Evaluating low power techniques for backscatter WiFi nodes

Wavelite technology is built upon the concept of backscatter communications, where wireless WiFi signals*emitted from a source can be reflected back by a Radio-frequency identification (RFID) like device. This*allows Internet of Things (IoT) devices to be very cost effective and widely deployable since it can benefit from*the already deployed WiFi infrastructure. To engage in a transmission the IoT node has first to sense the*presence of WiFi excitation signal and then it wakes up the modulation subsystem to transmit data. A key*component of backscattering IoT device is a wake-up receiver (WuR) that continuously monitors the power of*the WiFi signals and triggers a wakeup signal to the Wavelite transmitter.Driven by the fact that advanced IoT*devices have severe power constraints and life duration, the WuR has to consume power of less than hundred*micro-Watts. Also WuR has to have a high sensitivity to detect weaker signals, and increase the transmission*range. In addition a very compact form factor and low cost are important features in Wavelite products. Due to*the pressure of lower power and cost, a higher level of integration using CMOS (complementary*metal-oxide-semiconductor) technologies is needed. Due to the complexity of implementing wake up receiver*in CMOS technology, Wavelite needs assistance to study and develop this ultra-low power, high sensitivity*wake up receiver for their future IoT products.*The objective of this research project is to study and design of a new WuR architecture with ultra-low power*consumption (