UWB ranging module: principle, composition, characteristics, applications, and common products

2024-11-19/ By Admin

　　The UWB ranging module is a high-precision ranging device based on ultra wideband wireless communication technology. This article introduces its working principles such as time-of-flight method and time of arrival method, as well as its components such as antenna and RF circuit. Its performance characteristics include high precision and high anti-interference. It is also used in indoor positioning, unmanned driving and other application fields, as well as common products such as SKU625, SKU620, and SKU603.

　　UWB ranging module is a high-precision ranging device based on ultra wideband wireless communication technology. The following is a detailed introduction about it:

Working principle

　　Time of Flight (TOF) method: calculates distance by measuring the time of flight of UWB signals from the transmitting end to the receiving end. Since the speed of light is known, the distance between two modules can be obtained by multiplying the time of signal propagation by the speed of light. For example, when the transmitting end sends out a UWB pulse signal, the receiving end records the time when it receives the signal, and the time difference between the two is the signal flight time.

　　Time Difference of Arrival (TDOA) method: Using the time difference between receiving signals from multiple base stations to determine the location of tags. Multiple base stations simultaneously receive UWB signals from the same tag. Due to the different distances between the tag and different base stations, the signal arrives at different base stations at different times. By measuring these time differences, the position of the tag relative to the base station can be calculated.

　　Main components

　　Antenna: responsible for transmitting and receiving UWB signals, its performance directly affects the transmission quality and distance of the signal.

　　RF circuit: performs RF processing on UWB signals, including modulation, demodulation, amplification, and other operations, to ensure accurate transmission and reception of signals.

　　Power management circuit: Provides stable power to the module while managing its power consumption to meet the power requirements of different operating modes.

　　Clock circuit: Generate accurate clock signals to provide synchronized clocks for various parts of the module, ensuring the accuracy of signal processing and data transmission.

　　Processing unit: responsible for processing and analyzing received signals, calculating distance or location information based on measured time or time difference data, and communicating and exchanging data with other devices.

　　Performance characteristics

　　High precision: It can achieve centimeter level or even millimeter level ranging accuracy, far higher than traditional positioning technologies such as Bluetooth, Wi Fi, etc., and can meet the high demand for positioning accuracy in application scenarios.

　　High anti-interference ability: UWB signals have a wide spectral range and low signal power spectral density, which gives them strong anti-interference ability. In complex electromagnetic environments such as multipath effects and signal occlusion, they can still maintain stable ranging performance.

　　Low power consumption: UWB signals use short pulses to transmit data, consuming less energy in a short period of time. Therefore, the overall power consumption of the module is low, making it suitable for battery powered devices and extending their usage time.

　　High real-time performance: With a high data transmission rate, it can quickly obtain and update distance information, achieve real-time positioning and tracking, and is of great significance for applications that require rapid response, such as unmanned driving and industrial automation.

　　Non line of sight transmission: Unlike some other positioning technologies, UWB ranging modules can still maintain a certain degree of ranging accuracy in non line of sight environments. Even if the signal is obstructed by obstacles during transmission, it can be located through multipath propagation and other methods, improving its applicability in complex environments.

　　Application Fields

　　Indoor positioning: In large public places such as shopping malls, hospitals, museums, etc., it can be used for precise positioning and navigation of personnel and items, providing users with more convenient services and also helping to improve the safety management level of the place.

　　Autonomous driving: providing high-precision positioning information for autonomous vehicles, enabling them to accurately perceive the surrounding environment, achieve precise path planning and autonomous obstacle avoidance, and improve the safety and reliability of autonomous driving.

　　Industrial automation: used for robot navigation, material handling, and production line monitoring. By obtaining real-time location information of equipment and materials, it achieves precise control and optimization of automated production processes, improving production efficiency and quality.

　　Smart Home: It can achieve positioning and tracking of family members and home devices, providing more intelligent control and services for smart home systems, such as automatically adjusting air conditioning temperature, lighting brightness, etc. based on personnel location.

　　Security monitoring: In the field of security, it can be used for personnel intrusion detection, perimeter prevention, etc. By setting up electronic fences and other functions, when personnel enter or leave designated areas, timely alarms can be issued to improve the efficiency and accuracy of security monitoring.

　　Medical health: In hospitals, it can be used for patient monitoring, medical staff positioning, and medical equipment management, making it convenient for medical staff to quickly find patients and equipment, and improving the quality and efficiency of medical services.

　　Common UWB ranging module products

　　SKU625: With a compact size of 28x19x2.5mm, it is easy to integrate into various devices. Its UWB data transmission rate has multiple options such as 850kbps, 6.8Mbps, 27.2Mbps, and 54.4Mbps, with a positioning accuracy of less than ± 5cm, which can meet high-precision positioning requirements and is suitable for application scenarios that require high volume and accuracy, such as small wearable devices, smart tags, etc.

　　SKU620: Developed based on DecawaveDW1000 ultra wideband chip, supporting IEEE802.15.4-2011 UWB protocol. This module uses Nordic Bluetooth 4.2 chip nRF52832 as the main control IC, with a static ranging accuracy of 10-30cm and a visible range of over 500 meters. The data transmission rate is 6.8Mbps. In addition, it also has a two-stage PA high-power solution with an input voltage range of 3.4-5V, supports rechargeable lithium batteries, and the module adopts a three sided stamp hole design, which opens up more IO ports for customers to carry out secondary development. It can be applied to one-dimensional ranging UWB base stations, TWR positioning base stations, UWB ranging tags, and TWR positioning tags.

　　SKU603: Integrated with Decawave's DW1000 ultra wideband UWB transceiver IC and GD32F130G8U6MCU, the antenna, all RF circuits, power management, and clock circuits are integrated into one module, and a three-axis linear accelerometer is also integrated. It can be used for bidirectional ranging or TDOA positioning systems, with a positioning accuracy of up to 10 centimeters and a data transmission rate of 6.8Mbps. It is suitable for various systems that require precise real-time positioning and position aware wireless sensor networks.