Ultra Low Power for Ad-Hoc Sensing Networks W31P4Q-08-1-0011

摘要

This report describes progress towards the development of radio networks with ultra-low power requirements in the range of self-powered systems and networking capabilities that are both scalable and ad-hoc. As indicated in the following sections we have achieved many of our projected milestones including demonstration of record breaking low power transmitter and receiver front ends that are robust, CMOS compatible, process tolerant, and FCC compliant at less than 20uW. At the same time, we encountered significant challenges in the design and demonstration of timing and synchronization blocks. While we were able to demonstrate synchronization of more than two radios with jitter levels better than 0.1 percent proposed, we realized that circuit level improvements needed to be initiated to demonstrate the level of timing certainty of which the system is ultimately capable. As a result of this first year of effort, we have learned many key lessons and are forging a path forward to a network of radios capable of duty cycled operation with power levels an order of magnitude lower than any comparable system shown to date and with scalability previously not considered possible in other radio networks.