1. A method of remote sensing, the method comprising:
transmitting a double-sideband signal comprising a first frequency component and a second frequency component; and
receiving the double-sideband signal after it is reflected by a subject;
wherein a separation between a first frequency of the first frequency component and a second frequency of the second frequency components causes a spike in a signal response corresponding to one sideband of the received double-sideband signal to substantially overlap a null point of a signal response corresponding to the other sideband of the received double-sideband signal.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the spike is an optimum point.
3. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a separation between the first frequency and the second frequency that causes the spike to substantially overlap the null point.
4. The method of claim 1, further comprising adjusting at least one of the first frequency and the second frequency to thereby effect the separation that causes the spike to substantially overlap the null point.
5. The method of claim 4, wherein adjusting the at least one of the first frequency and the second frequency to thereby effect the separation comprises sampling a plurality of detection sensitivity measurements, each of the plurality of detection sensitivity measurements corresponding to a different separation between the first frequency and the second frequency, and selecting from among the different separations a separation corresponding to a greatest detection sensitivity from the plurality of detection sensitivity measurements.
6. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating the double-sideband signal by multiplying a first signal having a frequency equal to the first frequency and a second signal having a frequency equal to the second frequency.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first frequency and the second frequency are within a Ka-band of an electromagnetic spectrum.
8. A sensing system, comprising:
a transceiver including
a transmitter chain that transmits a double-sideband signal having a first frequency component and a second frequency component, and
a receiving chain that receives the double-sideband signal after it is reflected by a target; and
a baseband circuit for extracting information content from the received double sideband signal;
wherein a separation between a first frequency of the first frequency component and a second frequency of the second frequency component causes a spike in a signal response generated by one sideband of the received double-sideband signal to substantially overlap a null point of a signal response generated by the other sideband of the received double-sideband signal.
9. The system as in claim 8, wherein the spike is an optimum point.
10. The system as in claim 8, wherein the receiving chain is configured according to a two-step indirect conversion receiver architecture.
11. The system as in claim 8, wherein the target is a monitored patient.
12. The system as in claim 8, further comprising a frequency determining unit.
13. The system of claim 12, wherein the frequency determining unit comprises at least one of a frequency determining module, an accuracy assessment module, and a frequency control module.
14. The system of claim 8, wherein the system comprises a baby monitor.
15. The system of claim 8, wherein the system comprises an exercise monitor for monitoring an individual engaged in an exercise regimen.
16. A machine-readable storage medium, the storage medium comprising machine-directing instructions for:
transmitting a double-sideband signal comprising a first frequency component and a second frequency component; and
receiving the double-sideband signal after it is reflected by a subject;
wherein a separation between a first frequency of the first frequency component and a second frequency of the second frequency components causes a spike in a signal response corresponding to one sideband of the received double-sideband signal to substantially overlap a null point of a signal response corresponding to the other sideband of the received double-sideband signal.
17. The storage medium of claim 16, wherein the spike is an optimum point.
18. The storage medium of claim 16, further comprising a machine-directing instruction for adjusting at least one of the first frequency and the second frequency to thereby effect the separation that causes the spike to substantially overlap the null point.
19. The storage medium of claim 16, further comprising a machine-directing instruction for determining the separation between the first frequency and the second frequency that causes the spike to substantially overlap the null point.
20. The storage medium of claim 19, wherein the machine-directing instruction for determining the separation comprises an instruction for sampling a plurality of detection sensitivity measurements, each detection sensitivity measurement corresponding to a different separation between the first frequency and the second frequency, and selecting from among the different separations a separation corresponding to a greatest detection sensitivity from the plurality of detection sensitivity measurements.
21. The storage medium of claim 16, further comprising a machine-directing instruction for generating the double-sideband signal by multiplying a first signal having a frequency equal to the first frequency component and a second signal having a different frequency equal to the second frequency.
22. The method according to claim 1, wherein the subject is a monitored patient.
23. The method according to claim 1, wherein the subject is an individual engaged in an exercise regimen.
24. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:
down converting the received double-sideband signal into a baseband signal being a superposition of a first baseband signal component corresponding to the first frequency component and a second baseband signal component corresponding to the second frequency component,
wherein the respective amplitudes of the first baseband signal component and the second baseband signal component vary between a minimum and a maximum with a distance between a transmitter for transmitting the double-sideband signal and the subject.
25. The method according to claim 24, further comprising:
adjusting the separation between the first frequency and the second frequency by adjusting at least one of the first frequency and the second frequency until, after the double-sideband signal is reflected by the subject, received, and down converted, the first baseband signal component and the second baseband signal component are in quadrature, such that the minimum amplitude of the first baseband signal component and the maximum amplitude of the second baseband signal component occur respectively at the same distance, and vice versa.
26. The system according to claim 8, wherein the first frequency is within a Ka-band, wherein the second frequency is within the Ka-band.
27. The system according to claim 8, wherein the baseband circuit down converts the received double-sideband signal into a baseband signal, and outputs an output signal indicative of a movement of the target.
28. The system according to claim 27, wherein the movement is breathing by the target.
29. The system according to claim 27, wherein the movement is the target’s heart beating, such that the output signal is indicative of heart rate.
30. The system according to claim 27, wherein the baseband signal is a superposition of a first baseband signal component corresponding to the first frequency component and a second baseband signal component corresponding to the second frequency component, wherein the respective amplitudes of the first baseband signal component and the second baseband signal component vary between a minimum and a maximum with a distance between the transceiver and the target.
31. The system according to claim 30, further comprising a frequency separation unit connected to the transceiver and adapted for adjusting the separation by adjusting at least one of the first frequency and the second frequency until, after the double-sideband signal is reflected by the subject, received, and down converted, the first baseband signal component and the second baseband signal component are in quadrature, such that the minimum amplitude of the first baseband signal component and the maximum amplitude of the second baseband signal component occur respectively at the same distance between the transceiver and the target, and vice versa.
32. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:
outputting an output signal indicative of a movement of the subject.
33. The method according to claim 32, wherein the output signal is indicative of the subject’s respiration rate.
34. The method according to claim 32, wherein the output signal is indicative of the subject’s heart rate.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A power regulator control circuit having detection of a presence of an external pass device external to the power regulator control circuit, the power regulator control circuit comprising:
an amplifier for regulating an output voltage, wherein the amplifier comprises an interstage amplifier;
an internal pass device;
a detection circuit for monitoring internally within the power regulator control circuit a signal magnitude of the amplifier and detecting a presence of the external pass device after a predetermined time after power up, wherein the detection circuit comprises a comparator for compairing the monitored signal magnitude of the amplifier on a inside connection of the power regulator control circuit and thereby monitors internally within the power regulator control circuit; and
a switch operatively coupled to the detection circuit and the internal pass device for automatically disabling the internal pass device when the detection circuit detects the presence of the external pass device external to the power regulator control circuit, wherein the switch is operatively coupled to the interstage amplifier to enable the interstage amplifier in the presence of the external pass device and to disable the interstage amplifier in the absence of the external pass device.
2. A power regulator control circuit according to claim 1, wherein the comparator makes the comparison after power up of the power regulator control circuit.
3. A power regulator control circuit according to claim 2, wherein the comparator further comprises a delay element operatively coupled to the comparator to delay operation of the comparison until a predetermined time after power up and thereby detects after a predetermined time after power up.
4. A power regulator control circuit according to claim 1, wherein the amplifier further comprises a differential amplifier.
5. An integrated circuit comprising a power regulator circuit, the power regulator circuit comprising
an internal pass transistor;
an amplifier for regulating an output voltage, wherein the amplifier comprises an interstage amplifier;
a detection circuit for monitoring internally within the power regulator control circuit a signal magnitude of the amplifier and detecting a presence of an external pass device external to the integrated circuit after a predetermined time after power up; and
a switch operatively coupled to the detection circuit and the internal pass transistor for automatically disabling the internal pass transistor when the detection circuit detects the presence of the external pass device external to the integrated circuit, wherein the switch is operatively coupled to the interstage amplifier to enable the interstage amplifier in the presence of the external pass device and to disable the interstage amplifier in the absence of the external pass devise.
6. An integrated circuit according to claim 5, wherein the detection circuit comprises a comparator for comparing the monitored signal magnitude on an inside connection of the power regulator on the integrated circuit.
7. An integrated circuit according to claim 6, wherein the detection circuit further comprises a latch operatively coupled to the comparator and the switch to operate the switch based on a comparison by the comparator.
8. An integrated circuit according to claim 6, wherein the comparator further comprises a delay element operatively coupled to the comparator to delay operation of the comparison until a predetermined time after power up.
9. An integrated circuit according to claim 5, wherein the power regulator circuit comprises a linear power regulator.
10. An integrated circuit according to claim 9, wherein the linear power regulator comprises a low dropout regulator.
11. An integrated circuit comprising a power regulator circuit, the power regulator circuit comprising
an internal pass transistor:
an amplifier for regulating an output voltage;
a detection circuit for monitoring internally within the power regulator control circuit a signal magnitude comprising a current in the amplifier and detecting a presence of an external pass device external to the intergrated circuit after a predetermined time after power up; and
a switch operatively coupled to the detection circuit and the internal pass transistor for automatically disabling the internal pass transistor when the detection circuit detects the presence of the external pass device external to the intergrated circuit.
12. An integrated circuit comprising a power regulator circuit, the power regulator circuit comprising;
an internal pass transistor;
an amplifier for regulating an output voltage;
a detection circuit for monitoring internally within the power regulator control circuit a signal magnitude of the amplifier comprising an internal differential measurement relative to a supply to the amplifier in the amplifier and detecting a presence of an external pass device external to the intergrated circuit after a predetermined time after power up; and
a switch operatively coupled to the detection circuit and the internal pass transistor for automatically disabling the internal pass transistor when the detection circuit detects the presence of the external pass device external to the intergrated circuit.
13. An integrated circuit according to claim 12,
wherein the amplifier further comprises an interstage amplifier; and
wherein the switch is operatively coupled to the interstage amplifier to enable the interstage amplifier in the presence of the external pass device and to disable the interstage amplifier in the absence of the external pass device.
14. An integrated circuit according to claim 12, wherein the monitored signal magnitude of the amplifier comprises an internal differential voltage measurement relative to a supply to the amplifier in the amplifier.
15. A power regulator control circuit having detection of a presence of an external pass device external to the power regulator control circuit, the power regulator control circuit comprising;
an amplifier for regulating, an output voltage;
an internal pass device;
a detection circuit for monitoring internally within the power regulator control circuit a signal magnitude comprising a current in the amplifier and detecting a presence of the external pass device after a predetermined time after power up, wherein the detection circuit comprises a comparator for comparing the monitored signal magnitude of the amplifier on the inside connection of the power regulator control circuit and thereby monitors internally within the power regulator control circuit; and
a switch operatively coupled to the detection circuit and the internal pass device for automatically disabling the internal pass device when the detection circuit detects the presence of the external pass device external to the power regulator control circuit.
16. A power regulator control circuit according to claim 15,
wherein the amplifier further comprises an interstage amplifier; and
wherein the switch is operatively coupled to the interstage amplifier to enable the interstage amplifier in the presence of the external pass device and to disable the interstage amplifier in the absence of the external pass device.
17. A power regulator control circuit having detection of a presence of an external pass device external to the power regulator control circuit, the power regulator control circuit comprising;
an amplifier for regulating an output voltage;
an internal pass device;
a detection circuit for monitoring internally within the power regulator control circuit a signal magnitude of the amplifier comprising an internal differential measurement relative to a supply to the amplifier in the amplifier and detecting a presence of the external pass device after a predetermined time after power up, wherein the detection circuit comprises a comparator for comparing the monitored signal magnitude of the amplifier on an inside connection of the power regulator control circuit and thereby monitors internally within the power regulator control circuit; and
a switch operatively coupled to the detection circuit and the internal pass device for automatically disabling the internal pass device when the detection circuit detects the presence of the external pass device external to the power regulator control circuit.
18. A power regulator control circuit according to claim 17, wherein the monitored signal magnitude of the amplifier comprises an internal differential voltage measurement relative to a supply to the amplifier in the amplifier.