Circuit Transmission Research Articles

Short-Range Quality-Factor Modulation (SQuirM) for Low Power High Speed Inductive Data Transfer

Wireless data telemetry for implantable medical devices (IMDs) has, in general, been limited to a few Mbps, and used for applications such as transmitting recordings from an implanted monitoring device, or uploading commands to an implanted stimulator. However, modern neural interfaces need to record high resolution potentials from hundreds of neurons; this requires much higher data rates. While fast wireless communication is possible using existing standards such as WiFi, power consumption demands are far too high for IMDs. Short range inductive link based telemetry, in particular impulse-based systems such as pulse-harmonic modulation (PHM), have demonstrated transfer speeds of up to 20 Mbps with a small power budget. However, these systems require complex and precise circuits, making them potentially susceptible to inter-symbol-interference. This work presents a new method named Short-range Quality-factor Modulation (SQuirM), which retains the low power consumption and high data rate of PHM, while improving the resilience of the system and simplifying the circuit design. Transmitter and receiver circuits were fabricated using 0.35 ${\mu }m$ CMOS. The circuits were capable of reliably transceiving data at speeds of up to 50.4 Mbps, with a BER of $ , and a transmitter energy consumption of 8.11 pJ/b.

An Optically-Powered 432 MHz Wireless Tag for Batteryless Internet-of-Things Applications

This paper presents an optically-powered wireless tag, integrating a charge pump (CP) and a low-power RF transmitter for batteryless Internet-of-Things (IoT) applications. The proposed charge pump with hysteresis regulation mechanism (HRM) powers the transmitter circuit using indoor light energy. The charge pump enables the transmitter whenever the output capacitor stores sufficient energy and guarantees a short period signal transmission. The proposed low-power transmitter contains the subharmonically injection-locked PLL and the capacitive coupling technique to achieve a large frequency multiplication ratio. The proposed batteryless wireless chip is fabricated in 0.18- $\mu \text{m}$ CMOS process. The measurement results demonstrate that the proposed charge pump provides a 1.1 to 1.3 V hysteresis regulated voltage under indoor light illumination larger than 300 lux. The charge pump achieves 84.1% peak efficiency and the communication distance of 3 meters is demonstrated while only consuming $248~\mu \text{W}$ .

모노레일 열차인식 신호전달을 위한 중계회로의 설계 연구

모노레일 열차인식 신호전달을 위한 중계회로의 설계 연구

Three-Level DC-DC Controlled-Source Circuit of Marine Electromagnetic Detection Transmitter

Nowadays, marine electromagnetic method is a geophysical method which can effectively explore natural gas hydrate (NGH) resources. This method acquires seafloor structure and distribution laws of mineral resources by transmitting high-power electromagnetic waves to the seafloor, and its detection depth relies on the intensity of transmitted electromagnetic waves. At present, marine electromagnetic transmitter is not proper for transmission of high-power electromagnetic waves, and therefore, a novel controlled-source circuit of soft switching three-level marine electromagnetic transmitter is proposed in this paper, one step-down winding is added at the secondary side of high-frequency transformer in series connection with a linear inductor, asymmetric phase-shift PWM control is used, and soft switching of controlled-source circuit within the overall power range is realized. A detailed analysis of the operation process and circuit characteristics is given, and finally, a prototype is designed. Experimental results indicate that this circuit is of wide ZVS range and high efficiency, and it meets requirements for deep-sea detection of high-voltage power supply transmitter.

Integrated Microwave Photonics: A Multifunctional Photonic Integrated Circuit for Diverse Microwave Signal Generation, Transmission, and Processing (Laser Photonics Rev. 13(6)/2019)

In article number 1800240, Xihua Zou, Zizheng Cao, Wei Pan, Jianping Yao, Antonius M. J. Koonen, and co-workers develop a versatile and powerful integrated circuit of microwave photonics, which enables seven fundamental functions across microwave signal generation, transmission, and processing. Particularly, this photonic circuit is demonstrated for direct deployment in real-world applications, e.g., high-speed railways and broadband wireless communications, accelerating fundamental research from the laboratory to daily life.

A Modified Wireless Power Transfer System for Medical Implants

Wireless Power Transfer (WPT) is a promising technique, yet still an experimental solution, to replace batteries in existing implants and overcome the related health complications. However, not all techniques are adequate to meet the safety requirements of medical implants for patients. Ensuring a compromise between a small form factor and a high Power Transfer Efficiency (PTE) for transcutaneous applications still remains a challenge. In this work, we have used a resonant inductive coupling for WPT and a coil geometry optimization approach to address constraints related to maintaining a small form factor and the efficiency of power transfer. Thus, we propose a WPT system for medical implants operating at 13.56 MHz using high-efficiency Complementary Metal Oxide-Semiconductor (CMOS) components and an optimized Printed Circuit Coil (PCC). It is divided into two main circuits, a transmitter circuit located outside the human body and a receiver circuit implanted inside the body. The transmitter circuit was designed with an oscillator, driver and a Class-E power amplifier. Experimental results acquired in the air medium show that the proposed system reaches a power transfer efficiency of 75.1% for 0.5 cm and reaches 5 cm as a maximum transfer distance for 10.67% of the efficiency, all of which holds promise for implementing WPT for medical implants that don’t require further medical intervention, and without taking up a lot of space.

A Multifunctional Photonic Integrated Circuit for Diverse Microwave Signal Generation, Transmission, and Processing

AbstractMicrowave photonics (MWP) studies the interaction between microwaves and optical waves for the generation, transmission, and processing of microwave signals (i.e., three key domains), taking advantage of the broad bandwidth and low loss offered by modern photonics. Integrated MWP using photonic integrated circuits (PICs) can reach a compact, reliable, and green implementation. Most PICs, however, are recently developed to perform one or more functions restricted inside a single domain. Herein, as highly desired, a multifunctional PIC is proposed to cover the three key domains. The PIC is fabricated on an InP platform by monolithically integrating four laser diodes and two modulators. Using the multifunctional PIC, seven fundamental functions across microwave signal generation, transmission, and processing are demonstrated experimentally. Outdoor field trials for electromagnetic environment surveillance along in‐service high‐speed railways are also performed. The success of such a PIC marks a key step forward for practical and massive MWP implementations.

9. Excitatory and Inhibitory Synaptic Transmission and Cortical Circuits Function

9. Excitatory and Inhibitory Synaptic Transmission and Cortical Circuits Function

Fast fault detection during power swing on a hybrid transmission line using WPT

This paper presents a new technique for very high speed detection of fault during power swing on a hybrid transmission line consisting of an overhead line and an underground cable. The wavelet packet transform with the mother wavelet db1 is utilised to segregate the high-frequency components from three-phase current signals recorded at the relay point and a fault detection index is calculated using these components to detect faults during power swing. The proposed method is tested on a 400 kV double circuit transmission system and a 400 kV 3-machine 9-bus Western System Coordinating Council system simulated in electromagnetic transient program software for both symmetrical and asymmetrical faults, different fault resistances, load angles, and fault inception times at random locations on the transmission line. Its performance is also analysed for close-in faults, high dc offset current, and the faults on the series compensated transmission line. The method is very fast to detect faults during power swing irrespective of the variations of fault conditions, and a comparative assessment with the existing methods justifies its merit.

IMPROVEMENT OF OIL EXTRACTION PROCESS USING ULTRASONIC TECHNIQUE AS A SECOND-GENERATION BIOFUEL SOURCE

The aim of this study was to optimize machine efficiency and the energy content of safflower oil by the ultrasonic technique. The developed machine has an improved effective technique using ultrasonic transmitter system that provide different frequency levels with a regulated power supply. Ultrasonic transmitter system can be described starting from a regulated power supply circuit where a transformer is used to step-down the voltage from 230 to 12 VAC while the voltage is rectified using the full wave bridge rectifier where the rectifier converts the sine waves into a series of positive peaks. The rectified AC voltage is then smoothed or filtered by a capacitor C1, C2 and C3. Finally, the voltage is passed through a regulator LM7809 to create a fixed 9VDC output with less ripple in the voltage. Circuit of the ultrasonic transmitter runs by using a 9VDC regulated power supply. Design of the ultrasonic generator is essentially built a SA555 stable oscillator. This oscillator generates a frequency from 10 to 70 kHz which is used by the transmitting transducer to generate the ultrasonic wave. The performance of the developed machine was studied under four levels of ultrasonic frequency (20, 30, 40 and 50 kHz) and four different feed rates (125, 145, 160, and 170 kg.h-1) and estimate of its effect on the oil yield, machine efficiency and the energy content of safflower oil. The extracted oil was subjected to determine properties of them like: the specific gravity, viscosity, heating value, flash point, carbon residue, and sulphur content. The ultrasonic assisted extraction improves the oil yield by 29.33, % and the highest energy content value was achieved 2034 MJ.h-1 measured at frequency level of 40 kHz and feed rate of 160 kg.h-1. This will be useful to the extraction machine to recover higher amount of the oil yield from same amount of the safflower seeds throughout the operational period. Also, the oil extraction machine has been developed with a machine efficiency of 94.60% as well as decreasing energy consumption by 22.94%.

Molecular mechanisms regulating presynaptic neurotransmitter release and their impact on neuronal circuit function

Deciphering the molecular mechanisms that govern neurotransmitter release at the presynaptic terminal is essential for understanding synaptic strength, plasticity, modulation and pathology. Voltage‐gated Ca2+ channels (VGCCs) regulate the magnitude and location of Ca2+ entry into presynaptic terminals of the central nervous system (CNS) and this determines the probability and kinetics of release of neurotransmitter‐filled synaptic vesicles (SVs) which ultimately impact neuronal circuit output and behavior. Located within the presynaptic terminal is the active zone, a dense network of proteins, which are implicated to regulate SV release by controlling VGCC function. However, the molecular mechanisms by which active zone proteins control VGCC density and organization within the presynaptic terminal are unclear. The calyx of Held, a glutamatergic presynaptic terminal in the auditory brainstem utilizes rapid and temporally precise action potential signaling for encoding information. Since it is the sole input to drive post‐synaptic action potential spiking and due to the ability to directly measure presynaptic Ca2+ currents and correlate them to SV release rates, the calyx is an exceptional model for gaining mechanistic insights into the presynaptic regulation of SV release and neuronal circuit output. We are using transgenic mouse models and novel viral vectors to manipulate presynaptic active zone proteins and CaV2 subtypes at the calyx during different developmental stages. In combination with these molecular manipulations, we utilized morphological analysis of VGGC organization in the presynaptic active zone and presynaptic ultrastructure and electrophysiology to determine their impact on synaptic biophysics, transmission and plasticity. Our results have identified key molecules and uncovered molecular mechanisms regulating CaV2 subtype levels, organization and proximity to SVs thereby controlling synaptic transmission and neuronal circuit output.Support or Funding InformationCurrent Research Support: National Institute of Deafness and Communication Disorders (R01 DC014093), the University of Iowa.This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2019 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.

Multi-Objective Optimization of Integrated Power System Expansion Planning with Renewable Energy-Based Distributed Generation

Multi-objective-based power system expansion planning considering distributed generation is presented in this study. An integrated model of electrical power system expansion planning with renewable energy-based distributed generation is proposed. Two objective functions, cost and the emission objective function, are implemented in the proposed model. The cost function comprises investment cost and operation cost. The investment cost covers the cost of the new generation unit, the new distributed generation unit, and the investment for the new transmission circuit. The operation cost covers the operation cost of the installed and new generation unit and the operation cost of the installed and new distributed generation unit. Two emission gasses, CO2 and NOx, are considered in the proposed model. These two gasses are expressed in the same unit as Global Warming Potential. The developed model is implemented into the IEEE 14 bus system. Lexicographic optimization combined with the epsilon constraint technique is used to solve the multi-objective problem. A Pareto optimal solution is generated by this method. Then, the fuzzy decision-making process is implemented to select the best solution from the Pareto set. The simulation results show that the distributed generation significantly reduces the overall cost of power system expansion planning. With a 30% DG penetration level, overall planning costs can be reduced by 12.62% compared to without DG penetration with an equal weighting factor for each objective function. Details of the capacity expansion of the generation unit, distributed generation unit, and transmission line are presented in this study.

Pulse Width Modulation Generation Based on Laser Using Ultrasonic Frequency

In this work, a Wien Bridge Oscillator and a Triangle Wave Oscillator were used to obtain a 40 KHz sine wave and a 400 KHz triangular wave respectively. A modified pulse using a comparator circuit was obtained to control the laser transmission circuit and to send the modified laser pulse to the photodiode receiving circuit in any distance. The original sine wave (40 KHz) was then retrieved to be used in medical, industrial, physical and military applications.

Molecular Communications With Molecular Circuit-Based Transmitters and Receivers.

The performance of a communication link can be improved by maximizing the mutual information between the input and output signals. This paper considers this maximization problem in a molecular communication link where both the transmitter and the receiver are molecular circuit. This general optimization is hard to solve. We simplify the problem by limiting to reactions with linear reaction rates and molecular circuits with a limited number of species. We derive an expression of mutual information and use it for numerical maximization. We show that our parameterized transmitter circuit is able to give mutual information that is close to upper bound obtained in our earlier work.

An Intelligent Irrigation System for Rural Agriculture

The agricultural sector significantly contributes to the economic growth of every country. This sector faces challenges with respect to producing the right quantity and quality of food. Most traditional methods used in growing crops are inadequate to ensuring food security. This challenge can be addressed by applying Information and Communication Technology (I.C.T.) in the agricultural sector. In the cultivation of crops, the use of proper irrigation method is essential in enhancing the growth and yield of crops. This research focuses on the application of information technology to provide the required amount of water needed by crops for growth. With the emergence of Internet of Things (IoT) which involves the interconnection of electronic devices to the Internet and the acquisition of data from these devices through the use sensors, an IoT based Intelligent Irrigation System was built. The Intelligent Irrigation System consisted of a transmitter and a receiver circuit (which is connected to a water pump via an actuator). The transmitter circuit was responsible for reading the moisture content of the soil and transmitting it wirelessly to the receiver. The receiver then made decisions on whether to trigger the pump on or off depending on the received soil moisture data. The Intelligent Irrigation System was piloted on a carrot farm. A total of 16 beds were constructed for the study. It was divided into 2 different blocks. The first block comprised of 8 beds which were manually irrigated and the second block was made up of 8 beds which were irrigated by means of machine-to-machine (M2M) communication. For pre-harvest, the performance indicators used were the height of the plants and the number of leaves per plant. The weight, length and diameter of the carrot plants were used as performance indicators for post-harvest. It was realized that the crops that were watered via M2M communication showed better growth performances as compared to those that were watered manually.

Wireless Power Transfer With Magnetic Resonator Coupling and Sleep/Active Strategy for a Drone Charging Station in Smart Agriculture

Drones can be used in agriculture applications to monitor crop yield and climate conditions and to extend the communication range of wireless sensor networks in monitoring areas. However, monitoring the climate conditions in agriculture applications faces challenges and limitations, such as drone flight time, power consumption, and communication distance, which are addressed in this study. Wireless power transfer (WPT) can be used to charge drone batteries. WPT using a magnetic resonant coupling (MRC) technique was considered in this study because it allows high transfer power and efficiency with tens of centimeters, power transfers can be achieved in misalignment situations, charging several devices simultaneously, and unaffected by weather conditions. WPT was practically implemented based on a solar cell using a proposed flat spiral coil (FSC) in the transmitter circuit and multiturn coil (MTC) in a receiver circuit (drone) for the alignment and misalignment of two coils at different distances. FSC and MTC improved power transfer and efficiency to 20.46 W and 85.25%, respectively, at 0 cm with the loaded system under alignment condition. In addition, the two coils achieved appropriate transfer efficiencies and power for charging the drone battery under misaligned conditions. The maximum power transfer and efficiency were 17.1 W and 71% for the misalignment condition, at an air gap of 1 cm between two coils when the system was loaded with the drone battery. Moreover, the battery life of the drone was extended to 851 minutes based on the proposed sleep/active strategy relative to the traditional operation (i.e., 25.84 minutes). Consequently, a 96.9% battery power saving was achieved based on this strategy. Comparison results showed that the proposed system outperformed some present techniques in terms of the transfer power, transfer efficiency, and drone battery life. The proposed WPT technique developed in this study has been proven to solve the misalignment issue. Thus it offers a great opportunity as a key deployment component for the automation of farming practices toward the Internet of Farming applications.

A case study of CryptoBin algorithm

The use of location-based solutions has improved significantly over the last few years. However, data encryption has become very important to maintain confidentiality and privacy, especially in the military and civil fields. This paper will present an application that encrypts data on the location and movements of military personnel or civilian researchers within an area on a specific mission, Using two transmission circuits and one receiver that is controlled by a microcontroller programmed by the encryption algorithm. This application is used and modified in several situations and each case depends on the nature of the mission and the nature of the surrounding environment. The proposed system is tested in three different environments and achieves good results. This application can meet the confidentiality, authentication, simplicity and practicality of security issues as a result of frequency and speed tests.

The Neural Pathways for the Hypothetic Nociceptive-Sympathetic Coupling of NBA for Pain Sensation

In May 2016, it was suggested by the US athletes playing games of National Basketball Association (NBA) in television that the pain sensation might result from the post-sensory nociceptive-sympathetic coupling. In this re-view, it is attempted to newly delineate the underlying neural pathways for this post-sensory nociceptive-sympathetic coupling. Based on the con-temporary feedback neural circuits of pain transmission in spinal cord, it is summarized that the Aδ- and C-fibers relay the sensory noxious signals to the laminae I, II and V of dorsal spinal horn, and in turn activate the peria-queductal grey (PAG) in midbrain, which feedbacks via raphe to inhibit the nociceptive transmission of spinal cord. Herein it is newly added that, as extension of the contemporary feedback pain circuits, the neurons in laminae I and V of dorsal spinal horn as well as those in PAG can additionally activate the sympathetic outputs, completing the post-sensory nocicep-tive-sympathetic coupling. It is emphasized that such nocicep-tive-sympathetic coupling would contribute at least partially to the pain sensation because of sympathetically maintained pain. It is also pointed out that the neurons in parabrachial area (PB) can concurrently relay the nociceptive inputs from spinal cord while regulating the respiration, coor-dinating the nociceptive and respiratory activities during pain sensation. Because both PAG and PB are below thalamus, it is speculated that these sympathetic and respiratory associations with pain are primitive and uni-versal in evolution in vertebrates. It is expected to promote this hypothesis to revise the pain mechanisms in vertebrates and the relevant investigations in the future.

LTP Induction Boosts Glutamate Spillover by Driving Withdrawal of Astroglia

Extrasynaptic actions of glutamate are limited by high-affinity transporters on perisynaptic astroglial processes (PAPs), which helps to maintain point-to-point transmission in excitatory circuits. Memory formation in the brain is associated with synaptic remodelling, but how this remodelling affects PAPs and therefore extrasynaptic glutamate actions is poorly understood. Here we used advanced imaging methods, in situ and in vivo, to find that a classical synaptic memory mechanism, long-term potentiation (LTP), triggers withdrawal of PAPs from potentiated synapses. Optical glutamate sensors combined with patch-clamp and 3D molecular localisation reveal that LTP induction thus prompts a spatial retreat of glial glutamate transporters, boosting glutamate spillover and NMDA receptor-mediated inter-synaptic cross-talk. The LTP-triggered PAP withdrawal involves NKCC1 transporters and the actin-controlling protein cofilin but does not depend on major Ca2+-dependent cascades in astrocytes. We have therefore uncovered a mechanism by which synaptic potentiation could alter signal handling by multiple nearby connections.

Implementation of a Dual Wireless Power Transfer and Rotation Monitoring System for Prosthetic Hands

This article presents the design, manufacture and test of an inductively coupled wireless power transfer (WPT) system used as a power source for prosthetic hands. Prosthetic hands are the most common artificial limbs among the physically disabled population. Limited storage capacity of the battery places severe limitations regarding the continuous use of this device. A WPT link is therefore proposed to supply power to such devices. The WPT system consists of a transmitter circuit (class-E power amplifier) and WPT coils along with commercially available receiver circuit and multiple motors. Assessment of the unwanted heating of the human tissue due to wireless power transfer was simulated using the commercial electromagnetic simulator ANSYS HFSS™. Results were experimentally validated by measuring in real-time temperature variations inside a phantom mimicking the properties of human muscle. Monitoring and control the rotation of the prosthetic hand was also demonstrated utilizing rotation-dependent wireless power transfer parameters. The WPT scheme proposed serves therefore the dual property of providing power to the prosthetic limb whilst monitoring the wrist rotation.