Device and method for controlling power consumption in wireless communication

Abstract

Device (100, 200, 300) for wireless communication, wherein the device (100, 200, 300) comprises: a baseband processor (160, 260, 360, 400, 500) configured to generate status information (S_INF) for a wireless communication channel by processing a baseband signal (BB, TX_BB, RX_BB); and a controller (180, 280, 380) that is configured to enable a low-performance operation in a first channel state that is worse than a second channel state, based on the state information (S_INF), where the baseband signal is a digital signal (D_SIG), the controller (180, 280, 380) is configured to generate a control signal (CTR1, CTR2, CTR3) that activates the low-power operation in the first channel state, and The baseband processor (160, 260, 360, 400, 500) is configured to omit processing of at least one least significant bit of the digital signal (D_SIG) in response to the control signal (CTR1, CTR2, CTR3) that activates the low-power operation.

Description

Cross-reference to similar registrations

[0001] This application claims priority over Korean patent application No. 10-2020-0023840, filed with the Korean Intellectual Property Office on February 26, 2020. background

[0002] The inventive concept relates to wireless communication and in particular to a device and a method for controlling power consumption in wireless communication.

[0003] Wireless communication systems provide the ability to transmit information between base stations and devices without the use of a wired connection. In some cases, wireless communication systems use high-frequency bands and / or highly complex protocols for high data throughput.

[0004] Wireless communication equipment includes a high-performance device that supports high-frequency bands and highly complex protocols. Consequently, the amount of power consumed by the high-performance equipment increases. In some cases, lower-complexity communication methods are used when a device has reduced signal quality (e.g., accessing systems that use a more basic communication standard). However, the device's power consumption may not be reduced in conjunction with the lower signal quality, resulting in high power consumption relative to the performance level. Thus, there is a need in the prior art for systems and methods to achieve more efficient power utilization in high-performance devices.

[0005] US 8 908 544 B1 reveals several power modes for the 802.11n radio module.

[0006] EP 1 039 648 A2 discloses a radio communication device and a method that are able to reduce power consumption by controlling an A / D converter. Summary

[0007] The inventive concept provides a device and a method for reducing power consumption without sacrificing throughput in wireless communication and for controlling power consumption in wireless communication.

[0008] According to one aspect of the inventive concept, a wireless communication device is provided which includes: a baseband processor configured to generate state information for a wireless communication channel by processing a baseband signal; and a controller configured to activate a low-power operation in a first channel state that is inferior to a second channel state, based on the state information, wherein the baseband signal is a digital signal, the controller is configured to generate a control signal that activates the low-power operation in the first channel state, and the baseband processor is configured to omit processing of at least one least significant bit of the digital signal in response to the control signal that activates the low-power operation.

[0009] According to another aspect of the inventive concept, a method for wireless communication is provided, which is carried out by a wireless communication device, wherein the wireless communication device comprises a baseband processor and a controller, and wherein the method includes: generating, by the baseband processor, state information for a wireless communication channel by processing a baseband signal, wherein the baseband signal is a digital signal; generating, by the controller, a control signal that activates a low-power operation in a first channel state, which is inferior to a second channel state, based on the state information; and omitting, by the baseband processor, a processing of at least one least significant bit of the digital signal in response to the control signal that activates the low-power operation.

[0010] According to another aspect of the inventive concept, a wireless communication device is provided which includes: an analog-to-digital converter configured to convert an analog signal generated from a signal received through the channel into a digital signal; a baseband processor configured to generate state information for a wireless communication channel by processing the digital signal; and a controller configured to generate a control signal that activates a low-power operation in a first channel state that is inferior to a second channel state based on the state information, wherein the baseband processor is configured to omit processing of at least one least significant bit of the digital signal in response to the control signal that activates the low-power operation. Brief description of the drawings

[0011] The following detailed description, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, provides a clearer understanding of the embodiments of the inventive concept, wherein: Fig. 1 a diagram of a wireless communication system according to an embodiment of the inventive concept; Fig. 2 is a flowchart that represents an example of a method for controlling power consumption in wireless communication according to an embodiment of the inventive concept; Fig. 3A and Fig. 3B Block diagrams are shown, each representing an example of user equipment for wireless communication according to embodiments of the inventive concept; Fig. 4 is a flowchart that represents an example of a method for wireless communication according to an embodiment of the inventive concept; Fig. 5A and Fig. 5B diagrams are examples of data with an effective number of bits according to embodiments of the inventive concept; Fig. 6 is a flowchart that represents an example of a method for wireless communication according to an embodiment of the inventive concept; Fig. 7A and Fig. 7B Diagrams are examples of an operation to reduce an effective number of bits according to embodiments of the inventive concept; Fig. 8 is a flowchart that represents an example of a method for wireless communication according to an embodiment of the inventive concept; Fig. 9A and Fig. 9B Block diagrams are those that represent an operation to reduce the effective number of bits according to embodiments of the inventive concept; Fig. 10 is a flowchart that represents an example of a method for wireless communication according to an embodiment of the inventive concept; Fig. 11 is a flowchart that represents an example of a method for wireless communication according to an embodiment of the inventive concept; Fig. 12 is a flowchart that represents an example of a method for wireless communication according to an embodiment of the inventive concept; Fig. 13 is a flowchart that represents an example of a method for wireless communication according to an embodiment of the inventive concept; Fig. 14 is a block diagram representing a data processor according to an exemplary embodiment; and Fig. 15 is a block diagram that represents user equipment according to an embodiment of the inventive concept. Detailed description of the embodiments

[0012] The present disclosure relates generally to a wireless communication device. In particular, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a wireless communication device capable of reducing power consumption based on signal quality. Some embodiments adjust the channel quality or link state of the device. For example, a device may adjust the effective number of bits based on the channel quality or link state.

[0013] In some cases, communication techniques used by a high-performance wireless device can be excessive if the connection or signal quality is reduced. Consequently, the power consumed by the device can also be excessive for the level of communication available based on the signal quality.

[0014] Accordingly, the present disclosure describes a wireless communication device comprising: a baseband processor configured to generate state information for a channel, and a controller configured to activate a low-power operating mode in a first channel state that is inferior compared to a second channel state (i.e., exhibiting reduced signal quality), based on the state information.

[0015] Fig. Figure 1 is a diagram of a wireless communication system 5 according to an embodiment of the inventive concept. The wireless communication system 5 can, by way of a non-limiting example, be a wireless communication system that uses a cellular network, such as a new fifth-generation radio system (5G NR), a Long Term Evolution (LTE) system, an LTE-Advanced system, a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) system, a Global Mobile Communications (GSM) system, or any other wireless communication device, such as a wireless local area network (WLAN) system, or any other wireless communication system. Hereinafter, the wireless communication system 5 is described as a wireless communication system that uses a cellular network, primarily with reference to the 5G NR system; however, embodiments of the inventive concept are not limited thereto.

[0016] A Base Station (BS) 10 can generally be defined as a fixed station that communicates with user equipment and / or another base station and can exchange data and control information by communicating with the user equipment and / or the other base station. For example, the BS 10 can be referred to as: a Node B, an Advanced Node B (eNB), a Next Generation Node B (gNB), a sector, a website, a Base Transceiver System (BTS), an Access Point (AP), a Relay Node, a Remote Radio Head (RRH), a Radio Unit (RU), a small cell, etc. Here, the BS 10 or cell can be used in a general sense to mean an area or function controlled by a Base Station Controller (BSC) in CDMA, Node B in WCDMA, an eNode B (eNB) in LTE, gNB in ​​5G, or a sector (website), etc.They can be covered, interpreted meaningfully, and may cover various coverage areas, such as a megacell, a macrocell, a microcell, a picocell, a femtocell, the relay node, the RRH, the RU, and a small cell communication area.

[0017] A user equipment (UE) 100 can be stationary or mobile and can be defined as any equipment capable of communicating with the BS 10 to transmit or receive data and / or control information. For example, the UE 100 can be referred to as a port, port equipment, mobile station (MS), mobile port (MT), user port (UT), subscriber station (SS), wireless device, handheld device, etc. Herein, the UE 100 or a component contained within the UE 100 used for wireless communication can be referred to as a wireless communication device. The following are exemplary embodiments of the inventive concept, mainly relating to the UE 100, but these embodiments are not limited to it.

[0018] A wireless communication network between the UE 100 and the BS 10 can support communication between multiple users by sharing available network resources. For example, information can be transmitted in the wireless communication network using various connection methods, such as CMDA, Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA), Time Division Multiple Access (TMDA), Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA), Single Carrier Frequency Division Multiple Access (SC-FDMA), OFDM-FDMA, OFDM-TDMA, and OFDM-CDMA. As shown in Fig. As shown in Figure 1, the UE 100 can communicate with the BS 10 via an uplink UL and a downlink DL. In some embodiments, the UE 100 can communicate with other user equipment via a sidelink, such as a device-to-device (D2D) connection. As shown in Figure 1, the UE 100 can communicate with other user equipment via a sidelink, such as a device-to-device (D2D) connection. Fig. As shown in Figure 1, the UE 100 can include an antenna 120, a transceiver 140, a baseband processor 160, and a controller 180. In some embodiments, at least two of the antenna 120, the transceiver 140, the baseband processor 160, and the controller 180 can be contained in a single semiconductor package.

[0019] The antenna 120 can receive a signal from the BS 10 in a receive mode or output a signal transmitted by the transceiver 140 in a transmit mode. In some embodiments, the antenna 120 can include a plurality of antennas, each with at least one spatial diversity, polarization diversity, spatial multiplexer, and beam configuration.

[0020] The transceiver 140 can be connected to the antenna 120 and communicate with the baseband processor 160. In some embodiments, the transceiver 140 can be referred to as an integrated high-frequency circuit (HFIC). The transceiver 140 can transmit an RX baseband signal RX_BB to the baseband processor 160 by processing a high-frequency (HF) signal received by the antenna 120 in receive mode.

[0021] For example, the UE 100 can generate and transmit signals at one frequency (e.g., a relatively low frequency) and receive signals at another frequency (e.g., a relatively high frequency). The frequency at which the signal is generated (or processed by the receiver) is sometimes called the baseband frequency, while the transmission (or reception) frequency is called the high frequency. Signals at one frequency (e.g., the transmission frequency) can be converted to another frequency (e.g., the baseband frequency) by combining the received frequency with another signal and filtering the result.

[0022] Additionally or alternatively, the transceiver 140 can transmit the RF signal to the antenna 120 by processing a TX baseband signal TX_BB received by the baseband processor 160 in transmit mode. In some embodiments, the transceiver 140 can include analog circuits such as analog filters, mixers, power amplifiers, and low-noise amplifiers, and in some embodiments, as described below with reference to Fig. 3A described, digital-to-analog converter included. As described in Fig. As shown in Figure 1, the transmitter-receiver 140 can receive a first control signal CTR1 from the controller 180 and perform a low-power operation based on the first control signal CTR1.

[0023] For example, the UE 100 can have multiple operating modes. In a first operating mode (e.g., a high-performance mode), the UE 100 may be capable of performing more complex signal processing or communication at a higher data rate. In a second operating mode (e.g., a low-performance mode), the UE may not perform highly complex operations and may not be able to communicate data at the same rate as in high-performance mode. However, the UE may consume less power in low-performance mode than in high-performance mode.In some cases, when the channel quality is below a threshold, operation in high-performance mode does not achieve the desired increase in data rate (for example, if a communication protocol for an operation in a low-quality signal does not offer the same data rates as another communication protocol used when the signal quality is higher). Therefore, in some embodiments, a UE 100 can detect a channel state (e.g., a signal quality) that is lower than a threshold and then switch accordingly to low-performance operating mode.

[0024] The baseband processor 160 can communicate with the transceiver 140 and process the baseband signal. For example, the baseband processor 160 can contain a demodulator, a decoder, and similar components, and in receive mode, it can extract a payload from the BS 10 by processing the baseband signal RX_BB received from the transceiver 140. Additionally or alternatively, the baseband processor 160 can contain a modulator, an encoder, and similar components, and in transmit mode, based on the payload of the UE 100, generate the TX baseband signal TX_BB and transmit it to the transceiver 140. The payload of the UE 100 can be a payload generated by the baseband processor 160 and / or a payload generated by other processors contained within the UE 100, for example, a main processor that generally controls the UE 100. As described in Fig. As shown in Figure 1, the baseband processor 160 can generate state information S_INF of a channel of a wireless communication and connection information C_INF to the connection of a wireless communication by processing the baseband signal and can transmit the state information S_INF and the connection information C_INF to the controller 180.

[0025] Components of the UE 100, such as the transceiver 140 and the baseband processor 160, can be designed to support a frequency band of a protocol defined by the wireless communication system 5. For example, the wireless communication system 5 can employ a high-frequency band protocol, such as millimeter wave (mmWave), and a high-complexity protocol, such as 256QAM, for high throughput. Additionally or alternatively, the transceiver 140 and the baseband processor 160 can be designed to provide high performance. Accordingly, the transceiver 140 may have high power consumption.However, if one channel between the BS 10 and the UE 100 is insufficient, the BS 10 can use a lower frequency band in the downlink DL and / or uplink UL and / or a lower complexity scheme, and in this case the performance transmitted by the transceiver 140 and / or baseband processor 160 of the UE 100 may be excessive.

[0026] Even in a connected state (for example, during a telephone call), in a standby state, a discontinuous receive (DRX) state, a first access state, and similar states where high throughput is not required, the performance provided by the UE 100 transceiver 140 and / or baseband processor 160 can be excessive. As described below, the controller 180 can dynamically limit the performance of the transceiver 140 and / or baseband processor 160 based on the channel and connection states. Accordingly, unnecessary power consumption by the transceiver 140 and / or baseband processor 160 can be eliminated.

[0027] In some embodiments, the controller 180 can receive the state information S_INF from the baseband processor 160, transmit the first control signal CTR1 to the transceiver 140, and transmit the second control signal CTR2 back to the baseband processor 160, based on the state information S_INF. In some embodiments, the controller 180 can generate the first and second control signals CTR1 and CTR2 based on the state information S_INF, thus enabling a low-power operation in a poor-state channel, for example, a low-quality channel. Accordingly, reduced power consumption can be achieved.Additionally or alternatively, the Controller 180 can generate the first and second control signals CTR1 and CTR2 based on the state information S_INF, thus disabling a low-power operation in a channel with a good (or high-performance) state, for example, a high-quality channel. This allows for high throughput.

[0028] In some embodiments, the controller 180 can receive the connection information C_INF from the baseband processor 160, transmit the first control signal CTR1 to the transceiver 140, and transmit the second control signal CTR2 to the baseband processor 160, based on the connection information C_INF. In some embodiments, the controller 180 can generate the first and second control signals CTR1 and CTR2 based on the connection information C_INF, thus enabling the low-power operation in a connection state corresponding to low processing complexity. Accordingly, reduced power consumption can be achieved. Additionally or alternatively, the controller 180 can generate the first and second control signals CTR1 and CTR2 based on the connection information C_INF, thus disabling the low-power operation in a connection state corresponding to high processing complexity.Accordingly, a high throughput can be achieved.

[0029] The state of a channel can be determined according to a channel estimation process. For example, in some cases, the UE 100 can perform channel estimation by generating channel state information (CSI), which relates to information describing the channel characteristics of the communication link. For example, the CSI can be determined by analyzing a reference signal transmitted by the transmitter. In some cases, CSI can describe how a signal propagates from the transmitter to the receiver and can represent the combined effects of, for example, scattering, fading, and power decay. After generating the CSI, the information can be used to adapt transmission and reception operations to current channel conditions. This can lead to an improvement in the rate and reliability of communication, especially in multi-antenna systems.In some cases, CSI is estimated at a receiver that sends feedback to the sender (although a backward link estimation is also possible). In some cases, both the sender and receiver can have different CSI.

[0030] As described above, unnecessary power consumption can be eliminated by adaptively adjusting the performance used for wireless communication in the UE 100 without sacrificing wireless communication throughput. Additionally or alternatively, the adaptively adjustable power consumption can be increased if the complexity of the frequency band and / or protocol of the wireless communication system 5 increases. For example, the performance of the transceiver 140 and / or the baseband transistor 160 can be increased. As a result, high-performance wireless communication and reduced power consumption can be achieved simultaneously.

[0031] Referring to Fig. 1. The antenna 120 and the transceiver 140 can be collectively referred to as a front-end module FE, and the baseband processor 160 and the controller 180 can be collectively referred to as a back-end module BE. In some embodiments, both the front-end and back-end modules FE and BE can be independent products, and a communication channel for transmitting baseband signals between the front-end and back-end modules FE and BE can be provided. For example, the TX baseband signal TX_BB and the RX baseband signal RX_BB can be provided, and a communication channel for transmitting the first control signal CTR1 can be provided. In some embodiments, the UE 100 can contain a plurality of front-end modules.In some embodiments, both the baseband processor 160 and the controller 180 can contain a hardware block developed by logic synthesis, a software block containing a series of instructions, and at least one core for executing a series of instructions. Additionally or alternatively, in some embodiments, the baseband processor 160 and the controller 180 can each correspond to software blocks executed by at least one common core.

[0032] Fig. Figure 2 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a method for controlling power consumption in wireless communication according to one embodiment of the inventive concept. In some embodiments, the method can be derived from Fig. 2 from the back-end module BE Fig. 1. Herein, a method for controlling power consumption in wireless communication can simply be referred to as a method for wireless communication. As in Fig. As shown in 2, the method for wireless communication can be derived from Fig. 2 operations S20 and S40 are included and Fig. 2 is referred to below. Fig. 1 described.

[0033] Referring to Fig. 2. An operation can be performed to generate the state information S_INF regarding a wireless communication channel (S20). For example, the baseband processor 160 can generate the state information S_INF regarding a channel on which the downlink DL and uplink UL are formed by processing the transmit and the RX baseband signals TX_BB and RX_BB. The state information S_INF can contain any information indicating a channel state. For example, the state information S_INF can include at least one of the following: signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), signal-to-interference-noise ratio (SINR), reference signal receive power (RSRP), channel quality indicator (CQI) index, and modulation coding scheme (MCS) index. The BS 10 can determine the MCS index based on the channel state, and the MCS index can have a higher value as the channel state improves.Additionally or alternatively, the modulation sequence and coding rate may increase if the MCS index increases.

[0034] In some embodiments, the baseband processor 160 can generate the state information S_INF based on a reference signal transmitted by the BS 10. For example, the BS 10 can transmit a reference signal through the downlink DL to estimate a channel between the BS 10 and the UE 100. The baseband processor 160 can estimate a channel by evaluating the reference signal based on the RX baseband signal RX_BB, which is generated from the signal received by the antenna 120, and can generate the TX baseband signal RX_BB, which contains information specifying the estimated channel; for example, channel state information (CSI) can be generated. The baseband processor 160 may not only report the estimated channel to the BS 10 but also generate the state information S_INF based on the estimated channel.

[0035] In some embodiments, the baseband processor 160 can generate the state information S_INF based on information transmitted by the BS 10. For example, based on the estimated channel provided by the UE 100, the BS 10 can determine a scheme to be used for the downlink DL and / or the uplink UL, such as a modulation and encoding scheme (MCS), and can transmit the MCS index corresponding to the determined MCS through the downlink DL. The baseband processor 160 can extract the MCS index by processing the RX_BB baseband signal and generate the state information S_INF containing the MCS index.

[0036] Referring to Fig. 2. An operation to activate a low-power operation in a poor channel state can be performed (S40). For example, the controller 180 can activate the low-power operation in a first channel state, where the signal quality is reduced compared to a second channel state, based on the state information S_INF transmitted by the baseband processor 160. Here, the low-power operation can be described as a wireless communication operation that consumes relatively reduced power and is activated by the controller 180. As above with reference to Fig. As described in Figure 1, the controller 180 can reduce power consumption by limiting the performance of the transceiver 140 and / or the baseband processor 160, since the performance transmitted by the transceiver 140 and / or baseband processor 160 in the poor channel can be unnecessarily excessive. In some embodiments, as described below with reference to Fig. 5A and Fig. As described in section 5B, one of several low-power operations, which may correspond to different power consumptions, can be selected based on the channel state specified by the state information S_INF, and the selected low-power operation can be activated. Examples of operation S40 are given below with reference to... Fig. 4 and the like.

[0037] Accordingly, a communication procedure may include: communicating in a high-performance mode; generating channel state information for a channel; determining that a channel state is low quality based on the channel state information; and communicating on the channel in low-performance mode based on this determination. In some cases, the high-performance mode involves processing digital signals based on a first effective number of bits, and the low-performance mode involves processing digital signals based on a second effective number of bits, which is smaller than the first effective number of bits.

[0038] Fig. 3A and Fig. Section 3B are block diagrams, each representing an example of a UE 200 and 300 for wireless communication according to embodiments of the inventive concept. The block diagrams from Fig. 3A and Fig. 3B can each display UEs 200 and 300 in a receive mode. Descriptions relating to this are below. Fig. 3A and Fig. 3B, which already refers to Fig. Repeat 1 given, omitted.

[0039] Referring to Fig. 3A can be used with the UE 200, similar to the UE 100. Fig. The UE 200 comprises an antenna 220, a transceiver 240, a baseband processor 260, and a controller 280. The baseband processor 260 can transmit the status information S_INF and / or the connection information C_INF to the controller 280. The controller 280 can transmit the first and second control signals CTR1 and CTR2, respectively, to the transceiver 240 and the baseband processor 260. The UE 200 can also include an interface (IIF) circuit 250, which provides a communication channel between the transceiver 240 and the baseband processor 260. The controller 280 can transmit a third control signal CTR3 to the I / F circuit 250.

[0040] The 240 transceiver can, as in Fig. 3A shows a digital signal D_SIG as the RX baseband signal RX_BB. Fig. 1 generate and transmit the digital signal D_SIG to the I / F circuit 250. The baseband processor 260 can interpret a digital signal D_SIG' from the I / F circuit 250 as the RX baseband signal RX_BB. Fig. 1 received. As in Fig. As shown in Figure 3A, the I / F circuit 250 can include a transmit (TX) circuit 252, at least one signal line 254, and a receive (RX) circuit 256. The TX circuit 252 can transmit a signal generated from the digital signal D_SIG received by the transceiver 240 through at least one signal line 254. The RX circuit 256 can generate the digital signal D_SIG' from the signal received through the at least one signal line 254 and transmit the digital signal D_SIG' to the baseband processor 260. As shown in Fig. As shown in Figure 3A, the antenna 220, the transceiver 240 and the TX circuit 252 can be collectively referred to as the front-end module FE, while the RX circuit 256 and the baseband processor 260 and the controller 280 can be collectively referred to as the back-end module BE.

[0041] The transceiver 240 can include a low-noise amplifier (LNA) 242, a mixer 244, an analog filter 246, and an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) 248. The LNA 242 can amplify a high-frequency (HF) signal received by the antenna 220, the mixer 244 can step down an output signal of the LNA 242, and the analog filter 246 can filter the output signal of the mixer 244. The ADC 248 can generate the digital signal D_SIG by converting the output signal of the analog filter 246, for example, an analog signal. In some embodiments, the transceiver 240 can also include components not shown in Fig. 3A are shown, like those for the transmission mode.

[0042] The transceiver 240 can receive the first control signal CTR1 from the controller 280 and selectively perform the low-power operation based on the first control signal CTR1. In some embodiments, at least one of the LNA 242, the mixer 244, the analog filter 246, and the ADC 248 can have a reconfigurable structure according to the first control signal CTR1. For example, the LNA 242 can have variable gain, variable bandwidth, and / or variable input / output impedance; the mixer 244 can have variable mapping characteristics; the analog filter 246 can have a variable frequency response; and the ADC 248 can have a variable resolution.At least one of the LNA 242, mixer 244, analog filter 246, and ADC 248 can be reconfigured to exhibit low performance and low power consumption in response to the first control signal CTR1 activating low-power operation. Additionally or alternatively, the LNA 242, mixer 244, analog filter 246, and ADC 248 can be reconfigured to exhibit high performance and high power consumption in response to the first control signal CTR1 deactivating low-power operation.

[0043] The baseband processor 260 can receive the second control signal CTR2 from the controller 280 and selectively perform the low-power operation based on this second control signal. In some embodiments, the baseband processor 260 can deactivate certain circuits that process the baseband signal in response to the activation of the low-power operation by the second control signal CTR2, and can process the baseband signal based on an algorithm appropriate for low power consumption. Additionally or alternatively, the baseband processor 260 can reactivate the deactivated circuitry in response to the activation of the low-power operation by the second control signal CTR2, and process the baseband signal based on an algorithm appropriate for high performance.

[0044] The I / F circuit 250 can receive the third control signal CTR3 from the controller 280 and can selectively perform the low-power operation based on the third control signal CTR3. In some embodiments, in response to the third control signal CTR3 activating the low-power operation, the I / F circuit 250 can transmit or receive a signal with at least one bit, omitted from the digital signal D_SIG, through the at least one signal line 254. Additionally or alternatively, in response to the third control signal CTR3 deactivating the low-power operation, the I / F circuit 250 can transmit or receive the digital signal D_SIG without loss through the at least one signal line 254.

[0045] Referring to Fig. 3B, the UE 300 can include an antenna 320, a transceiver 340, a baseband processor 360, and a controller 380, and can further include an ADC 350. As in Fig. As shown in Figure 3B, the antenna 320 and the transceiver 340 can be collectively referred to as the front-end module FE, and the ADC 350, the baseband processor 360, and the controller 380 can be collectively referred to as the back-end module BE. The transceiver 340 can be described similarly to the transceiver 240. Fig. 3A, an LNA 342, a mixer 344, and an analog filter 346. Additionally or alternatively, the baseband processor 360 can transmit the status information S_INF and / or the connection information C_INF to the controller 380, and the controller 380 can transmit the first and second control signals CTR1 and CTR2, respectively, to the transceiver 340 and the baseband processor 360. Additionally or alternatively, the controller 380 can transmit the third control signal CTR3 to the ADC 350, and the ADC 350 can, as described above with reference to Fig. 3A describes a structure reconfigured by the third control signal CTR3.

[0046] If with the UE 200 from Fig. Compared to 3A, the transceiver 340 can output an analog signal A_SIG as the RX baseband signal RX_BB. Fig. 1 generate and the baseband processor 260 can use the digital signal D_SIG as the baseband signal RX_BB from Fig. 1 received. Additionally or alternatively, the analog signal A_SIG in the UE 300 can be received from Fig. 3B in contrast to the UE 200 from Fig. 3A, in which the digital signal D_SIG is transmitted from the front-end module FE to the back-end module BE. The transceiver 340 can transmit the analog signal A_SIG through at least one signal line 390, and the ADC 350 can generate the digital signal D_SIG by converting the analog signal A_SIG received through the at least one signal line 390.

[0047] The following are exemplary embodiments of the inventive concept, mainly with reference to EU 200. Fig. 3A described. However, the embodiments of the inventive concept are based on UE 300 from Fig. 3B and a unit with a structure that differs from units 200 and 300 Fig. 3A and Fig. 3B distinguishes, applicable.

[0048] Fig. Figure 4 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a wireless communication method according to one embodiment of the inventive concept. In some embodiments, the wireless communication method may consist of Fig. 4 from the UE 200 Fig. 3A will be carried out. As in Fig. As shown in section 4, the procedure for wireless communication can include a plurality of operations S10a, S20a, and S40a. The following section describes Fig. 4 with reference to Fig. 3A described and descriptions relating to Fig. The numbers 2 are repeated and omitted.

[0049] An operation to convert an analog signal to a digital signal can be performed (S10a). For example, the ADC 248 contained in the transceiver 240 can generate the digital signal D_SIG by converting an analog signal transmitted by the analog filter 246. The ADC 248 can have a resolution of N (N is an integer greater than 1), and the digital signal D_SIG can contain an N-bit signal. As above with reference to Fig. As described in 3A, the digital signal D_SIG can be derived from the RX baseband signal RX_BB. Fig. 1 corresponds.

[0050] An operation to generate the state information S_INF can be performed (S20a). For example, the baseband processor 260 can output the digital signal D_SIG', which is derived from the received baseband signal RX_BB. Fig. 1 corresponds to receiving and generating the status information S_INF by processing the digital signal D_SIG'. The baseband processor 260 can transmit the status information S_INF to the controller 280. An example of operation S20a will be given later with reference to Fig. 10 described.

[0051] An operation to set the number of effective bits of a digital signal can be performed (S40a). For example, the controller 280 can set an effective number of bits (ENOB) of a digital signal based on the state information S_INF transmitted by the baseband processor 260 by referencing the ENOB data D40. The ENOB can be described as an effective resolution of a digital signal and can be determined such that it provides a signal-to-quantization noise ratio (SQNR) equal to or greater than the SNR of a channel. For example, one bit of the digital signal may correspond approximately to 6.02 dB of the SQNR. Accordingly, the number of bits N of the digital signal can be used such that it is Z / 6.02 or greater to provide Z dB of the SQNR (where N ≥ ceil(Z / 6.02)).If the number of bits N of the digital signal increases, a higher SQNR can be obtained; however, increasing the number of bits N can cause an increase in costs, for example, an increase in area, increased power consumption, etc.

[0052] The controller 280 can generate the first to third control signals CTR1 to CTR3, thereby reducing the ENOB of the digital signal in the poor channel, while generating the first to third control signals CTR1 to CTR3 increases the ENOB of the digital signal in the good (or high-performance) channel. In some embodiments, the controller 280 can adjust the ENOB of the digital signal D_SIG, generated by the transceiver 240, using the first control signal CTR1. Additionally or alternatively, in some embodiments, the controller 280 can adjust the ENOB of the digital signal D_SIG', transmitted by the I / F circuit 250, using the third control signal CTR3. Additionally or alternatively, in some embodiments, the controller 280 can adjust the ENOB of the digital signal processed in the baseband signal 260 using the second control signal CTR2.Examples of operations in which the ENOB of the digital signal is set in response to the first to third control signals CTR1 to CTR3 transmitted by the controller 280 are given with reference to . Fig. 6 and the like.

[0053] The ENOB data D40 can contain the ENOB corresponding to the state information S_INF, and the controller 280 can reference it. In some embodiments, the ENOB data D40 can be stored in memory (for example, non-volatile memory). The ENOB data D40 can be accessed by the controller 280 and can be contained in the back-end module BE. Examples of ENOB data D40 are given below with reference to Fig. 5A and Fig. 5B described.

[0054] Fig. 5A and Fig. Figure 5B are diagrams that present examples of ENOB data D50a and D50b according to embodiments of the inventive concept. As above with reference to Fig. As described in section 4, the ENOB data can be used to set the ENOB of the digital signal based on the state information S_INF. The following sections describe how this can be done. Fig. 5A and Fig. 5B with reference to Fig. 3A is described and the digital signal is considered an N-bit signal.

[0055] Referring to Fig. 5A can contain the effective bit-count ENOB data D50a, a lookup table with the ENOB corresponding to the SINR. For example, in Fig. As shown in Figure 5A, the ENOB data D50a can contain three SINR ranges, defined by a first threshold X1 and a second threshold X2, which is greater than the first threshold X1, and three ENOBs M1, M2, and N, each corresponding to the same. The baseband processor 260 can calculate the channel's SINR based on that provided by the BS (for example, 10 from Fig. 1) Measure the transmitted reference signal, and the state information S_INF can contain the SINR. A good channel may have a high SINR, and communication may be based on high complexity. For example, a high modulation sequence scheme for high throughput in a good channel may have a high SINR. Additionally or alternatively, a poor channel may have a low SINR, and communication may be based on a low complexity scheme for reduced throughput in a poor channel. Accordingly, as in Fig. 5A shows that if the SINR increases, the ENOB can also increase (M1 <M2 <N).

[0056] Referring to Fig. 5B The ENOB data D50b can contain a lookup table with the ENOB corresponding to the CQI index. The CQI index may be included in the CSI transmitted by UE 200 to BS. Additionally or alternatively, the CQI index can be generated based on a CQI table. The CQI index may have a higher value for a better channel. As in Fig. As shown in Figure 5B, the ENOB data D50b can contain three CQI index ranges, defined by a first threshold Y1 and a second threshold Y2, which is greater than the first threshold Y1, and three ENOBs M1', M2', and N', each corresponding to the same. The baseband processor 260 can generate the CQI index based on the channel estimate and the CQI table, and the state information S_INF can contain the CQI index. A good channel can have a high CQI index, and the high CQI index can correspond to a high modulation order. Additionally or alternatively, a poor channel can have a low CQI index, and the low CQI index can correspond to a low modulation order. Accordingly, as shown in Fig. 5B shows that if the CQI index increases, the ENOB can also increase (M1'). <M2' <N).

[0057] In some embodiments, the ENOB data D40, unlike the representation in Fig. 5A and Fig. 5B contains a function with the state information S_INF as one argument and the ENOB as one output. Accordingly, the 280 controller can obtain the ENOB of the digital signal by supplying the function with the state information S_INF.

[0058] Fig. Figure 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a method for wireless communication according to an embodiment of the inventive concept. The flowchart is from Fig. Section 6 presents a method for implementing a reduced ENOB of a digital signal for low-power operation in operation S40a. Fig. 4. As in Fig. As shown in section 6, the method for wireless communication can be derived from Fig. 6. A plurality of operations S62, S64, and S66 are performed, and in some embodiments, a subset of the plurality of operations S62, S64, and S66 can be performed to reduce the ENOB. The following will Fig. 6 with reference to Fig. 3A described.

[0059] An operation to generate at least one least significant bit (LSB) of the digital signal can be omitted (S62). For example, the ADC 248 can omit an operation to generate at least one LSB of the digital signal D_SIG in response to the first control signal CTR1 activating the low-power operation. Accordingly, upper M-bits of N-bits of the digital signal D_SIG can have effective values ​​(1 <M <N) aufweisen. Dementsprechend kann die vom ADC 248 verbrauchte Leistung aufgrund der ausgelassenen Operation reduziert werden. Ein Auslassen der Operation zur Erzeugung des mindestens einen LSB des Digitalsignals D_SIG kann auf verschiedene Weisen abhängig von der Struktur des ADC 248 durchgeführt werden und ein Beispiel dazu wird später mit Bezug auf Fig. 7A and Fig. 7B described.

[0060] A transmission of at least one LSB of the digital signal D_SIG can be omitted (S64). For example, the I / F circuit 250 can transmit or receive the upper M-bits of the digital signal D_SIG by omitting the transmission and reception of at least one LSB of the digital signal D_SIG. Accordingly, the I / F circuit 250 can consume reduced power compared to that required for transmitting and receiving the N-bits of the digital signal D_SIG. An example of operation S64 will be given later with reference to Fig. 8 described.

[0061] The processing of at least one LSB of the digital signal D_SIG can be omitted (S66). For example, the baseband processor 260 can omit the processing of (NM) of the LSBs among the N bits of the digital signal D_SIG as the baseband signal in response to the second control signal CTR2 activating the low-power operation. In this case, the baseband signal may contain a signal received by the baseband processor 260 and an internal digital signal generated by the baseband processor 260. The power consumed by the baseband processor 260 can be reduced due to the omitted processing. An example of operation S66 will be given later with reference to Fig. 9A and Fig. 9B described.

[0062] Fig. 7A and Fig. 7B are diagrams that illustrate examples of an operation to reduce ENOB according to embodiments of the inventive concept. Fig. 7A and Fig. 7B are diagrams describing an operation in which the ENOBs are reduced in an ADC. As above with reference to Fig. As described in section 6, the ADC can omit an operation to generate at least one LSB of the digital signal D_SIG in response to a control signal activating the low-power operation. The following sections describe... Fig. 7A and Fig. 7B with reference to Fig. 3B described.

[0063] In some embodiments, the ADC 350, which generates the digital signal D_SIG by converting the analog signal A_SIG, can include a successive approximation (SAR) ADC. The SAR ADC can convert an analog signal into a digital signal based on a binary search and determine bits of the digital signal sequentially from the most significant bit (MSB) to the least significant bit (LSB). Fig. 7A and Fig. 7B is assumed to generate the 3-bit digital signal D_SIG from the analog signal A_SIG (N = 3).

[0064] Referring to Fig. 3A, the ADC 350 can generate the digital signal D_SIG by sequentially performing comparison operations three times in response to the third control signal CTR3 disabling low power consumption, with a value of "101", which corresponds to the analog signal A_SIG. Referring to Fig. In addition to or as an alternative, the ADC 350 can omit the LSB generation operation in response to the third control signal, CTR3, activating the low-power operation. Accordingly, the ADC 350 can, as described in Fig. As shown in Figure 3B, two comparison operations are performed, generating the digital signal D_SIG with a value of "100" or "101". Accordingly, the ADC 350 can consume reduced power due to the omitted comparison operations. Additionally or alternatively, in some embodiments, the ADC 350 can generate the digital signal D_SIG early in response to the third control signal CTR3 activating the low-power operation, and the power consumption can be reduced due to a shorter operating time of the ADC 350.

[0065] Fig. Figure 8 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a method for wireless communication according to an embodiment of the inventive concept. The flowchart from Fig. 8 is a flowchart that shows an example of operation S64 from Fig. 6 represents. As above with reference to Fig. As described in section 6, the I / F circuit can be made from 250 Fig. 3A in Operation S64' off Fig. 8. Omit a transmission of at least one LSB of the digital signal D_SIG in response to the third control signal CTR3 activating the low-power operation. As in Fig. As shown in 8, operation S64' can contain a plurality of operations S64_1, S64_3, S64_5, S64_7 and S64_9 and Fig. 8 is referred to below. Fig. 3A and Fig. 6 described.

[0066] The removal of at least one LSB of the digital signal D_SIG from N bits can be performed (S64_1). For example, the TX circuit 252 of the I / F circuit 250 (MN) can remove (or discard) the LSBs of the N bits of the digital signal D_SIG transmitted by the transceiver 240. Accordingly, an M-bit signal can be generated. In some embodiments, the TX circuit 252 can remove the (MN) of the LSBs based on rounding.

[0067] An operation to transmit an M-bit signal through the at least one signal line 254 can be performed (S64_3). For example, the TX circuit 252 can convert the M-bit signal for high-speed transmission and transmit the converted signal through the at least one signal line 254. Accordingly, power consumption can be reduced by transmitting M bits instead of N bits of the digital signal D_SIG. In some embodiments, the TX circuit 252 can transmit a packet containing the M-bit signal and a data header through the at least one signal line 254.

[0068] An operation to receive the M-bit signal through the at least one signal line 254 can be performed (S64_5). For example, the RX circuit 256 can receive the converted signal for high-speed transmission through the at least one signal line 254 and obtain the M-bit signal by converting the received signal. In some embodiments, the RX circuit 256 can receive the packet and obtain the M-bit signal by removing the data header from the packet.

[0069] An operation to concatenate at least one bit into the M-bit signal can be performed (S64_7). For example, the RX circuit 256 can generate the digital signal D_SIG' of N bits by concatenating (NM) bits into the M-bit signal. In some embodiments, the (NM) bits can have values ​​such as zeros or ones. Consequently, the digital signal D_SIG' generated by the RX circuit 256 can correspond to a version in which some embodiments have been lost in the digital signal D_SIG generated by the transceiver 240.

[0070] An operation to transmit an N-bit signal to the baseband processor 260 can be performed (S64_9). For example, the RX circuit 256 can transmit the N-bit digital signal D_SIG' generated in operation S64_7 to the baseband processor 260, and the baseband processor 260 can process the digital signal D_SIG'.

[0071] Fig. 9A and Fig. 9B are block diagrams illustrating an operation for reducing the ENOBs according to exemplary embodiments of the inventive concept. The block diagrams from Fig. 9A and Fig. 9B, as examples of operation S66 from Fig. Section 6 presents examples of the baseband processor for an operation to omit a process of at least one LSB of the baseband signal in response to the second control signal, CTR2, activating the low-power operation. The following sections describe Fig. 9A and Fig. 9B with reference to Fig. 3B described and descriptions relating to Fig. 9A and Fig. 9B (repeat, omitted).

[0072] Referring to Fig. 9A A baseband processor 400 can contain a first to Nth processing circuit CKT_1 to CKT_N for processing an N-bit input signal IN[N:1]. The N-bit input signal IN[N:1], as a baseband signal, can be the digital signals D_SIG' transmitted to the baseband processor 400 or can be internal signals generated by the baseband processor 400 in the processing of the digital signals D_SIG'. As in Fig. As shown in Figure 9A, all of the first to Nth processing circuits, CKT_1 to CKT_N, can process each bit of an N-bit input signal IN[IN:1] and generate an N-bit output signal OUT[N:1]. Additionally or alternatively, the first to Nth processing circuits, CKT_1 to CKT_N, can operate synchronously to a clock signal CLK.

[0073] The baseband processor 400 can further include a clock gate circuit 420, which executes gate clock signals that are transmitted to the processing circuits handling (NM) of LSBs of the N-bit input signal IN[N:1] in response to the second control signal CTR2 activating low power consumption. The j-th to N-th processing circuits CKT_j to CKT_N can, independently of the second control signal CTR2 (j = N-M+1), generate an M-bit output signal OUT[N:M-M+1] by processing each bit of an M-bit input signal IN[N:N-M+1]. Additionally or alternatively, if the second control signal CTR2 activates the low-power operation, (NM) processing circuits, i.e., the first to i-th processing circuit CKT_1 to CKT_i, can generate an (NM)-bit output signal OUT[NM:1] by processing each bit of an (MN)-bit input signal IN[NM:1] (i = NM).Accordingly, the dynamic power consumed by the first to i-th processing circuits CKT_1 to CKT_i can be removed. As a result, the (NM)-bit output signal OUT[NM:1] can have values ​​(for example, values ​​before the clock gates).

[0074] Referring to Fig. 9B The baseband processor 500 can include a padding circuit 520 for setting (NM) the LSBs of N-bit signals SIG[N:1], i.e., (NM)-bit signals SIG[NM:1] at values, in response to the second control signal CTR2 activating the low-power operation. For example, the padding circuit 520 can, as in Fig. Figure 9B shows the padding of zeros into an (NM) bit signal SIG'[NM:1] in response to the second control signal CTR2 activating the low-power operation. Consequently, subsequent operations on the (NM) bits in the 500 baseband processor can be reduced or omitted. As a result, power consumption can be reduced.

[0075] Fig. Figure 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a method for wireless communication according to an embodiment of the inventive concept. The flowchart from Fig. 10 is a flowchart that shows an example of operation S20a from Fig. 4 represents. As above with reference to Fig. As described in section 4, an operation to generate the state information S_INF can be performed (S20a'). As described in Fig. As shown in Figure 10, operation S20a' can contain a plurality of operations S22a, S24a, and S26a. In some embodiments, operation S20a' can be derived from UE 100. Fig. 1. be carried out and Fig. 10 is mentioned below with reference to Fig. 1 explained.

[0076] An operation to determine whether a cycle has been reached can be performed (S22a). A channel between the BS 10 and the UE 100 can change due to various causes. For example, if the UE 100 moves from a cell boundary to the cell's center, the channel may gradually have a better state; however, if the UE 100 moves from the cell's center to its boundary, the channel may gradually have a worse state. The state information S_INF, generated based on a digital signal with a reduced ENOB for the low-power operation, may not accurately represent a channel's changing state due to the reduced ENOB. For example, if the channel state changes rapidly to a good state, even though high throughput is possible, the reduced ENOB may lead to the channel state being estimated as poor.Accordingly, in some embodiments, the state information S_INF can be generated based on a high ENOB (for example, the maximum ENOB) of a digital signal for cycles. As in . Fig. As shown in Figure 10, operation S24a can then be performed once the cycle is complete.

[0077] An operation to determine the maximum ENOB of the digital signal can be performed (S24a). For example, the baseband processor 160 can transmit the start of a cycle to the controller 180, and the controller 180 can generate the first and second control signals CTR1 and CTR2, thus maximizing the ENOB of the digital signal. Additionally or alternatively, the controller 180 can determine the start of the cycle and generate the first and second control signals CTR1 and CTR2, thus maximizing the ENOB of the digital signal.

[0078] An operation to generate the state information S_INF can be performed (S26a). For example, the baseband processor 160 can estimate a channel by processing the RX baseband signal RX_BB and generate the state information S_INF based on the estimated channel. Accordingly, the channel state can be estimated in a state where the ENOB of the digital signal is not limited. In some embodiments, the baseband processor 160 can generate state information S_INF in response to the second control signal CTR2 generated by the controller 180, thus maximizing the ENOB of the digital signal.

[0079] Fig. Figure 11 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a method for wireless communication according to an embodiment of the inventive concept. The flowchart from Fig. 11 is a flowchart that shows an example of operation S40a from Fig. 4 represents. As above with reference to Fig. As described in section 4, the operation for setting the ENOB of the digital signal can be performed in operation S40a'. Fig. 11 will be carried out. As in Fig. As shown in Figure 11, operation S40a' can contain a plurality of operations S42, S44, and S46. In some embodiments, operation S40a' can be performed from controller 180. Fig. 1. be carried out and Fig. 11 is referred to below. Fig. 1 explained.

[0080] An operation to preserve the ENOB corresponding to the canal condition can be performed (S42). As above with reference to Fig. As described in section 4, the controller 180 can, for example, obtain the ENOB corresponding to the channel state contained in the state information S_INF with reference to the ENOB data D40. As above with reference to Fig. 5A and Fig. As described in section 5B, the ENOB can be reduced if the canal condition is worse.

[0081] An operation to add the obtained ENOB and at least one additional number of bits can be performed (S44). As above with reference to Fig. As described in section 10, the channel between BS 10 and UE 100 can be changed. Accordingly, the state information S_INF may not be exact for the low-power operation due to the set ENOB. Therefore, controller 180 can apply a margin to account for changes in the channel state by adding at least one additional number of bits to the ENOB corresponding to the channel state for the low-power operation. Next, an operation to generate a control signal can be performed (S46). For example, controller 180 can generate control signals, such as the first and second control signals CTR1 and CTR2, based on the ENOB calculated in operation S44.

[0082] Fig. Figure 12 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a method for wireless communication according to an embodiment of the inventive concept. The flowchart from Fig. Figure 12 presents an example of a low-power operation performed in a baseband processor. In some embodiments, the method can be derived from Fig. 12 in the UE 100 from Fig. 1. be carried out and Fig. 12 is referred to below. Fig. 1 explained.

[0083] An operation to select an algorithm based on the channel state can be performed (S40b). In some embodiments, the baseband processor 160 can implement a plurality of mutually interchangeable algorithms. The plurality of algorithms can have varying levels of complexity, performance, and power consumption. For example, the baseband processor 160 can perform demodulation of the baseband signal based on a linear minimum mean square error (LMMSE) algorithm and a least squares (LS) algorithm. Additionally or alternatively, the baseband processor 160 can perform decoding of the baseband signal based on a list decoding algorithm and a normal decoding algorithm.Additionally or alternatively, the Baseband Processor 160 can perform multiple input / multiple output (MIMO) capture based on a maximum probability (ML) algorithm, a fitted filter (MF) algorithm, or a minimum mean squares error (MMSE) algorithm. The LMMSE, list decoding, and ML algorithms described above can provide relatively high performance but also incur relatively high power consumption. Additionally or alternatively, the previously mentioned LS algorithm, the standard decoding algorithm, and the MF (or MMSE) algorithm can provide relatively low performance but low power consumption.

[0084] The baseband processor 160 can select an algorithm offering relatively low performance and low power consumption from a plurality of algorithms in response to the second control signal CTR2 activating the low-power operation. Additionally or alternatively, the baseband processor 160 can select an algorithm offering relatively high performance and high power consumption from a plurality of algorithms in response to the second control signal CTR2 deactivating the low-power operation. Additionally or alternatively, in some embodiments, the baseband processor 160 can reduce the number of nearby constellation points in a modulation based on the machine learning algorithm in response to the second control signal CTR2 activating the low-power operation.

[0085] An operation to process the baseband signal based on the selected algorithm can be performed (S80b). For example, the baseband processor 160 can demodulate and / or decode the baseband signal based on the algorithm selected in operation S40b.

[0086] Fig. Figure 13 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a method for wireless communication according to one embodiment of the inventive concept. In some embodiments, the method can be derived from Fig. 13 from the back-end module BE Fig. 1. As in Fig. As shown in 13, the method for wireless communication can be derived from Fig. 13 operations S10 and S30 are included and Fig. 13 is referred to below. Fig. 1 described and among the descriptions with reference to Fig. 13. These are the descriptions that relate to Fig. Repeat 2, omitted.

[0087] An operation to generate the connection information C_INF for a wireless communication connection can be performed (S10). For example, the Baseband Processor 160 can generate the connection information C_INF for the connection between the BS 10 and the UE 100 by processing the baseband signal. The UE 100 can have various connection states depending on the circumstances, such as connected, idle, DRX, first access, or similar, and the Baseband Processor 160 can generate the connection information C_INF based on the connection state.

[0088] The wireless communication system 5 can define a signal processing method of varying complexity depending on the connection state. For example, the wireless communication system 5 can define a connected state that does not require high throughput (e.g., calling), the idle state, the DRX state, a low-complexity signal processing method in the first connected state (e.g., a low modulation sequence), etc. In the connection state to which the low-complexity signal processing method is applied, the power transmitted by the transceiver 140 and / or baseband processor 160 may be excessive. Accordingly, the connection information C_INF, which specifies the connection, can be used to determine whether the low-power operation is enabled.

[0089] An operation to activate the low-power operation with low processing complexity can be performed (S30). For example, controller 180 can activate the low-power operation with a first processing complexity lower than a second processing complexity, based on the connection information C_INF transmitted by baseband processor 160. As above with reference to Fig. As described in section 6 and the like, the controller 180, in the first processing complexity, which is lower than the second processing complexity, can generate the first and second control signals CTR1 and CTR2, thus reducing the ENOB of the digital signal. In some embodiments, one of the multiple low-power operations, corresponding to different power consumptions, can be selected based on the connection state specified by the connection information C_INF, and the selected low-power operation can be activated.

[0090] Fig. Figure 14 is a block diagram representing a data processor 600 according to one embodiment. In some embodiments, the data processor 600 can be made of Fig. 14 in the back-end module BE from Fig. 1 must be included and the baseband processor 160 and / or the controller 180 from Fig. 1 can be implemented in the data processor 600. The following will be discussed. Fig. 14 with reference to Fig. 1 described.

[0091] As in Fig. As shown in Figure 14, the data processor 600 can include an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) 610, an application-specific instruction set processor (ASIP) 630, a memory 650, a main processor 670, and a main memory 690. In some embodiments, two or more of the ASIC 610, the ASIP 630, and the main processor 670 can communicate with each other. Furthermore, in some embodiments, at least two or more of the ASIC 610, the ASIP 630, the memory 650, the main processor 670, and the main memory 690 can be embedded in a single chip.

[0092] The ASIP 630 can be a custom-designed integrated circuit for a specific use, supporting a dedicated instruction set for a particular application and executing instructions contained in that dedicated instruction set. The Memory 650, as non-volatile memory, can communicate with the ASIP 630 and can store a plurality of instructions executed by the ASIP 630. For example, the Memory 650 can contain any type of memory accessible to the ASIP 630, such as, but not limited to, random-access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), tape, magnetic disk, image disk, volatile memory, non-volatile memory, and a combination thereof. In some embodiments, the Memory 650 can store the ENOB data D40, as described above. Fig. 4, Fig. 5A, Fig. 5B and the like are described.

[0093] The main processor 670 can control a communication device, such as the UE 100, by executing a plurality of instructions. For example, the main processor 670 can control the ASIC 610 and the ASIP 630 and can also process user input into the UE 100. The main memory 690 can communicate with the main processor 670 and contain any type of memory that the main processor 670 can access. In some embodiments, the main memory 690, as a persistent storage device, can store a plurality of instructions executed by the main processor 670.

[0094] In some embodiments, at least part of the method for controlling power consumption during wireless communication can be performed by at least one of the components in the data processor 600. Fig. 14 components are included. For example, at least some of the operations of the baseband processor 160 and / or the controller 180 can be performed from Fig. 1. The method for controlling power consumption during wireless communication can be implemented as a plurality of instructions stored in memory 650, and the ASIP 630 can perform at least one of the operations of the method for controlling power consumption during wireless communication by executing the plurality of instructions stored in memory 650. In some embodiments, at least one of the operations of the method for controlling power consumption during wireless communication can be performed by a hardware block developed by logic synthesis, etc., and such a hardware block can be included in the ASIC 610. In some embodiments, at least one of the operations of the method for controlling power consumption during wireless communication can be implemented as a plurality of instructions stored in main memory 690.The main processor 670 can perform at least one of the operations of the procedure for controlling power consumption during wireless communication by executing the majority of instructions stored in the main memory 690.

[0095] Fig. Figure 15 is a block diagram representing a UE 700 according to an embodiment of the inventive concept. As in Fig. As shown in Figure 15, the UE 700 can contain a first to fourth RF module (710 to 740) as the front-end module (FE) and can contain an intermediate frequency (IF) module (750) and a data processor (760) as the back-end module (BE). If the UE 100 is used... Fig. Compared to 1, the UE 700 can Fig. 15 exhibit the IF signal between the RF signal and the baseband signal.

[0096] Each of the first four RF modules, 710 to 740, can contain an antenna and a transceiver and can communicate with the IF module 750. For example, in Fig. As shown in Figure 15, the first to fourth RF modules 710 to 740 can transmit or receive a first to fourth IF signal IF1 to IF4 with the IF module 750. The transceivers contained in each of the first to fourth RF modules 710 to 740 can include a mixer that generates the RF signal by up-converting the IF signal and a mixer that generates the IF signal by down-converting the RF signal.

[0097] The IF module 750 can generate the baseband signal BB by processing the first four IF signals IF1 to IF4, and vice versa. The IF module 750 can include a mixer for step-down conversion of the first four IF signals IF1 to IF4 and a mixer for step-up conversion of the baseband signal BB.

[0098] The 760 data processor can process the baseband signal BB. As in Fig. As shown in Figure 15, in some embodiments the data processor 760 can combine the baseband processor 160 and the controller 180. Fig. 1 and can generate a first to fifth control signal CTR11 to CTR15 to activate or deactivate the low-power operation based on the state information S_INF and the connection information C_INF. As in Fig. As shown in Figure 15, the first to fourth RF modules 710 to 740 can each receive the first to fourth control signals CTR11 to CTR14 and can each perform the low-power operations based on the first to fourth control signals CTR11 to CTR15. Additionally or alternatively, the IF module 750 can receive the fifth control signal CTR15 and perform the low-power operation based on the fifth control signal CTR15, which activates the low-power operation.

[0099] Although the inventive concept has been shown and described in particular with reference to embodiments thereof, it is understood that various changes in form and details may be made therein without deviating from the spirit and scope of the following claims.

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