US 12,132,510 B2
Method for detecting an RF signal in a super-regenerative receiver, and receiver for implementing the method
Arnaud Casagrande, Bôle (CH); and Jean-Luc Arend, Corcelles (CH)
Assigned to The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd, Marin (CH)
Filed by The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd, Marin (CH)
Filed on Jun. 15, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/841,131.
Claims priority of application No. 21200071 (EP), filed on Sep. 30, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0102272 A1, Mar. 30, 2023
Int. Cl. H04W 48/18 (2009.01); H04B 1/18 (2006.01); H04B 1/26 (2006.01); H04W 88/06 (2009.01)
CPC H04B 1/26 (2013.01) [H04B 1/18 (2013.01)] 8 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for detecting an RF signal detected by a reception terminal or pad (2) of a super-regenerative receiver (1), the receiver (1) comprising a reference oscillator (4) for generating an oscillation in the oscillator, a bias current generator (7) for the reference oscillator (4) for supplying a bias current on receiving an oscillation start control signal (start), an oscillation detector (6) connected between an input or an output (coilp) of the reference oscillator (4) and the bias current generator (7) for controlling the generator (7) when an RF signal is received by the receiver, and an impedance matching unit (3) disposed between a receiving terminal or pad (2) of the receiver (1) and the reference oscillator (4),
wherein, following the activation of an oscillation start control signal (start), a linear growth of the bias current value occurs until a critical bias current value is attained, the method comprises the step of detecting the oscillation of the reference oscillator (4), and once the reference oscillator oscillates above a critical increasing bias current value, the oscillation detector (6) orders the bias current generator (7) to immediately cut off the bias current (i_vco) of the reference oscillator (4) and thus stop the oscillation of the reference oscillator (4), in order to reduce the overall electricity consumption during an RF signal detection phase.