RU2848194C2 - Method for transmitting and receiving information - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: acoustic engineering, hydroacoustic engineering, seismic engineering, and radio engineering.

SUBSTANCE: the invention relates to acoustic technology, hydroacoustic technology, seismic technology and radio technology and can be used in adaptive systems for interference-free packet data transmission. In the method for transmitting and receiving information, the transmitted data symbols contain a spectrum expansion in the form of a variety of carrier sweeps in a wide frequency range or a set of carrier sweeps of different types formed at the data symbol transmission interval. The carrier sweep may be a set consisting of a sequence of elements or fragments of oscillation. Each section of the sequence may be located along the time axis and/or along the frequency axis according to dependencies that are determined by the current characteristics of the signal propagation medium. In this case, the current characteristics of the propagation medium are evaluated during a bidirectional exchange of signals between interacting transceivers, each of which is a source and/or receiver of digital information. The data symbol is understood to be a carrier sweep or part thereof, or a combination of carrier sweeps, which is manipulated according to one or more parameters to assign information content to it.

EFFECT: the ability to quickly exchange information with another similar device about the characteristics of the signal propagation environment in order to adjust and adapt the parameters of the transmitted signals and their sequences in the frequency-time domain to achieve the best communication channel performance.

38 cl, 6 dwg

Description

AREA OF TECHNOLOGY

The invention relates to acoustic engineering, hydroacoustic engineering, seismic engineering and radio engineering and can be used in adaptive systems for noise-immune packet data transmission.

LEVEL OF TECHNOLOGY

Terms and definitions.

Spread spectrum is a method of increasing the efficiency of information transmission using modulated signals through a channel with strong linear distortions (fading), leading to an increase in the signal base.

In the systems existing today, the following three methods are mainly used for this purpose:

1. Frequency-hopping spread spectrum (FHSS). The method involves periodically hopping the carrier frequency according to an algorithm known to both the receiver and transmitter. The advantage of this method is its ease of implementation; the disadvantage is the delay in the data stream with each hop. This method is used in Bluetooth. Similar methods with less frequent frequency changes (slow frequency hopping) have been proposed for GSM.

A disadvantage of this method is that when used in communication channels with a narrow bandwidth available for generating a communication signal (such as in hydroacoustics or long-distance radio communications), the duration of one frequency hopping interval is comparable to the reverberation duration. For example, when using frequency hopping in hydroacoustics, the duration of the frequency hopping interval (i.e., the duration of each successive "step" at which the signal frequency remains constant) must correspond to the narrow frequency band typical of hydroacoustics and, accordingly, be sufficiently large to have a value equal to the reciprocal of the available bandwidth (or even greater). Therefore, the duration of the frequency hopping interval (i.e., the duration of each successive "step" at which the signal frequency remains constant) often exceeds the excess signal propagation delay. For this reason, the received signal experiences multipath interference, leading to corruption of the information contained in the communication signal.

2. Direct sequence spread spectrum (DSSS). This method is more efficient than frequency hopping, but is more difficult to implement. It involves increasing the modulation clock frequency, assigning a relatively long pseudo-random sequence (PRS) to each symbol of the transmitted message. This method is used in systems such as CDMA and IEEE 802.11 (Wi-Fi) systems.

Similarly, a disadvantage of this method is that when used in communication channels with a narrow bandwidth available for generating a communication signal (such as in hydroacoustics or long-distance radio communications), the duration of one PRS interval is comparable to the reverberation duration. Specifically, when using PRS in hydroacoustics, the duration of each successive PRS interval (over which the signal frequency remains constant) must correspond to the narrow frequency band typical of hydroacoustics and, accordingly, be sufficiently long—having a value equal to the inverse of the available frequency band (or even greater). Therefore, the duration of the frequency-hopping interval (i.e., the duration of each successive "step" over which the signal frequency remains constant) often exceeds the excess signal propagation delay. For this reason, the received signal experiences multipath interference, leading to corruption of the information contained in the communication signal.

3. Chirp spread spectrum (CSS) is a method of spreading the spectrum using a linear frequency modulation (LFM). This method involves linearly adjusting the carrier frequency. This method is used in radar, some radio modems, and LoRa technology.

A disadvantage of CSS is the static nature of the transmitted communication signal parameters during an ongoing communication session. In multipath signal propagation conditions (e.g., due to multiple reflections from the boundaries/layers of the propagation medium), the excess propagation delays of the multipath components ("paths") are not known in advance. If the chirp signal repetition period (in particular, data symbols spread using frequency modulation) coincides with the excess "path" delays, then upon signal reception, interference between the current chirp signal (data symbol) and the multipath components of the previous chirp signal (previous data symbol) occurs. Consequently, this causes corruption of the information contained in the received communication signal (in particular, an increase in the bit error rate to unacceptable values). Such destructive interference will occur particularly frequently in prolonged, high-intensity reverberation (such as in a hydroacoustic environment).

Due to the lack of ability to adjust the order of chirp signals in accordance with the current characteristics of the signal propagation environment, as well as the lack of adaptation to the propagation environment during data exchange, the use of CSS is difficult.

In particular, when the propagation environment is variable (as in the case of hydroacoustic communication between moving objects underwater), and as a consequence - due to the variable duration and intensity of reverberation and the inability to control (adjust) the frequency of the chirp signals (data symbols expanded using linear frequency modulation), the use of CSS is undesirable.

A number of systems can use similar technologies to reduce spurious electromagnetic radiation—spread-spectrum clock generation (SSCG)—in which the clock frequency of high-frequency synchronous circuits is constantly varied within a range of 30-250 kHz (e.g., in SAT-A, DisplayPo). The disadvantages of SSCG are also related to the static nature of the transmitted communication signal parameters during an ongoing communication session. Therefore, the disadvantages of SSCG are identical to those of CSS, described above.

Methods and devices for transmitting and receiving information are known (RU 2282944, US 6985749 B2, IPC: H04L 27/10 (2006.01), published 27.08.2006) [1], in which, in order to improve the quality of data transmission and increase immunity to interference, information is transmitted and/or received by means of waves in accordance with which the information signal is superimposed on a carrier wave, the frequency of which continuously and smoothly changes over a given time interval to form at least one carrier sweep, wherein the transmitted signal after reception is filtered in the frequency domain to separate multipath components or is cleared of interference and then evaluated with respect to the signal parameter carrying the information. The disadvantages of the method described in patents RU 2282944 (US6985749B2) are also associated with the static nature of the parameters of the transmitted communication signal during the current communication session and, therefore, are identical to the disadvantages of the CSS and SSCG methods described above.

A radio frequency communication system is known (US 9083444 B2, IPC: H04B 1/69, published 2015-07-14) [2], which includes a radio frequency transmitter and a radio frequency receiver, wherein the radio frequency transmitter includes a modulation circuit and a radio frequency modulator, wherein the radio frequency transmitter maps each block of K information bits into a block of N transmission symbols, converts the block to transmit N symbols using a repetition of symbol blocks and spreads the symbol blocks by multiplying the symbol blocks by a predetermined chirp signal, wherein the radio frequency receiver includes a chirp receiver configured to receive, demodulate and digitize the modulated radio frequency (RF) signal to form a digital modulating signal and to recover a signal modulated using spread spectrum modulation with interleaved frequency modulation of a single carrier.

A method of modulating data for transmission includes:

- mapping a block of K information bits, where K is the number of information bits, into a block of N transmission symbols, where N is the number of transmission symbols, where N is greater than one;

- transformation of a block of N transmission symbols into a block of N subcarriers in the frequency domain;

- repeating a block of N frequency domain subcarriers to form a block of L frequency domain subcarriers, where L is the number of frequency domain subcarriers;

- interpolation of the chirp sequence with the coefficient N to form an interpolated chirp sequence;

multiplying a repeating block of L frequency-domain subcarriers by an interpolated chirp sequence to form chirp-spread subcarriers; and

- converting chirp-extended subcarriers into a time-domain data block for transmission;

wherein the time domain data block has length L and the chirp sequence has length L/N, so that the interpolated chirp sequence has length L.

A modulation method where the symbol transformation is quadrature phase shift keying (QPSK),

- where the symbol mapping is binary phase shift keying (BPSK);

- where the symbol mapping is quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM).

The disadvantage of the known technical solution is the use of a predetermined chirp signal to expand the spectrum, which results in the static nature of the parameters of the transmitted communication signal during the current communication session.

The disadvantages of the method described in patent US 9083444 B2 are also associated with the static nature of the parameters of the transmitted communication signal during the current communication session, and are therefore identical to the disadvantages of the CSS, SSCG methods, and the disadvantages of the method according to patent RLJ 2282944 (US 6985749 B2).

A digital communications method and device based on chirped signals transmitted as synchronization pulses is also known (patent application US 2008310481 A1). The application discusses a digital communications method and device based on the use of a chirped signal transmitted as a synchronization signal, followed by another wideband signal (a pseudo-noise signal) modulated by the transmitted data. The description does not assume the adjustment of the signal spectrum spreading to the conditions of the signal propagation environment, nor does it assume adaptation to the propagation environment during data exchange. Furthermore, it does not assume the processing of received signals by separation in frequency-time coordinates and/or selective combining of multipath components (re-reflections, echo signals), and, due to this, interference removal with an associated increase in the signal-to-noise ratio.

Unlike US 2008310481 A1, the current application describes the synchronizing signal not as a chirp signal, but as a complex structure (set) of carrier sweep fragments. The signal sequence (with data symbols) following the synchronizing signal also contains spectrum spreading in the form of a carrier sweep. Moreover, a carrier sweep, by definition, is a complex structure (set) of fragments, each of which varies in frequency (contains spectrum spreading). Each such carrier sweep fragment is located along the time axis and/or along the frequency axis according to a relationship determined by the characteristics of the signal propagation medium.

A significant drawback of US 2008310481 A1 is that the use of a chirp synchronizing signal does not allow for the rapid assessment of the dynamics of the signal propagation environment. A single chirp signal can be used to determine a single impulse response at the receiving point. In contrast, in the current application, multiple carrier fragments can be used to estimate the variability of the impulse response over a certain time interval. Furthermore, the use of a single chirp signal does not allow for the assessment of the degree of expansion or compression of the time axis due to the Doppler effect during the relative movements of the carriers of the communication devices.

In contrast, in the current application, multiple synchronization pulses (carrier fragments) can be used to estimate Doppler distortions over a certain time interval and to account for these distortions when recalculating the synchronization time of each data symbol (the timing of each carrier sweep) during the reception of a data packet following the synchronization signal. Furthermore, the current application provides the ability to use multiple carrier sweeps, following one another at non-equidistant intervals, which will allow for reliable (using multiple carrier fragments) estimation of the propagation medium's impulse response over a relatively long time interval.

The measures proposed in the current application are intended to ensure reliable data exchange between mobile (e.g. underwater) communication devices in highly dynamic signal propagation environments.

A system and method for transmitting and detecting spread spectrum signals is known (System and method for transmitting and detecting spread spectrum signals) (US 9088349 (B2), IPC: H04B 1/00; H04B 1/7183; H04B 1/69, published 2015-07-21) [3]. A system and method for detecting wideband signals with a bandwidth X in a communication system having a coherence time constant T are also proposed. The synchronization signal is generated as a function of a chirp signal that scans a portion of the bandwidth X. The synchronization signal is transmitted and received at a receiver as a wideband signal. The receiver detects the synchronization signal in the wideband signal received at the receiver by generating a detection signal, correlating the received wideband signal with the detection signal, and indicating when the synchronization signal is detected in the wideband signal. The detection signal is a complex conjugate of the synchronization signal. The system's operation is based on the use of a chirp signal transmitted as a synchronization signal, followed by another wideband signal (pseudo-noise signal) modulated by the transmitted data. This reduces processing complexity, but at the expense of reduced autocorrelation properties. The receiver performs downconversion and RF filtering, while digital correlator 124 is implemented using a fast Fourier transform (FFT). Thus, system 100 solves the problem of detecting signals with extremely low signal-to-noise ratios. Coherent detection is used to detect extremely weak, spread-spectrum signals.

This is especially true when the signal-to-noise ratio drops below unity (0 dB). This reduces the coherence bandwidth requirements of the communication system, allowing the use of inexpensive oscillators with lower stability.

A drawback of the existing technical solution is the lack of signal spectrum spreading adjustment to the signal propagation environment and the lack of adaptation to the propagation environment during data exchange. The use of a synchronizing chirp signal does not allow for the rapid assessment of the dynamics of the signal propagation environment. A single chirp signal can be used to determine a single impulse response at the receiving point. Using a single chirp signal does not allow for the assessment of the degree of expansion or compression of the time axis due to the Doppler effect during the relative movements of the communication device carriers.

The closest in technical essence to the claimed invention is a method for packet data transmission using noise-like phase-shift keyed signals (RU 2801875, IPC: H04B 1/69 (2011.01), SPC: H04B 1/69 (2023.05), published on 17.08.2023) [4], taken as a prototype, in which, in order to increase the data transmission rate, a synchronization signal is transmitted at the beginning of the transmission of each data packet, which is formed by quadrature modulation of the carrier frequency signal with two binary pseudo-random sequences, synchronizing (SP) and information (IP). SP is an M-sequence, and IP is formed from the M-sequence by adding one constant element. When transmitting data, the SP is extended by one element and an additional sequence (AS) is formed by cyclically shifting the original SP and adding one constant element. At each repetition period of the IP, two modulated sequences (MP1 and MP2) are formed by cyclically shifting the M-sequence from which the IP is formed by a number of elements determined by two

transmitted information symbols, and the addition of one constant element.

Quadrature modulation of the carrier frequency signal is carried out by two binary sequences, one of which is formed by adding modulo two SP and MP1, and the second by adding modulo two DP and MP2.

However, in this system, the very principle of spread spectrum is based on the use of binary pseudorandom sequences, which are based on the formation of a well-known M-sequence, as well as various manipulations of M-sequences. The disadvantages of using pseudorandom sequences are mentioned above. They are related to the fact that when they are used in communication channels with a small bandwidth available for generating a communication signal (as, for example, in hydroacoustics or long-distance radio communications), the duration of one M-sequence interval is commensurate with the reverberation duration. In particular, when using M-sequences and/or their combinations in hydroacoustics, the duration of each successive PRS interval (over which the signal frequency remains constant) must correspond to the narrow frequency band typical of hydroacoustics and, accordingly, be sufficiently large—have a value equal to the inverse of the available frequency band (or even greater). Because of this, the duration of the frequency hopping interval (i.e., the duration of each successive "step" at which the signal frequency remains constant) often exceeds the excess signal propagation delay. As a result, the received signal experiences multipath interference, which leads to corruption of the information contained in the communication signal.

In addition, the disadvantages include the fact that the expansion of the signal spectrum in this method (prototype) does not involve any adjustment/adaptation to the conditions of the signal propagation environment.

The common features of the device are the use of spectrum spreading, the combination of spreading sequences to form a data symbol, carrier phase shift keying, and the presence of several blocks in the transmitted sequences that differ in their semantic content, for example, synchronizing and information sequences built on the same type of spectrum spreading (on pseudo-random sequences).

Based on the patent search, it is generally noted that the current patent application contains a number of significant distinctive features that are intended to provide a significant advantage to the adaptive packet transmission and reception device for digital data compared to those mentioned above. For example, the "predetermined chirp signal" used for spectrum spreading indicates that the parameters of the transmitted communication signal are static during the current communication session. In contrast, the current invention is based not only on the use of continuous signal spectrum spreading (e.g., by means of chirp), but also on the implementation of so-called carrier sweep, the parameters of which are adjusted and adapted during the current data exchange session. Moreover, carrier sweep is not simply an element or fragment of a signal that continuously varies in frequency between specified values. In the current application, carrier sweep is a complex structure (set) consisting of signal elements or fragments, each of which varies in frequency, and each such element or fragment is located on the time axis according to the relationship specified by the transmitting device depending on the characteristics of the signal propagation environment. Furthermore, carrier sweep (spectrum spreading) can be performed not only according to a linear relationship, but also according to any other dependence (this depends on the characteristics of the signal propagation environment). Importantly, both a carrier sweep fragment and a set of fragments (i.e., a carrier sweep) are not a static "predetermined chirp signal," but rather are configurable and adaptable entities that depend on the current characteristics of the propagation environment. To achieve this, adaptive packet transmission and reception devices for digital data are equipped with the ability to estimate the current characteristics of the propagation environment and exchange these estimates with other similar devices at the beginning (to adjust the carrier sweep) and during the ongoing data exchange session (to adapt the carrier sweep).

A serious drawback of the above-mentioned inventions is that, under conditions of prolonged, high-intensity reverberation (such as in a hydroacoustic environment), destructive interference between the current chirp signal (data symbol) and the multipath components of the preceding data symbol can occur. This results in an unacceptable increase in bit errors. Furthermore, in a variable propagation environment (as in the case of hydroacoustic communication between moving objects underwater), and the resulting variable duration and intensity of reverberation, the use of the above-mentioned inventions is difficult or impossible.

The said disadvantages are eliminated in the current invention by equipping the interacting devices with technical capabilities for mutual adjustment (matching) of the frequency characteristics of the carrier elements or fragments in relation to the frequency bandwidth, slope and/or frequency change function, as well as the characteristics of the sweep of the order of the elements or fragments of the carrier sweep in time and/or frequency in a variable manner in accordance with the conditions of the signal propagation environment and/or the conditions of multiple access and/or the parameters of cryptographic protection or other tasks. In this case, the mutual adjustment (matching) and/or adaptation can be performed, for example, by shifting in time and/or frequency each subsequent element or fragment of the carrier sweep and/or the carrier sweep by a predetermined or pseudo-random value. In this case, each such carrier sweep or any part thereof can carry digital data symbols (a bit, a part of a bit, or a set/cartage of bits), which are specified by changing one of the parameters or a set of parameters of the carrier sweep in accordance with the law of the information being transmitted. In particular, in accordance with the current invention, when establishing a connection and/or maintaining a connection during data exchange, the devices will be capable of evaluating a multitude of characteristics of the signal propagation environment (reverberation in time and frequency) at the points of their reception, in particular, the impulse response, signal level, noise level, signal integrity, Doppler shift and Doppler spread of the signal along the frequency axis, as well as generalized reverberation metrics. And, based on the current estimates of the characteristics of the propagation environment, perform (during data exchange) the initial tuning and adaptation of the elements or fragments of the carrier sweep, as well as the sequence of elements or fragments of the carrier sweep in the frequency-time space. Importantly, the initial tuning and adaptation of the carrier sweeps (the function of changing the frequency of each element or fragment of the carrier over time), as well as the arrangement of the sequence of carrier sweeps in frequency and time, will be performed in accordance with the current estimates of the characteristics of the signal propagation environment so that the throughput of the communication channel (e.g., the data transfer rate with an acceptable probability of bit errors) is highest. In this case, one digital symbol (for example, one bit) will be transmitted by means of one carrier sweep, a part of it, or several carrier sweeps at once, depending on the characteristics of the signal propagation medium, thus expanding the spectrum of the communication signal along a complex function of frequency and time (the energy of the transmitted data symbol will be expanded along a complex function both along the frequency axis and along the time axis).

It is also important that the receiving device be capable of resolving (separating) the so-called multipath components of the received signal and processing them individually or, by combining the energies of multiple multipath components, jointly. This approach will be particularly advantageous in hydroacoustic signal propagation environments, as well as in other environments in which the impulse response of the signal propagation environment (reception reverberation) is represented by a set of discrete components (has a so-called fingering structure), and the excess propagation delays of the multipath components are large (e.g., longer than the duration of the autocorrelation response of the spectrum-spread signal).

ESSENCE OF THE INVENTION

The technical result of the present invention is to eliminate the aforementioned deficiencies by introducing new blocks and their connections, new signal generation and processing sequences, and new signal manipulation techniques. The resulting technical result will be used to develop digital communications, particularly in hydroacoustic environments using hydroacoustic signals, as well as in electromagnetic environments, particularly in long-distance radio communication channels, or mechanical environments, particularly using seismic or vibrational vibrations. These environments are typically characterized by a relatively narrow frequency band available for generating a digital communication signal, the presence of dynamics (rapid changes in the characteristics of the received signal, particularly when the carriers of the interacting communication devices are moving), as well as the presence of prolonged, high-intensity reverberation, particularly the presence of multipath signal propagation, which causes a discrete (fingerprint) impulse response at the receiving point. It is in such environments that the current invention demonstrates its best results, in particular, the highest communication channel performance.

This technical result is achieved by equipping the adaptive transceiver with the capability to quickly exchange information (with another, similar device) about the characteristics of the signal propagation environment for the purpose of adjusting and adapting the parameters of transmitted signals and their sequences in the frequency-time domain (carrier spectrum spreading parameters) to achieve optimal connection (communication channel) performance. Transmitted signals (data symbols) contain spectrum spreading in the form of a carrier sweep variation over a wide frequency range or multiple carrier sweeps of different types, generated during the data symbol transmission interval. In the current application, a carrier sweep is understood to mean more than just a section (element or fragment) of an oscillation in the form of a frequency-modulated wave, generated by continuously and smoothly changing the oscillation frequency over a given time interval. In addition, in the current application, a carrier sweep may represent a complex structure (set) consisting of a sequence of such sections (elements or fragments) of oscillation, where each such section of the sequence may be located along the time axis and/or along the frequency axis according to dependencies that are determined by the current characteristics of the signal propagation medium (in this case, the current characteristics of the propagation medium are usually assessed during the bidirectional exchange of signals between interacting transceivers, each of which may be a source and/or receiver of digital information). A data symbol is understood to be a carrier sweep or a portion thereof, or a combination of carrier sweeps, which is subject to manipulation according to one or more parameters to assign it information content (e.g., a bit or a tuple of bits).

Similar to the prototype mentioned above, the current invention also uses blocks for generating and processing a synchronization signal (here, a detection and synchronization module), a block for generating an information sequence (here, a module for assigning information to the carrier sweep), a block for expanding the spectrum of a communication signal (here, a module for generating frequency characteristics of the carrier sweep), and a demodulation block (here, a demodulation and decoding module).

However, the contents of these (similar) modules in the current invention differ significantly. In addition to the different contents of the analogous blocks, the device of the current invention contains new blocks and connections. These differences stem from a significantly different method for spreading the spectrum of the transmitted signal, namely, by generating a carrier sweep that lacks any intervals during which the signal frequency remains constant (unlike a pseudo-random sequence, in which, after each successive phase inversion, the signal frequency remains constant for some time, even a very short one). The need for new blocks and connections, in turn, stems from the adaptability and customizability of the communication device to the current characteristics of the signal propagation environment.

In the preferred embodiment of the device, the carrier sweep frequency response generation module is designed to set the parameters of the transmitted carrier fragments and their sequences in frequency-time space, in particular the spectrum spreading parameters and the distribution of carrier fragments along the time axis. Furthermore, the detection and synchronization module in the current invention performs not only signal detection and determination of the time at which the synchronization pulse arrived at the receiver. In addition to these functions, the detection and synchronization module processes the synchronization pulse or sequence of synchronization pulses to estimate the precise temporal and/or frequency shift of the carrier sweeps (carrier fragments) that follow the synchronization pulse and contain the information sequence. By processing the synchronization pulse or sequence of synchronization pulses, the detection and synchronization module estimates the multiplicative distortion (e.g., Doppler stretching or compression of time coordinates or the time axis) of the received signal and, using this, estimates such a parameter as the "presynchronization" (prediction of the synchronization correction) of the carrier sweeps (carrier fragments) during their subsequent reception. Typically, during synchronization of the received sequences in the receive path, the corresponding processing circuit determines the point in time at which the first carrier sweep of the received sequence begins. However, in the case of multiplicative distortions of the time axis (stretching or compression of time coordinates), subsequent carrier sweeps may follow with an increasing time shift relative to the known (at the receiving end) carrier sweep reception schedule. This increase will correspond to the Doppler stretching/compression of the time axis - the greater the Doppler stretching/compression, the more rapid the desynchronization of the incoming carrier sweeps will be. However, by estimating the Doppler shift (using synchronization pulses), the corresponding receiving circuit will be able to estimate the "adjustment" parameter (determine the adjustment for the adjustment) and apply it during the reception of carrier sweeps (carrier fragments) to compensate for the desynchronization effect caused by the Doppler effect.

In addition, the module for setting information for the carrier sweep in the current invention is distinguished by the multiplicity of the phase manipulation of the carrier fragment, as well as the possibility of using discrete amplitude manipulation and discrete frequency manipulation.

The new modules of the current invention not only provide for the generation of carrier sweeps (carrier fragments) with different characteristics, but also provide new functional capabilities for the device. In particular, the device is capable of interacting through a signal propagation medium with another, similar transceiver device and promptly (in real time) communicating information about the characteristics (properties) of the signal propagation medium, in particular for adjusting and adapting the parameters of the transmitted signals and their sequences in the frequency-time space (in particular, the parameters of spectrum spreading and the temporal arrangement of carrier fragments) in order to achieve the best performance of the established connection (e.g., the highest transmission rate and reliability of data delivery, as well as a reduction in the specific energy consumption for data transmission). As a result, the device is adjustable to the signal propagation medium and/or adaptive to the signal propagation medium.

This technical result is achieved by the adaptive packet transmission and reception of digital data method, which requires the interaction of at least two similar communication devices. During this interaction, the carrier sweep is initially configured and subsequently adapted to the characteristics of the signal propagation environment. The following sequence of signal manipulations is performed.

First, a test signal is transmitted (e.g., after transmitting a synchronization pulse in the form of a single carrier sweep), the receiver evaluates the characteristics of the signal propagation environment at the reception point and returns this evaluation to the signal sender so that it can adjust the next carrier sweep so that it best matches the characteristics of the propagation environment (i.e., the carrier sweep would be matched to the environment so that the communication performance would be maximized). Then, during the data exchange, the sender and receiver evaluate the synchronization pulses of each of the received data packets and readjust (adapt) the carrier sweeps to the changing conditions of the propagation environment. (In the case of movement of the sender and receiver, propagation conditions usually change rapidly, which necessitates readjusting the carrier sweeps.) The characteristics of the signal propagation environment at the reception point are evaluated, for example, by evaluating the impulse response, the level and duration of reverberation along the time axis, the level and structure of reverberation along the frequency axis, and evaluating the level of colored noise.

An important distinction from other patents using spread spectrum for communication signals is that the carrier sweep here is not simply a pseudo-noise or frequency-modulated signal. In the current application, the carrier sweep is not simply a signal element or fragment that continuously varies in frequency between specified values. The carrier sweep here is a complex structure (a set) consisting of signal elements or fragments, each of which continuously varies in frequency, and each such element or fragment is positioned on the time axis according to a relationship related to the characteristics of the signal propagation medium.

In other words, each carrier sweep consists of fragments. A fragment has a certain form of continuous frequency change over a certain time interval, as well as a frequency range lying between certain values of the initial and final frequencies. Tuning a carrier fragment to the conditions of the propagation medium consists of setting a certain form of continuous frequency change and setting the duration of such a fragment, as well as setting the initial and final frequencies of such a fragment. Next, the carrier sweep is formed as a set of fragments that follow one another with certain pauses. The number of carrier fragments and their arrangement in time (setting specific pauses in their sequence) is adjusted in accordance with the conditions of the signal propagation medium. Thus, tuning a carrier sweep consists of setting a whole set of parameters, namely: the duration, frequency range, and form of continuous frequency change of the carrier fragment, as well as setting the number of carrier fragments and their arrangement in time (setting the sequence order of the fragments within the carrier sweep). Examples of carrier sweeps are described in the text explaining Fig. 1.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS OF THE INVENTION

The device for adaptive packet transmission and reception of digital data and the method for adaptive packet transmission and reception of digital data implemented in this device are explained by figures.

Fig. 1. Examples of carrier scans when forming a sequence of digital symbols (data).

Fig. 2. A variant of a communication device in the form of a block diagram containing modules that can be used for the technical implementation of the current invention.

Fig. 3. Example of the structure of a signal packet (data symbols).

Fig. 4. Explanation of the possibility of mutual adjustment (coordination) of the frequency characteristics of the carrier sweeps and the order of their sequence in time or frequency

Fig. 5. Explanation of the possibility of processing a signal in frequency-time coordinates with separation and/or selective combining of its multipath components

Fig. 6. Block diagram of a communication device containing modules for generating a plurality of orthogonal (or quasi-orthogonal) sequences (ensemble of sequences) of carrier sweep elements/fragments for their simultaneous/asynchronous use

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION IN STATICS AND DYNAMICS

In Fig. 1a, Fig. 1b, Fig. 1c examples of carrier sweep are shown. In particular, in Fig. 1a an example of carrier sweep is shown, which in the simplest case is represented by one element/fragment - a linearly (or nonlinearly) frequency-modulated signal (of duration Tsymb), each of which carries one data symbol, for example, a bit or several bits simultaneously. In accordance with the current invention, each such element is adjusted/adapted (in accordance with current estimates of the characteristics of the signal propagation medium) in the form and direction of frequency change, as well as the location of the initial frequency on the frequency axis, so that the throughput of the communication channel (for example, the data transfer rate with an acceptable probability of bit errors) is greatest. The same purpose is served by the arrangement of the carrier sweep elements (carrier sweeps) along the time axis. In Fig. 1a delays τi determine the arrangement of elements/fragments of the carrier sweep in time, while delays τi can be predetermined, pseudo-random, they can be configured/adapted to the conditions of the signal propagation (reception/transmission) environment, or set based on the conditions of multiple access to the signal propagation environment, or based on the parameters of cryptographic information protection.

A somewhat more complex implementation (design) of the carrier sweep is shown in Fig. 1b. In it, two elements/fragments – linearly (or nonlinearly) frequency-modulated signals (with a total duration Tsymb) – constitute the carrier sweep, i.e., in this case, two (generally, an integer N) such elements/fragments form the carrier sweep and are assigned to carry a digital symbol (data). Each of the elements/fragments of the carrier sweep can be configured/adapted (in accordance with current estimates of the characteristics of the signal propagation environment) in the shape and direction of frequency change, as well as the location of the initial frequency on the frequency axis, in order to achieve the highest communication channel capacity under the current signal reception/transmission conditions. In addition, the delays xi can determine the arrangement of elements/fragments of the carrier sweep in time, being predetermined, pseudo-random, adjustable/adaptable to the conditions of the signal propagation (reception/transmission) environment, or specified based on the conditions of multiple access to the signal propagation environment, or based on the parameters of cryptographic information protection.

An even more complex implementation (design) of the carrier sweep is shown in Fig. 1c. In it, less than two elements/fragments - linearly (or nonlinearly) frequency-modulated signals - constitute the carrier sweep, i.e. in this case, less than two (in the general case, the real number N) of such elements/fragments form the carrier sweep and are assigned to carry a digital symbol (data) of duration Tsymb. Each such carrier sweep can be customized/adapted (in accordance with current estimates of the characteristics of the signal propagation environment) in the form and direction of frequency change of the element/fragment comprising it, as well as the location of their initial frequencies on the frequency axis, in order to achieve the highest communication channel capacity under the current signal reception/transmission conditions. In addition, here too, the delays xi can determine the arrangement of elements/fragments of the carrier scan and/or their parts in time, being predetermined, pseudo-random, adjustable/adaptable to the conditions of the signal propagation (reception/transmission) environment, or specified based on the conditions of multiple access to the signal propagation environment, or based on the parameters of cryptographic information protection.

In general, the current invention describes a combined transmitting and receiving device that is capable of interacting through a signal propagation medium with another, similar transmitting and receiving device and, due to this, promptly (in real time) communicate to each other information about the characteristics (properties, features) of the signal propagation medium, in particular for setting up and adapting the parameters of the transmitted signals and their sequences in the frequency-time space (in particular, the parameters of spectrum spreading and the time arrangement of carrier fragments) in order to achieve the best performance of the created connection (for example, the transmission speed and reliability of data delivery, reducing the specific energy consumption for data transmission).

Fig. 2 depicts a communication device embodiment in block diagram form, containing modules used to implement the present invention. Although the illustration relates to data exchange in a hydroacoustic environment, and its implementation is primarily in the field of hydroacoustic technology, the description of the invention and the claims also extend to other signal propagation media (electromagnetic, mechanical, seismic, or vibrational oscillations).

One of the key features of the hydroacoustic environment is that the impulse response to the propagation of a hydroacoustic signal has a discrete structure. Due to the relatively low propagation speed of the hydroacoustic signal, the multiple multipath components of the received signal are typically separated from one another by relatively large time intervals, known as excess propagation delays. When using a broadband signal, the autocorrelation pulse (after compression of the broadband signal by the correlator in the receiver) often has a duration commensurate with the excess propagation delays of the multipath components. This circumstance opens the possibility of separating multipath components in the frequency-time domain. It is important to select the type of spectrum spreading and the spreading parameters that maximize the separation of multipath components in the frequency-time domain.

Fig. 2 illustrates a technical solution to the problem of hydroacoustic communication based on the use of signals with continuous spectrum spreading (carrier sweep) and tuning/adaptation of the carrier sweep parameters in the frequency-time space.

Although the illustration in Fig. 2 relates to data exchange in a hydroacoustic environment, and the implementation of the current invention is primarily in the field of hydroacoustic technology, the description of the invention and the claims also extend to other signal propagation media (electromagnetic, optical, mechanical, seismic, or vibrational oscillations). The invention can be successfully applied in any propagation media in which the impulse response at the signal reception point has a discrete structure (a discrete multipath structure). For example, hydrooptical signals during underwater communication in the vicinity of multiple reflectors (e.g., the intake fittings of a bottom mining complex) can be characterized by a discrete impulse response. By using a sufficiently broadened spectrum of the communication signal, the separation of the multipath components of the received signal in the frequency-time space also becomes possible. Another example is long-distance radio communication with aircraft in a plane-parallel channel, in which one of the reflecting boundaries is the earth's surface, and the other boundary is the reflecting ionospheric layer. When multipath propagation delays of the received signal are on the order of tens of microseconds, spreading the spectrum of the communication signal on the order of 100 kilohertz is sufficient to achieve separation of the multipath components of the received signal in the frequency-time domain. The technical implementation of the device is as follows.

The data source generates a bit stream or a stream of other (for example, service) digital symbols, which are fed to the input of the digital hydroacoustic communication device (Modem 1).

If Modem 1 does not yet have an established connection with another (similar) digital hydroacoustic communication device, the presence of data to be transmitted or the presence of other (service) digital symbols at the input of the digital hydroacoustic communication device triggers a sequence of actions that establish a connection with the other (similar) device (Modem 2). To establish a connection, Modem 1 generates one of the initial (test) carrier sweeps, the parameters of which may depend on the content of the service digital symbols. The "Carrier Sweep Information Setting Module" and the "Carrier Sweep Sequence Former" are responsible for generating one of the initial (test) carrier sweeps. The "Carrier Sweep Information Setting Module" manipulates one or more parameters of the initial (test) carrier sweep.

Next, the initial (test) carrier sweep generated for transmission is included in the transmitted packet, in which the sync section and data section have zero length. In other words, only the initial (test) carrier sweep, manipulated according to one or more parameters, is used to establish a connection. The "Packet Generation Module consisting of the sync section, service signal section, and data section" is responsible for this action.

After this, the "Antenna/Signal Transmission Circuit" converts the generated signal (packet) from electrical to hydroacoustic and sends it into the propagation medium.

On the device side, Modem 2 "Antenna/Signal Receiving Circuit" converts the received signal from hydroacoustic to electrical and sends it to the "Reception Conditions Evaluation Module" for propagation conditions assessment, in particular, for impulse response assessment at the receiving point or for compact channel metric assessment.

The resulting propagation environment estimates are used to calculate the carrier sweep frequency and time characteristics (fragments) ("Carrier Sweep Frequency and Time Response Matching Module"). This calculated setting must be communicated via a response signal to Modem 1. Modem 1 will subsequently, starting with the next signal exchange, use this calculated setting to generate its own carrier sweep, which will be used to deliver data packets to Modem 2.

In order for the Modem 2 device to communicate the completed settings calculation to the Modem 1 device, the corresponding information (settings calculation) is converted into a service data stream, for which it is fed to the "Carrier Sweep Information Assignment Module".

At the current stage of communication between the communication devices, Modem 2 also uses one of the initial (test) carrier sweeps, and the service data stream modulates the sequence of these carrier sweeps (specifically, it manipulates one or more of its carrier sweep parameters). Since the response signal no longer contains only the initial (test) carrier sweep, but a sequence of manipulated carrier sweeps (with configuration information), the Carrier Sweep Sequencer module arranges the carrier sweeps in time and/or frequency (it sets the sequence order of the carrier sweeps in time and/or frequency). At the first stage of signal exchange (during the connection establishment stage), this arrangement is fixed (subsequently, it will depend on the propagation environment conditions).

Next, before transmission to the distribution medium, a packet is generated containing a sync section and a service data section (configuration information), with the data section having a zero length. This operation is performed by the "Packet Generation Module consisting of a sync section, service signal section, and data section."

The generated data packet is converted from electrical to hydroacoustic and transmitted into the propagation medium for delivery to the Modem 1 device.

After receiving a response signal from Modem 2, the receiving device (Modem 1) processes this signal in parallel using three modules.

One of the modules, the "Reception Conditions Assessment Module," processes the received signal's clock pulses to estimate the impulse response at its receiving point or to estimate the compact metric of the communication channel. This estimate is passed to the "Carrier Sweep Frequency and Time Response Matching Module" to calculate the carrier sweep frequency and time characteristics (fragments). Just as on the opposite side, this configuration calculation must be communicated by the next signal (data packet) to Modem 2 so that Modem 2 can subsequently use this configuration calculation to generate its own carrier sweep, which will be used to deliver data packets to Modem 1. In order for Modem 1 to communicate the completed configuration calculation to Modem 2, the corresponding information (the configuration calculation) is converted into a service data stream, for which it is fed to the "Carrier Sweep Information Setting Module." However, this service data stream is not sent immediately. First, the processing of the received signal in parallel branches is completed.

Specifically, the parallel branch of the "Detection and Synchronization Module" detects the received signal on the time axis and synchronizes it with the receiver (specifically, with a reference copy of the initial (test) carrier sweep). Following synchronization with the receiver, the sequence of carrier sweeps received from Modem 2 is processed in the "Signal Processing Module in Time-Frequency Coordinates with Separation and Selective Combining of the Received Signal's Multipath Components." As mentioned above, such separation is possible through the use of a spectrum spreading technique that results in a short autocorrelation response, comparable to the excess propagation delays of the multipath components. The resulting ability to combine the energies of the multipath components not only mitigates the destructive effects of reverberation on the received signal, but also significantly improves the signal-to-noise ratio when receiving a multipath signal.

Next, the synchronized and multipath-free signal is demodulated and decoded, followed by signal parameter evaluation (“Signal Parameter Evaluation Module”), division of the received packet into sections (“Packet Sectioning Module”), and extraction of information content from the received packet.

Since at this stage the packet, in addition to the synchronization pulses, contains only service information, the "Module for extracting information content from the received signal" performs recognition of the service information that was generated by the Modem 2 device to inform the Modem 1 device about the carrier sweep settings that the Modem 1 device should use to achieve preferred or optimal communication characteristics with the Modem 2 device under the current conditions of the signal propagation environment.

This service information is fed to the "Carrier Sweep Frequency and Time Characteristics Matching Module" to configure the carrier sweep parameters of Modem 1, which will be used for communication with Modem 2.

Next, the carrier sweep sequence of the Modem 1 device is modulated by the information received earlier in the parallel branch, namely, during the evaluation of the conditions for receiving signals by the Modem 1 device from the Modem 2 device. Next, also taking into account this evaluation of the propagation conditions, the carrier sweep sequence is arranged in time and/or frequency (the time and/or frequency intervals between the carrier sweeps are arranged) so that it best corresponds to the signal propagation conditions (in particular, it would exclude significant interference of the current fragments of the carrier sweep with the delayed multipath components of the fragments of the previous carrier sweep).

Thus, at this stage, Modem 1 has generated the carrier sweep and its sequence in time and/or frequency. The carrier sweep characteristics and sequence are matched to the propagation environment and are also known to Modem 2, as it was the device that previously notified Modem 1 in its response signal of the need to use these specific carrier sweep characteristics.

Next, depending on the presence or absence of data from “data source 1”, a packet is formed as part of the sync pulse section, the service signal section and the data section (“Packet formation module as part of the sync pulse section, the service signal section and the data section”).

If there is no data from "data source 1," a packet is generated containing synchronization pulses and service information (namely, the calculation of the frequency and time characteristics (fragments) of the carrier sweep, which must be communicated to Modem 2 so that it can similarly use these settings when communicating with Modem 1 under the current conditions of the signal propagation environment. If data from "data source 1" is available, it is included in the data section of the transmitted packet. In this case, the transmission of the sequence from the service information section, as well as the sequence from the data section from "data source 1," is performed using identical (matched to the propagation environment) carrier sweeps.

Physically, sending the formed packet is accomplished by converting the electrical signal into a hydroacoustic signal using the "Antenna/Signal Transmission Circuit".

On the Modem 2 device side, the received packet is received by converting the hydroacoustic signal into an electrical signal using the "Antenna/Signal Receiving Circuit".

Next, parallel processing of the received signal occurs (similar to what was shown for the Modem 1 device).

One of the parallel modules, the "Reception Conditions Assessment Module," processes the clock pulses of the current received signal to estimate the current impulse response at its receiving point and/or to estimate the current value of the compact communication channel metric. These assessments, performed upon reception of each packet, enable re-matching with the propagation environment (carrier sweep readjustment), thus continuously adapting the communication characteristics to changing propagation environment conditions. The "Reception Conditions Assessment Module" forwards the current assessments further along a circuit similar to that described above for "Modem 1," i.e., to the "Carrier Sweep Frequency and Time Response Matching Module" for calculating the frequency and time response settings (fragments) of the carrier sweep, which should be used by Modem 1 for communication with Modem 2 at the next stage of data exchange. And so on.

Another module operating in parallel is the "Detection and Synchronization Module," which detects the received signal on the time axis and synchronizes the received signal with the receiver (specifically, with a matched copy of the carrier sweep expected upon receipt of packets by Modem 2 from Molem 1). After synchronization with the receiver, the sequence of carrier sweeps received from Modem 1 is processed in the "Signal Processing Module in Time-Frequency Coordinates with Separation and Selective Combining of Multipath Components of the Received Signal" to reduce the destructive effect of reverberation on the received signal and improve the signal-to-noise ratio. Next, the synchronized signal, cleared of multipath interference, is demodulated and decoded, followed by signal parameter evaluation ("Signal Parameter Evaluation Module"), division of the received packet into sections ("Packet Separation Module"), and extraction of the information content from the received packet.

At this stage, the packet may contain, in addition to sync pulses and service information, a section of (payload) data. Therefore, the "Information Content Extraction Module" recognizes not only the service information but also the (payload) data.

In this case, the (useful) data, if any, is sent to the data recipient ("Data Recipient 2"). In turn, the service information is then sent to the "Carrier Sweep Frequency and Time Characteristics Matching Module" (this service information was generated by Modem 1 to inform Modem 2 of the carrier sweep settings that Modem 2 should use to achieve preferred or optimal communication characteristics with Modem 1 under the current signal propagation environment conditions).

Next, similar to what was described for Modem 1, the "Carrier Sweep Frequency and Time Characteristics Matching Module" generates the carrier sweep and the time sequence of the sweeps. The carrier sweep characteristics and their sequence are also matched to the propagation environment and are also known to Modem 1, as it was the device that notified Modem 2 in its previous signal of the need to use these specific carrier sweep characteristics.

Next, depending on the presence or absence of data from "data source 2", a packet is formed consisting of a sync pulse section, a service signal section, and a data section ("Packet formation module consisting of a sync pulse section, a service signal section, and a data section"). In the absence of data from "data source 2", a packet is formed containing sync pulses and service information (namely, the calculation of the settings for the frequency and time characteristics (fragments) of the carrier sweep, which must be reported to the Modem 1 device so that it can use these settings when communicating with the Modem 2 device under the current conditions of the signal propagation environment.

Furthermore, if data from "data source 2" is present, it is included in the data section of the transmitted packet. The sequence in the service information section, as well as the sequence in the data section from "data source 2," structurally consists of identical carrier sweeps (matched to the propagation environment). The only difference between one sweep and another is its information content (the manipulation of one or more parameters of such a carrier sweep in accordance with the information being transmitted).

Also, sending the generated packet is performed by converting the electrical signal into a hydroacoustic one using the "Antenna/Signal Transmission Circuit".

Then the actions are repeated.

As can be seen from the description, during the exchange of signals between Modem 1 and Modem 2, both devices receive information from each other about the reception conditions of the communication signal. Constantly communicating the reception conditions of the signal allows for the asymmetry in the propagation environment (the reception conditions of the signal at opposite ends of the communication channel) to be taken into account.

Since the hydroacoustic channel is usually highly asymmetrical, such information is a significant advantage for the communication system. (The unevenness arises due to the uneven orientation of the primary emitters with a non-uniform/non-circular directivity pattern relative to the reflecting boundaries and to each other, and, as a consequence, due to different reverberation durations and intensities, differences in impulse responses, differences in Doppler shifts for different multipath components, etc.).

In addition to solving this problem, with the help of such (constant) informing each other, the problem of adapting the communication characteristics to constantly changing communication conditions is also solved by adjusting the optimal characteristics of the communication signal to achieve the highest performance (the highest performance of the communication device in each given current communication conditions).

Since digital hydroacoustic communications are often used to transmit data between stationary (immobile) modules (sensor systems), the initial carrier sweep matching step of exchanging test carrier sweeps can be omitted. Under known propagation conditions, the above-described Modem 1 and Modem 2 devices can begin transmitting data packets consisting of a sync section, a service signal section, and a data section. By using known carrier sweep settings matched to the current (known) propagation conditions or to an (average) set of propagation conditions, Modem 1 and Modem 2 devices can eliminate the time delay required for initial carrier sweep matching and thereby accelerate the delivery of (useful) data to each other. This does not exclude the possibility of carrier sweep readjustment/adaptation during further, ongoing data exchange, during which Modem 1 and Modem 2 will re-align their current carrier sweep settings with the propagation environment. The only difference from the above description (of the data packet exchange process) is that data exchange between Modem 1 and Modem 2 will begin immediately with the data packet generation stage, using carrier sweep settings known to both devices.

Signal packets transmitted over the distribution medium may include a set of sections, such as a synchronization section, an overhead section (header and/or suffix section), and a payload data section. An example packet is shown in Fig. 3.

In the example in Fig. 3, the sync pulse section is represented by a set of non-equidistant pulses. The service data section and the payload data section are represented by pulse sequences with a pseudo-random arrangement in time and/or frequency. Both the number and the order of these pulses in time and frequency may vary under different conditions. Importantly, each pulse contains carrier spectrum spreading. Both the spectrum spreading form itself and the pulse arrangement in frequency and time can be adapted in each communication device to the signal (data symbol) reception and transmission conditions due to the bidirectional exchange of signals (data) between the source and recipient devices and the presence in these devices of modules responsible for assessing the signal reception and transmission conditions during data exchange and for optimizing the spectrum spreading form and the pulse arrangement in frequency and/or time.

In any case, the transmitted signals (digital data symbols, carrier sweep elements/fragments) contain spectrum spreading, for example, in the form of a variety of frequency changes over a wide frequency range or in the form of a multitude of carrier sweep elements/fragments of different shapes over the data symbol transmission interval.

In this invention, a carrier sweep is defined as a section of time-frequency space containing one or more (complete or incomplete elements or fragments) of a carrier in the form of a frequency-modulated wave, generated by continuously and smoothly (smoothly, steplessly) changing the oscillation frequency over a given time interval. An example of such a section (element/fragment) of a carrier is a frequency-modulated oscillation described by expression 1:

Where - radiation energy; - signal duration; ; - time elapsed since the start of signal emission; - current time; a, b, c, g - coefficients of the polynomial describing the change in carrier frequency over time; - the initial phase of the signal. Expression 1 is only an example of a signal (data symbol) with a carrier whose frequency changes over time according to a third-degree polynomial. In reality, within the scope of the current patent, the frequency change of the carrier (or a portion of the carrier) over time may follow any other law; for example, this change may have the form of a power law, parabolic law, hyperbolic law, linear law, polynomial law, or be pseudo-chaotic.

A data symbol is understood as a carrier scan or a portion thereof, or a combination of carrier scans, which is manipulated by one or more parameters to assign it information content, for example, a bit or a tuple of bits. In relation to the carrier fragment represented in the example by expression 1, this could be manipulation of the parameters E and/or θ and/or the coefficients of a polynomial. , or parameters and coefficients simultaneously.

Each transmitted data symbol is formed over an interval of one or more carrier scan elements/fragments, i.e., one carrier scan element/fragment can carry an integer or fractional number of bits; in a particular case, one carrier scan can carry less than one bit of information. With regard to the example of a carrier scan element/fragment represented by expression 1, the latter may mean that several carrier scan fragments are used to specify one bit of information, manipulated by the parameters E, θ, and the coefficients of the polynomial , or a combination of some of the parameters, or a set of all of the above.

Unlike the author's previous patent applications, in the current application the signals generated for transmission differ significantly in composition and can also be adapted to the conditions of the signal propagation (reception/transmission) environment, to multiple access conditions, to cryptographic protection parameters, or to other tasks.

Also, unlike previous patent applications, the current application assumes that transitions between carrier sweeps (following without pauses) within the transmitted signal sequences are preferably smooth (without abrupt phase changes). This application also provides for the possibility of stepwise transitions between elements/fragments of the carrier sweep (transitions with abrupt phase changes). However, for such transitions, it provides for flexible adjustment (control, adaptation) of the time gaps (pauses) between elements/fragments of the sweep depending on the characteristics of the signal propagation environment.

Due to the possibility of bidirectional data exchange, the interacting devices are provided with technical capabilities for mutual adjustment (matching) of the frequency characteristics of the carrier sweep (each carrier fragment) with respect to the frequency bandwidth, slope and/or frequency change function, as well as the sequence order of the elements or fragments of the carrier sweep and/or carrier sweeps in time and/or frequency in a variable manner in accordance with the conditions of the signal propagation environment and/or the conditions of multiple access and/or the parameters of cryptographic protection or other tasks (Fig. 4). In this case, the matching can be performed, for example, by shifting in time and/or frequency each subsequent element or fragment of the carrier sweep and/or carrier sweep by a predetermined or pseudo-random value. (Fig. 4 shows only a part of the modules of the modem shown in Fig. 2, in particular, the modules responsible for mutual adjustment/matching of the frequency characteristics of the carrier sweeps and the sequence of their sequence in time or frequency).

Technically, the assessment of the main characteristics of the propagation environment (hydroacoustic environment at the points of reception and transmission of signals) can, in particular, be based on the measurement of the impulse response of the signal propagation environment upon reception (in particular, reverberation along the time axis), the measurement of noise (in particular, colored noise), and the measurement of Doppler shifts (in particular, reverberation along the frequency axis).

As an example of the technical feasibility of such settings, it can be shown, for example, that in the case of using carrier phase shift keying (expression 1), the phase estimate signal received under reverberation (multipath) conditions can be obtained by decomposing the received signal into quadrature components and constructing a ratio in the form:

Where - the energy of the received signal, O _s (i) and O _c (i) are the residuals of the quadrature components, depending on the form of the change in the carrier frequency (carrier fragment) in expression 1. It can be shown that the residuals can be represented in the form:

Where - polynomial coefficients other than .

It is important to note that the residuals O _s (i) and O _c (i) depend not only on the characteristics

reverberation (the number and parameters of the multipath components of the received signal), but also on the polynomial's own coefficients. Given a known reverberation (current reverberation estimate), the polynomial coefficients can be adjusted to optimize/adapt the carrier frequency curve (polynomial shape) to specific conditions of the signal propagation environment, in particular, according to the criterion of minimum phase estimation error. (Similarly, other optimization criteria can be derived, for example, in relation to other parameters of the spread spectrum carrier, which can also be used to manipulate it in order to set the information content of the communication signal.)

Thus, the use of the possibility of mutual evaluation of the characteristics of the propagation environment (in particular, reverberation) at the reception points of signals from interacting devices, and the implementation of methods for minimizing the impact of the environment on the evaluation of the parameters of the signal carrying information, makes it possible to increase (maximize) the performance of the device promptly, for any current communication conditions.

In addition, due to the expansion of the spectrum over a wide frequency range, the device on the receiving side is provided with the ability to process the signal in frequency-time coordinates with separation and/or selective combination of its multipath components, for example, to clear the received signal from interference and/or to increase the ratio of its level to noise (Fig. 5). (Fig. 5 shows only a part of the modules of the modem shown in Fig. 2, in particular, the modules responsible for processing the signal in frequency-time coordinates with separation and/or selective combination of its multipath components).

As one of the distinctive features and one of the important embodiments of the transmitting and receiving device, the current invention also contains a version of the communication device, which is capable of simultaneously forming a plurality of orthogonal (or quasi-orthogonal) sequences (ensemble of sequences) of carrier sweeps (carrier fragments) (Fig. 6), wherein their orthogonality (or quasi-orthogonality) can be maintained with respect to all other sequences or only to a part of this ensemble. The mutual orthogonality of the carrier sweep sequences of the formed ensemble can be invariant or non-invariant with respect to their mutual time shift. Preferably, the orthogonality or quasi-orthogonality of the carrier sweeps is determined both by the frequency variation law of each of the elements/fragments of such a sweep, and by the order of their sequence in time and/or the shift of the frequency range. The simultaneous use of several orthogonal ensembles (sets of sequences) of carrier sweeps provides the possibility of simultaneous transmission of data streams from several sources to several receivers, or increases the flow of data transmission from one source to one or several receivers. (Fig. 6 shows only a part of the modules of the modem shown in Fig. 2, in particular, the modules responsible for the formation of a set of orthogonal or quasi-orthogonal sequences or an ensemble of such sequences (elements/fragments) of carrier sweeps, for their simultaneous/asynchronous use).

Such a device on the transmitting side is equipped with a control circuit and superposition (overlay) of mutually orthogonal sequences of generated carrier sweeps for their simultaneous (asynchronous) transmission into the signal propagation medium. Such a device on the receiving side is also equipped with a control circuit and multiple receiving circuits, through which multiple simultaneously (asynchronously) transmitted mutually orthogonal sequences of carrier sweeps are separated from one another based on appropriate orthogonality parameters and processed individually or jointly.

A further useful embodiment of the transmitting and receiving device described above comprises a circuit for controlling and generating time and/or frequency shifts for each of the elements/fragments following in the transmitted carrier sweep sequence, for example, according to a predetermined schedule of one of the sets (e.g., pseudo-random sets) of frequency-time schedules, wherein each such set of frequency-time schedules represents a unique set of frequency and/or time marks (defined, for example, by a computer to which the transmitter is connected). A variant of such an embodiment comprises a circuit for controlling and generating such sets of frequency-time schedules (sets of frequency and/or time marks) that differ from one another and define additional discrete states of the transmitted signals, and such additional discrete states correspond to the law of the transmitted information (contain useful transmitted information coming, for example, from a source to which the transmitter is connected).

A further useful embodiment of the variants of the transmitting and receiving device described above contains a control circuit and interaction with an external control device (and/or circuit), for example, with a source of precise time (atomic clock or other precise time generator) for setting the time moments of transmission into the propagation medium of elements/fragments of carrier scans and/or their sequences.

This implementation can be useful for determining (during data exchange) the relative clock divergence between transmitting and receiving devices on opposite sides of the signal propagation medium. In turn, this information can be used by the computers connected to these transmitting and receiving devices (the source and receiver of the data) to correct the relative distances measured during data exchange, as well as to correct the relative positioning results obtained during the exchange.

A useful embodiment of the embodiments of the transmitting and receiving device described above comprises a control device and/or circuit that enables the ordering of the carrier sweep sequences and/or the elements/fragments comprising it in time and/or frequency in accordance with a protocol that can be updated during the information exchange between the receiver and the transmitter. In particular, the protocol can be updated in a certain agreed manner (e.g., using a computer to which the device for transmitting and receiving information is connected). Also, the updating can be performed during the exchange depending on information about the properties/characteristics/features of the transmission channel (e.g., using an additional control device or circuit that processes information about the properties and/or features of the signal propagation medium). In particular, during two-way data exchange, the transmitting and receiving devices can evaluate the impulse response of the signal propagation medium and communicate this characteristic to the interacting transmitting and receiving device for adjusting/adapting the order of the carrier sweeps and/or the elements/fragments comprising it in time and/or frequency. For example, to set up such an order of the elements/fragments of the carrier sweep in time and/or frequency that minimizes the overlap in time of the (delayed) reverberation component (multipath component) of the previous element/fragment of the carrier sweep on the current (received) element/fragment of the carrier sweep, and thus makes it possible to counteract the destructive effect of reverberation on the received signal (in particular, reverberation caused by multipath propagation of the signal). Current information about the properties/characteristics/features of the signal propagation environment, as well as information with the settings for the order of the elements/fragments of the carrier scan, can be sent to an interacting (on the other side of the propagation environment) similar transmitting and receiving device so that this device can take such information into account when forming (setting up and/or adapting) its own carrier scans to carry out data exchange with the highest (for the current conditions of the propagation environment) performance indicators, and in particular, the highest data transfer rate and/or the lowest probability of data corruption (the lowest probability of a bit error).

In one useful embodiment, the transmitting and receiving devices may comprise a circuit for estimating the parameters of the signal propagation medium (e.g., the impulse response of the signal propagation medium) and a circuit for generating a compact metric reflecting these characteristics, which can be sent to a similar communicating (on the other side of the propagation medium) transmitting and receiving device. The value of such a metric, known to both communicating transmitting and receiving devices, can be used by them to match time shifts (intervals) in the order of carrier sweeps (and/or its elements/fragments) and/or shifts in the initial frequency value of each subsequent sweep (and/or its fragments) and/or to adjust the parameters of the carrier sweep (and/or its elements/fragments) itself. In particular, such a metric can be used to select the parameters of pseudo-random time and/or frequency shifts in the order of carrier sweeps (and/or its elements/fragments) during data exchange between communicating transmitting and receiving devices.

Technically, the idea of forming a compact metric reflecting signal reception conditions can be implemented as follows. When estimating the impulse response of the signal propagation medium at the reception point, individual multipath components of the received signal can be estimated, and among these, for example, the most energy-heavy component (with which the receiver will be synchronized) can be selected. All other multipath components can then be evaluated in terms of their levels and excess propagation delays relative to the most energy-heavy component. To construct a compact metric, one can, for example, find the ratio of the root-mean-square spread of the levels of the multipath components to the root-mean-square spread of the excess delays of the multipath components. The first quantity (level) is proportional to the reverberation energy (can be recalculated using the sensitivity of the transmit-receive path), and the second quantity (delay) is proportional to the reverberation time. Numerically, the ratio of energy to time represents power (in this case, the ratio of their root-mean-square spreads), and, accordingly, a compact metric represents an estimate of the reverberation power at the signal reception point. For each value of such a metric, optimal frequency-time characteristics of carrier elements/fragments and their order in frequency and time can be found so as to minimize the influence of reverberation on the estimated parameters of the received signal. For example, optimization based on the criterion of minimum error in estimating the phase, amplitude, or other signal parameter can be performed (with respect to the frequency-time characteristics of carrier elements/fragments and their order in frequency and time), especially during mathematical or numerical modeling or physical experiments for a wide (required) range of signal reverberation values. The corresponding compact metric values found during the optimization process can be stored in the memory of the communication device (modem) for further practical use. In practical use, communication devices (modems), exchanging metric estimates, will have the ability to adjust the characteristics of carrier fragments and the order of their sequence by frequency and time, so that the influence of reverberation on the assessment of the parameters of the received signal under current data exchange conditions is minimal.

Additionally, when analyzing noise characteristics and communicating these assessments to each other during data exchange, transceivers can adjust/adapt the order of carrier sweeps and/or their constituent elements/fragments in time and/or frequency depending on the current characteristics of the "colored" noise. Transceivers can adapt the duration and frequency arrangement of the elements/fragments of each subsequent carrier sweep to achieve a sufficient signal-to-noise ratio (colored noise) at the receiving end.

Furthermore, during data exchange, the order of carrier sweeps and/or their constituent fragments can be adjusted/adapted based on the information being transmitted, for example, using an additional control device or circuit that monitors the flow of transmitted information and determines, in particular, the priority, origin (source) of the data, requirements for first-attempt data delivery reliability, and (cryptographic) data security. Depending on the detected features (in the data stream), the transmitting and receiving devices can select and/or coordinate the required order of carrier sweeps and/or their constituent fragments based on time and/or frequency.

With regard to the transmitted information (information-bearing parameters), the transmitting and receiving devices described in this application will generate so-called information signals (data symbols) by analog and/or discrete changes (modulations) of certain parameters of the carrier sweep (and/or its elements/fragments), wherein such changes (modulations) will preferably be performed in the form of phase and/or amplitude and/or frequency manipulation, thus modifying the time-frequency characteristics of the carrier sweep (and/or its elements/fragments). In particular, the transmitting and receiving devices may comprise a circuit for generating an information signal in the form of a relative change in the signal parameters between two different, preferably between adjacent, carrier sweeps (carrier fragments), shifted with respect to each other in time and/or frequency.

Furthermore, data symbols will also be defined by a group of mutually orthogonal and/or mutually quasi-orthogonal signals, each of which will correspond to a specific discrete value of the information being transmitted. In the simplest case, two mutually orthogonal signals will define the value of the transmitted bit (one a binary 1, the other a binary 0).

Furthermore, the transceivers described in this application may also comprise circuitry for generating and transmitting multiple modulated carrier sweeps in a given frequency band, which may partially or completely overlap in time, wherein multiple such carrier sweeps may contain the same or different information signals. Moreover, the information signals (data symbols) may also be generated as a function, for example, the sum or difference, of the parameters of two or more carrier sweeps transmitted overlapping in time or simultaneously.

Another embodiment of the transmitting and receiving communication device may contain a control device or circuit for multiplying the information signal and/or scanning the carrier or the signal formed for transmission as a whole with a pseudo-noise sequence, wherein this pseudo-noise sequence may be determined in advance or agreed upon (from the point of view of its characteristics) already in the course of data exchange, for example, with the help of computers to which the transmitter and receiver are connected, respectively.

The transceiver described in this application may be a functional part of a conventional digital or analog communication device, which may be used as a switchable or switchable alternative to the conventional digital or analog communication device. In particular, such a transceiver may include a control device or circuit for combining at least two dissimilar signals, one of which is generated according to the description of the current application, and the others, using known, publicly available methods for generating communication signals.

An important embodiment of the transmitting and receiving device contains a circuit for including in the transmitted signal at least one additional - synchronizing - sequence of broadband pulses, each of which can be formed similarly to a carrier sweep (i.e. contain a frequency-modulated wave, some part of it, or a plurality of frequency-modulated waves, the frequencies of which and/or which continuously and smoothly, smoothly and steplessly change over a given time interval; and, in addition, the frequency-modulated wave can also be multiplied with a pseudo-random sequence of rectangular pulses). As part of such an additional sequence, the synchronizing pulses can follow one another in time and/or in frequency equidistantly or non-equidistantly, with or without overlapping in time (Fig. 3). The advantage of non-equidistant carrier sweep sequencing is that it allows for a higher probability of detecting reverberant (multipath) components arriving at the receiver with significant delays in the propagation medium's pulse response (in particular, components delayed after the arrival of the "direct" pulse in the receiving path by a time many times exceeding the synchronization pulse duration). In one embodiment of a transmitting/receiving device, such an additional—synchronizing—sequence of wideband pulses can carry additional useful information (e.g., service information), with the information signal of each pulse of the synchronizing sequence being determined by analog or discrete manipulation of its frequency-time characteristics (phase and/or amplitude and/or frequency modulation).

In addition, the transmitting and receiving device may contain a circuit for including in the transmitted signal another additional - service - sequence of wideband pulses (service header and/or suffix, a priori and/or a posteriori wideband pulses), each of which may, in particular, be formed similarly to a carrier sweep (i.e. also represent a frequency-modulated wave, the frequency of which will continuously and smoothly, smoothly and steplessly change over a given time interval, or a frequency-modulated wave multiplied by a pseudo-random sequence), wherein the pulses of such a sequence may follow one another, equidistant or non-equidistant in time and/or in frequency, with or without overlapping in time (Fig. 3). Just like the synchronizing sequence, the service sequence of wideband pulses can carry additional useful information, and the information signal of each of the pulses of the service sequence can also be specified by an analog or discrete change in the frequency-time characteristics (phase and/or amplitude and/or frequency manipulation).

A further embodiment of the transceiver may include a circuit for excluding synchronizing and/or service sequences of wideband pulses from the transmitted signal. In this case, the synchronizing and/or service sequences of wideband pulses will have zero length. Alternatively, the transceiver will include a circuit for including only additional synchronizing and/or service sequences in the transmitted signal, while the length of the transmitted sequence of all other carrier sweeps is zero (i.e., only additional synchronizing and/or service sequences of wideband pulses are transmitted into the propagation medium, for example, to save time in the signal propagation medium).

The transmitting and receiving devices described by the current application can generate signals in the form of electromagnetic or mechanical, in particular acoustic, seismic, or vibrational oscillations and be transmitted into the propagation medium using a transmitting device (antenna) corresponding to this medium.

On the receiving side, a similar transmitting and receiving device may contain control devices, antennas and/or circuits for receiving signals from the propagation medium, detecting, synchronizing, demodulating and decoding them to recognize the information contained in them (Fig. 2).

The detection of the received signal is carried out, in particular, on the basis of its correspondence to the reference (standard) signal known to the receiver, in particular, on the basis of the consistency of the received and reference signals, which can be established during the correlation processing of the incoming signal (carrier sweep).

Synchronization of the received sequence is performed by processing the section of wideband synchronizing pulses arriving at the reception, for example, by estimating the correlation function of the sequence of such pulses with a reference (standard) copy of a single pulse of the synchronizing sequence known to the receiver or with a reference (standard) copy of the synchronizing sequence as a whole (in particular, a sequence of non-equidistant synchronizing pulses following one another), followed by an evaluation of the impulse response of the signal propagation medium.

Moreover, such a transceiver may contain control devices or circuits not only for estimating the impulse response of the signal propagation environment and/or estimating environmental noise, but also circuits for generating a metric for the complexity of the communication signal propagation conditions, as well as control devices or circuits for (optionally) communicating the value of this metric to the interacting transmitter (the sender of the corresponding signal) and/or the computer to which the receiver is connected. Such an exchange of metrics for the complexity of the communication signal propagation environment may, in particular, be used by interacting transceivers to match transmitted signals (carrier sweeps, carrier fragments) and their sequences with the conditions of the signal propagation environment. A similar metric may also be generated to reflect multiple access conditions and/or cryptographic protection parameters or other tasks, for example, to adjust the order of the generated carrier sweeps in time and/or frequency.

The transmitting and receiving device may also process the synchronizing pulse or the sequence of synchronizing pulses to estimate the time and/or frequency shift of the carrier sweeps (carrier fragments) containing useful information relative to the synchronizing pulse or the sequence of synchronizing pulses. Furthermore, the transmitting and receiving device may also process the synchronizing pulse or the sequence of synchronizing pulses to estimate the multiplicative distortion (e.g., Doppler stretching or compression of time coordinates or the time axis) of the received signal and thereby obtain an estimate of such a parameter as the "presynchronization" (determination of the presynchronization correction) of the carrier sweeps (carrier fragments) during their subsequent reception and processing for the purpose of removing the useful data contained therein. Typically, during the synchronization of the received sequences in the receiving path, the corresponding processing circuit determines the time point from which the first carrier sweep of the received sequence begins. However, in the case of multiplicative distortions of the time axis (stretching or compression of time coordinates), subsequent carrier sweeps may follow with an increasing time shift relative to the known (at the receiving end) carrier sweep reception schedule. This increase will correspond to the Doppler stretching/compression of the time axis - the greater the Doppler stretching/compression, the more rapid the desynchronization of the incoming carrier sweeps will be. However, by estimating the Doppler shift (using synchronization pulses), the corresponding receiving circuit will be able to estimate the "adjustment" parameter (determine the adjustment for the adjustment) and apply it during the reception of carrier sweeps (carrier fragments) to compensate for the desynchronization effect caused by the Doppler effect.

In this case, the interacting transmitting and receiving devices may contain circuits that generate messages about the values of Doppler shifts and estimates of the radial velocity of the mutually relative movements of the receiver and transmitter, and transmit these values to each other and/or to the computers to which the interacting transmitting and receiving devices are connected.

For demodulation and decoding of received carrier sweeps (carrier fragments) and/or pulses of the synchronizing sequence and/or pulses of the service sequence, receiving devices may contain demodulation and decoding circuits that will perform their synchronous processing with a reference (standard) copy of the carrier sweep and/or with a reference (standard) copy of the wideband pulse of the synchronizing or service sequence, as well as circuits for recognizing the information contained in them in parts directly in the process of their reception (in particular, when each wideband pulse of the additional synchronizing or service sequence or each received carrier sweep is demodulated and decoded immediately after its reception for the fastest possible recognition of the information contained in it).

One embodiment of the transceiver also comprises a circuit for detecting in the currently received signal information that it is not addressed to the current receiver and for immediately ceasing reception of this signal and switching the receiver to the next signal detection mode. Another embodiment of the transceiver may also comprise a circuit for detecting in the currently received signal information that it is not addressed to the current receiver, but such a circuit will not prohibit continued reception. Such a circuit, in particular, will ensure the synchronization of received carrier sweeps, their demodulation, decoding and recognition of received information, for example, to predict the occupancy time of the propagation medium, and/or adjust its own time and/or frequency parameters for access to the signal propagation medium, as well as to determine its location in relation to other participants in the exchange of information signals in the network, for combining streams of received data for the purpose of compressing the data transmitted in the network.

Since the received signal may simultaneously contain several carrier sweep sequences in the form of a superposition of waves, the receiving device may comprise a circuit for extracting components belonging to a specific information sequence or user from the received signal in accordance with a time and/or frequency template specified in the transmission protocol (determined, for example, by a computer to which the receiver is connected), or coordinated by the order of the carrier sweeps (carrier fragments) in time and frequency in a variable manner in accordance with the conditions of the signal propagation environment and/or the conditions of multiple access and/or the parameters of cryptographic protection or other problems being solved. Such a device may also comprise a circuit for extracting components belonging to a specific information signal or user from the received signal taking into account their frequency-time shifts (shifts in frequency and time coordinates) and/or the Doppler shifts (radial velocity of mutually relative movements of the receiver and transmitter) found during their reception.

The transmitting and receiving device may also contain a circuit for receiving a portion of a signal or component belonging to a specific information sequence or user, separating it from the received signal and converting it into another frequency form (frequency translation), in particular into the form of a carrier wave that does not change in frequency (in this case, the carrier wave that does not change in frequency may have any value, including zero).

The transmitting and receiving device may also contain circuits for isolating a portion of the signal or component belonging to a specific information sequence or user, as well as isolating two or more components due to multipath propagation of the signal, and additional filtering in the time and/or frequency domain, followed by combining their energies and/or parameters, in particular to increase the signal-to-noise ratio.

The transmitting and receiving device may also comprise circuits for isolating two or more components due to multipath propagation of the signal, in particular by re-synchronizing the receiver with each of such components, and then further filtering in the time and/or frequency domain and combining their energies and/or parameters to improve the signal-to-noise ratio.

The transmitting and receiving device may contain a circuit for isolating and recognizing received information, in particular, evaluating the values of parameters containing the transmitted information, from a portion of the signal or component belonging to a specific information sequence or user, or from a signal combined upon reception from components caused by multipath propagation (reverberation) of the signal, with subsequent demodulation and/or decoding.

The transmitting and receiving device may contain a circuit for restoring the transmitted signal or modifying it during demodulation, as well as for processing the signal (obtained as a result of restoration) together with the received signal and/or with the intermediately processed received signal to obtain information about the environment, in particular for determining the location and parameters of movement, to obtain information about the spatial-structural and physical properties of the signal propagation medium, including information about its geometry and the objects present in it, based on changes made to the signal during its propagation between the source and the receiver.

One of the embodiments of such a transmitting and receiving device may contain a circuit for receiving copies (replicas) of the transmitted signal or its components reflected from the channel boundaries or from objects contained therein and for processing them together with the original transmitted signal to extract information about the environment, as well as to take into account information about the properties (features, characteristics) of the transmission channel when generating subsequent transmitted signals and/or when processing received signals.

Claims (52)

1. A method of transmitting and receiving information, characterized by the following steps: a) the first communication device generates a test fragment of the carrier sweep in the form of a frequency-modulated wave with a continuous and smooth or smooth and stepless change in frequency over a given time interval, b) the first communication device generates a test carrier scan that contains a plurality of such fragments, c) the first communication device exchanges a test carrier sweep through a signal propagation medium with a second communication device similar to the first, wherein the second communication device, in response to receiving the test fragment of the carrier sweep, generates its own test fragment of the carrier sweep in the form of a frequency-modulated wave with a continuous and smooth or smooth and stepless change in frequency and transmits it through the propagation medium to the first communication device, d) each of the interacting communication devices adjusts and/or matches the frequency characteristics of the carrier sweep fragments with respect to the frequency bandwidth, slope and/or frequency change function in a variable manner in accordance with the conditions of the signal propagation environment and/or the conditions of multiple access and/or the parameters of cryptographic protection, d) each of the interacting communication devices adjusts and/or coordinates the sequence of carrier sweep fragments in a variable manner in accordance with the conditions of the signal propagation environment and/or the conditions of multiple access and/or the parameters of cryptographic protection, and this adjustment and/or coordination is performed by shifting in time and/or in frequency each subsequent carrier sweep fragment by an amount obtained from an assessment of the current characteristics of the signal propagation environment, or by an amount, predetermined or pseudo-random, corresponding to the conditions of multiple access and/or the parameters of cryptographic protection, e) the first communication device generates a carrier sweep with the order of the carrier sweep fragments specified in a variable manner in accordance with the initial settings or according to the results of matching in accordance with the conditions of the signal propagation environment or the conditions of multiple access or the parameters of cryptographic protection, g) the first communication device superimposes a data symbol carrying information onto a carrier scan by manipulating at least one of the parameters of the carrier scan and/or carrier fragments, wherein each carrier scan and/or carrier fragment carries an integer or fractional number of information units or bits, c) the first communication device transmits to the second communication device a sequence of generated signals, each of which consists of a carrier scan and an information data symbol superimposed on it, wherein such transmission of a sequence of generated signals is accompanied or not accompanied by the transmission of additional reference signals together with the carrier scan in the form of a superposition of waves, i) the second communication device receives and processes signals after their reception in frequency-time coordinates with separation and/or selective combining of multipath components of the received signal, cleaning from interference or increasing the signal-to-noise ratio, and c) the second communication device evaluates the values of the data symbols. 2. The method according to paragraph 1, characterized in that after evaluating the values of the data symbols a) the second communication device generates a carrier sweep with the order of the carrier sweep fragments specified in a variable manner in accordance with the initial settings or the results of matching in accordance with the conditions of the signal propagation environment or the conditions of multiple access or the parameters of cryptographic protection, b) the second communication device superimposes the signal carrying the information onto the carrier sweep by manipulating at least one of the parameters of the carrier sweep and/or carrier fragments, wherein each carrier sweep and/or carrier fragment carries an integer or fractional number of information units or bits, c) the second communication device transmits to the first communication device a sequence of generated signals, each of which consists of a carrier sweep and an information signal superimposed on it, wherein such transmission of a sequence of generated signals is accompanied or not accompanied by the transmission of additional reference signals together with a similar carrier sweep in the form of a superposition of waves, d) the first communication device receives and processes the received signals in frequency-time coordinates with separation and/or selective combining of multipath components of the received signal, performs interference removal or an increase in the signal-to-noise ratio, and performs an evaluation of the values of the data symbols. 3. The method according to paragraphs 1 and/or 2, characterized in that after the exchange of signals, i.e. after the first communication device receives a sequence of signals from the second, each of the interacting communication devices performs an adaptation in the form of a re-tuning and/or matching of the frequency characteristics of the carrier sweep fragments with respect to the frequency bandwidth, slope and/or frequency change function in a variable manner in accordance with the conditions of the signal propagation environment and/or the conditions of multiple access and/or the parameters of cryptographic protection, and also performs an adaptation in the form of a re-tuning and/or matching of the order of the carrier sweep fragments in a variable manner in accordance with the conditions of the signal propagation environment and/or the conditions of multiple access and/or the parameters of cryptographic protection, wherein this adaptation is performed by shifting in time and/or in frequency each subsequent carrier sweep fragment by an amount obtained from an assessment of the current characteristics of the signal propagation environment, or by an amount predetermined or pseudo-random, corresponding to the conditions of multiple access and/or the parameters of cryptographic protection. 4. The method according to one of paragraphs 1-3, characterized in that the interacting communication devices form simultaneously or asynchronously a plurality of carrier sweeps or an ensemble of carrier sweeps, wherein each carrier sweep is orthogonal to all the others or only to part of the carrier sweeps of this ensemble, wherein the sequences of the generated signals are identical or differ from each other in one or several parameters simultaneously for the simultaneous or asynchronous exchange of a plurality of data sequences. 5. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that the interacting communication devices form a plurality of carrier sweeps or an ensemble of carrier sweeps that are not only mutually orthogonal to each other, but also invariant to mutual time shift. 6. The method according to one of paragraphs 4, 5, characterized in that the interacting communication devices receive a plurality of simultaneously or asynchronously transmitted mutually orthogonal sequences of carrier scans and separate one from the other according to the corresponding orthogonality characteristics. 7. The method according to one of paragraphs 1-6, characterized in that the interacting communication devices perform shifts in time and/or in frequency of each subsequent fragment of the carrier sweep and/or each carrier sweep within the transmitted sequence according to a predetermined schedule of one of the pseudo-random sets of frequency-time schedules, wherein each such set of frequency-time schedules represents a unique set of frequency and/or time marks specified by the computer to which the transmitter is connected, wherein the sets of such frequency-time schedules in the form of sets of frequency and/or time marks differ from one another and specify additional discrete states of the transmitted signals, and such additional discrete states correspond to the law of the transmitted information, that is, they contain useful transmitted information. 8. The method according to one of paragraphs 1-7, characterized in that at least one of the interacting communication devices receives time readings from an external source of precise time and sets precise time readings for arranging fragments of the carrier sweep, and/or carrier sweeps, and/or their sequences along the time axis. 9. The method according to one of paragraphs 3-8, characterized in that the interacting communication devices perform the tuning and/or adaptation of the sequence of carrier sweeps and/or the constituent fragments of the carrier sweep in time and/or frequency in accordance with a protocol that is updated in the process of exchanging information between the receiver and the transmitter in a certain agreed manner and/or depending on information about the corresponding properties and characteristics of the signal propagation environment and/or depending on the information being transmitted itself. 10. The method according to one of paragraphs 1-9, characterized in that the interacting communication devices evaluate the parameters of the signal propagation environment, namely the impulse response of the signal propagation environment, by evaluating the characteristics of signals at the points of their reception and/or form a compact metric of the characteristics of the signal propagation environment, and also transmit through the propagation environment information about the parameters of the signal propagation environment or about the characteristics of the signal at the points of reception to a similar communication device interacting on the other side of the propagation environment for the purpose of matching time shifts or intervals in the order of the carrier sweeps and/or its fragments and/or shifts of the initial frequency value of each subsequent sweep and/or its fragments and/or adjusting the parameters of the carrier sweep itself and/or its fragments. 11. The method according to one of paragraphs 2-10, characterized in that the interacting communication devices superimpose an information data symbol on the carrier sweep by modulating some of its parameters, wherein such modulation is performed in the form of manipulation of phase and/or amplitude and/or frequency, thus modifying the frequency-time characteristics of the carrier sweep itself and/or fragments of the carrier sweep. 12. The method according to claim 11, characterized in that the plurality of modulated carrier sweeps partially or completely overlap or intersect in frequency and/or time, wherein the plurality of such carrier sweeps contain the same or different information data symbols. 13. The method according to one of paragraphs 1-12, characterized in that the information data symbol is formed in the form of a relative change in the signal parameters between two different carrier sweeps and/or carrier sweep fragments, shifted relative to each other in time and/or frequency. 14. The method according to one of paragraphs 1-13, characterized in that the information data symbol is formed as a function of the sum or difference of the parameters of two or more carrier sweeps transmitted with overlapping time or simultaneously. 15. The method according to one of paragraphs 1-14, characterized in that the transmitted signal is formed as a combination of at least two dissimilar signals, one of which is formed according to any of paragraphs 1-14, and the others according to known publicly available methods of forming a communication signal. 16. The method according to one of paragraphs 1-15, characterized in that the information signal and/or the carrier scan or the signal generated for transmission is multiplied with a pseudo-noise sequence, wherein this pseudo-noise sequence is determined in advance or agreed upon in terms of its characteristics during the exchange of data using computers to which the transmitter and receiver are connected, respectively. 17. The method according to one of paragraphs 1-16, characterized in that the transmitted signal, generated according to one of paragraphs 1-16, is supplemented by at least one additional synchronizing sequence of wideband pulses, each of which is generated similarly to the carrier sweep, wherein such synchronizing pulses follow one another equidistantly or non-equidistantly in time and/or in frequency, with or without overlapping in time. 18. The method according to claim 17, characterized in that the pulses of the synchronizing sequence carry data symbols, and such data symbols are specified by analog or discrete manipulation of the frequency-time characteristics of each of the pulses of the synchronizing sequence. 19. The method according to one of paragraphs 1-18, characterized in that the transmitted signal, formed according to one of paragraphs 1-18, is supplemented with at least one additional service sequence of wideband pulses, each of which is formed similarly to the carrier sweep, wherein the pulses of such a sequence follow one another equidistantly or non-equidistantly in time and/or in frequency, with or without overlapping in time. 20. The method according to paragraph 19, characterized in that the pulses of the service sequence carry data symbols, and such data symbols are defined by analog or discrete manipulation of the frequency-time characteristics of each of the pulses of the service sequence. 21. The method according to one of paragraphs 19, 20, characterized in that the transmitted signal includes only a synchronizing and/or service sequence. 22. The method according to one of paragraphs 1-21, characterized in that the transmitted signals are formed in the form of electromagnetic or acoustic, or seismic, or vibrational oscillations and are transmitted into the propagation medium using an antenna and/or signal transmission circuit corresponding to this medium. 23. The method according to one of paragraphs 1-22, characterized in that the signal from the propagation medium is received using an antenna and/or a circuit for receiving signals corresponding to the propagation medium, and is also subjected to detection, synchronization, demodulation and decoding to recognize the information contained in the received signal. 24. The method according to paragraph 23, characterized in that the detection of the received signal is carried out on the basis of its correspondence to a reference or standard signal known to the receiver, that is, on the basis of the agreement between the received and reference signals, which is established during the correlation processing of the incoming signal. 25. The method according to paragraph 23 or 24, characterized in that the synchronization of the received sequence of carrier sweeps or its fragments is performed by processing the incoming sequence of wideband synchronizing pulses by evaluating the correlation function of the sequence of such pulses with a reference or standard copy of a single pulse of the synchronizing sequence known to the receiver or with a reference or standard copy of the synchronizing sequence as a whole, with subsequent evaluation of the impulse response of the signal propagation medium. 26. The method according to claim 25, characterized in that after evaluating the impulse response of the signal propagation environment and/or evaluating the environmental noise, the second communication device calculates a metric of the complexity of the conditions of propagation of the communication signal, the value of which is communicated to the first communication device interacting with it and/or to the computer to which the second communication device is connected for the subsequent matching of the transmitted signals with the conditions of the signal propagation environment and/or the conditions of multiple access and/or the parameters of cryptographic protection for setting and/or adapting the order of the carrier sweep fragments and/or carrier sweeps generated by the communication devices in time and/or in frequency. 27. The method according to one of paragraphs 23-26, characterized in that the synchronizing pulse or the sequence of synchronizing pulses is evaluated for the purpose of time shifting of the carrier scans and/or fragments of the carrier scan containing the sequence of data symbols, with respect to the synchronizing pulse or the sequence of synchronizing pulses in order to accurately determine the time of the start of the sequence of carrier scans and/or fragments of the carrier scan containing the sequence of data symbols. 28. The method according to one of paragraphs 23-27, characterized in that the receiving communication device, during the processing of the synchronizing pulse or the sequence of synchronizing pulses, evaluates the multiplicative distortions, or Doppler stretching, or compression of the time coordinates, or the time axis of the received signal and, with the help of this, evaluates the correction for the pre-synchronization of the carrier sweeps and/or fragments of the carrier sweep that follow the synchronizing pulses and contain a sequence of data symbols, and, with the help of this parameter, performs a continuous correction of the synchronization time of the received signal with the reference or standard copy of the carrier sweep and/or fragments of the carrier sweep. 29. The method according to one of paragraphs 23-28, characterized in that the receiving communication device, during the processing of the synchronizing pulse or sequence of synchronizing pulses, evaluates the radial velocity of the mutually relative movements of the receiving and transmitting communication devices, the value of which is transmitted to the transmitting communication device and/or the computer to which the receiving communication device is connected. 30. The method according to one of paragraphs 23-29, characterized in that the receiving communication device demodulates the received synchronized carrier sweeps and/or carrier sweep fragments and/or synchronizing sequence pulses and/or service sequence pulses by synchronously processing them with a reference or standard copy of the carrier sweep and/or carrier sweep fragments and/or with a reference or standard copy of a wideband synchronizing or service sequence pulse, and also decodes the demodulated carrier sweeps and/or carrier sweep fragments and/or synchronizing sequence pulses and/or service sequence pulses for the purpose of recognizing or determining the information contained therein. 31. The method according to one of paragraphs 23-30, characterized in that the receiving communication device is capable of analyzing the received signal to detect information that the currently received signal is not addressed to this receiving communication device, followed by immediate termination of the reception of the current signal and switching to a standby mode or detection of the next signal. 32. The method according to one of paragraphs 23-30, characterized in that the receiving communication device is capable of analyzing the received signal to detect information that the current received signal is not addressed to this receiving communication device, and allows the continuation of the reception of such a signal, its synchronization, demodulation, decoding and recognition of the received information, followed by the development of a forecast about the time of occupancy of the propagation medium, and/or followed by the adjustment of its own time and/or frequency parameters for access to the signal propagation medium, and/or followed by the assessment of its location in relation to other participants in the exchange of information signals in the network for the purpose of combining the flows of received data and/or the compression of the flows of data transmitted in the network. 33. The method according to one of paragraphs 23-32, characterized in that the receiving communication device is capable of selecting from the received signal a part of the signal or components belonging to a certain information sequence or user in accordance with a time and/or frequency template specified in the transmission protocol, determined by the computer to which the receiver is connected, or matched according to the order of the carrier sweeps and/or fragments of the carrier sweep in time and/or frequency in a variable manner in accordance with the conditions of the signal propagation environment and/or the conditions of multiple access and/or the parameters of cryptographic protection. 34. The method according to one of paragraphs 23-33, characterized in that the receiving communication device is capable of extracting from the received signal a portion of the signal or components belonging to a certain information sequence or user on the basis of and taking into account frequency-time shifts or shifts in frequency and time coordinates, and/or on the basis of the corresponding Doppler shift of the signal found during reception or the radial velocity of the mutually relative movements of the receiving and transmitting communication devices. 35. The method according to one of paragraphs 23-34, characterized in that the receiving communication device is capable of extracting from the received signal a portion of the signal or components belonging to a specific information sequence or user, with subsequent conversion of the extracted components into the form of a carrier wave that does not change in frequency. 36. The method according to one of paragraphs 23-35, characterized in that the receiving communication device is capable of extracting from the received signal a portion of the signal or components belonging to a certain information sequence or user, with subsequent extraction of two or more components caused by multipath propagation of the signal, filtering in the time and/or frequency domains, as well as combining their energies and/or parameters to increase the signal-to-noise ratio. 37. The method according to claim 36, characterized in that the receiving communication device is capable of isolating from the received signal two or more components caused by multipath propagation of the signal by means of re-synchronizing the receiver with each of such components, and subsequent additional filtering in the time and/or frequency domain and combining their energies and/or parameters to increase the signal-to-noise ratio. 38. The method according to one of paragraphs 36 or 37, characterized in that the receiving communication device is capable of extracting from the received signal a part of the signal or a component belonging to a certain information sequence or user, with subsequent combination of such components, demodulation and/or decoding for recognition of the received information by evaluating the values of the parameters containing the transmitted information.