IR-UWB indoor location system’s research background, and take low speed low-power comsumption as the core starting point. This receiver uses non-coherent energy detection OOK (On Off Keying) architecture instead of using high-power consumption synchronized coherent receiver system. Each module of the receiver was designed according to the actual location system’s environmental requirements and real communication link’s restricts. Every design plan was evaluated and the receiver system was designed using top-down design method. Take noise and the detector’s attenuation into account, the performance of the receive chain must be allocated into every module of the RF receiver. The final design of the receiver circuit includes LNA (low noise amplifier), Detector, VGA (variable gain amplifier), Comperator. In order to achieve high receiver sensitivity and lower power consumption of the LNA, the design of the detector is a high challenging work.The detector circuit in the receiver has been realized at TSMC0.13um CMOS MS/RF process. Based on the testing pulse signal transmitted from the transmitter, when the pulse rise and fall time at100ps, the duration at1.5ns and the center frequency at7.5GHz, the detection sensitivity can up to3mV and according detector efficiency is36.7%. Which consumes only1mW power and the core area is only130um×80um. The improvement of the sensitivity of the detector greatly ease the LNA’s gain limits, which reduces the LNA power consumption and then reduces the power consumption of the total receiver. Receiver system circuits was simulated by Cadence Spectre at SMIC0.13um MS/RF process. Simulation results showed that the receiver sensitivity can up to-97dBm and the core power consumption was only21mW. As a result, this receiver can be used as the ultra-wideband location system’s RF front-end.