Pulse coupled oscillator synchronization for low power UWB wireless transceivers

• Published in: 2007 50th Midwest Symposium on Circuits and Systems pp. 1524 - 1527
• Main Authors: Wang, X.Y., Apsel, A.B.
• Format: Conference Proceeding
• Language: English; Japanese
• Published: IEEE 01.08.2007
• Subjects: Coupling circuits; Feedback circuits; Master-slave; Oscillators; Phase locked loops; Pulse circuits; Robustness; Sensor phenomena and characterization; Transceivers; Wireless sensor networks
• ISBN: 1424411750; 9781424411757
• ISSN: 1548-3746
• DOI: 10.1109/MWSCAS.2007.4488830

Achieving robust synchronization in low power UWB systems remains a dominant obstacle in the design of these systems. In this paper, we propose using the pulse coupled oscillator (PCO) phenomenon with system feedback as an alternative scheme to conventional master-slave synchronization using power hungry PLL or DLL circuits. Sensor network nodes implementing the PCO state function are mathematically guaranteed to converge towards phase lock, with no need for a PLL, off chip crystal, or continuously operating low noise amplifier. To date, we know of no circuit-level implementation of a PCO based wireless transceiver. We also demonstrate synchronization of a switchable integrated transceiver front-end in the IBM CMOS7RF process, a key first step in design of short-range communications for microwatt power levels.