Adjustable LO Buffer and Mixer Sizing for Linearity-Power Tradeoffs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional communication receivers have fixed sizes for local oscillator buffers and mixers, which do not adapt to varying receiver requirements, leading to suboptimal performance in terms of linearity and power consumption.
Innovation Solution
The solution involves dynamically adjusting the sizes of local oscillator buffers and mixers based on the receiver's gain mode, allowing for selectable sizes to optimize performance and reduce power consumption by enabling or disabling signal paths and configuring transistor sizes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a larger mixer size is employed to improve receiver linearity, then linearity is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic adjustment of mixer and LO buffer sizes based on receiver operating conditions. The mixer size is changed by reconfiguring transistor connections and sizes, while the LO buffer size is adjusted by enabling or disabling parallel buffer paths, allowing the system to adapt between linearity and power consumption requirements in real-time
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes physical parameters of the mixer and LO buffer by adjusting transistor sizes and connection configurations. The mixer size parameter is modified by changing the effective transistor area through switching arrangements, and the LO buffer size is changed by altering the parallel combination of buffer transistors, enabling optimization of linearity versus power consumption
2Reliability
If a larger LO buffer size is employed to support a larger mixer, then mixer linearity is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The LO buffer implements dynamic size adjustment by switching between different parallel buffer paths. When high linearity is required, both parallel LO buffer paths are enabled providing larger buffer capacity. When power consumption is the concern, one path is disabled reducing the active buffer size while maintaining sufficient performance
Solution Approach 2:
The LO buffer is segmented into multiple parallel buffer paths that can be independently controlled. This segmentation allows the buffer to be divided into smaller operational units that can be selectively activated, providing flexibility in matching buffer size to actual load requirements without committing to a fixed large size
3Device complexity
If fixed sizes are used for LO buffer and mixer, then device complexity is reduced, but adaptability to varying receiver requirements is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The system achieves adaptability through dynamic reconfiguration of the mixer and LO buffer sizes based on receiver gain mode and signal conditions. Control logic automatically adjusts the component sizes without requiring manual intervention or complex external control circuits, maintaining relatively simple device architecture while providing adaptive performance
Solution Approach 2:
The mixer and LO buffer are designed with multi-functionality to operate in different size configurations within the same hardware structure. The same physical components can be reconfigured to provide different effective sizes, making the system universally applicable to various receiver requirements without needing separate dedicated circuits for each operating condition
Data Source
AI summary
Selectable sizes for a local oscillator (LO) buffer and mixer are disclosed. In an embodiment, LO buffer and/or mixer size may be increased when a receiver operates in a high gain mode, while LO buffer and/or mixer size may be decreased when the receiver operates in a low gain mode. In an embodiment, LO buffer and mixer sizes are increased and decreased in lock step. Circuit topologies and control schemes for specific embodiments of LO buffers and mixers having adjustable size are disclosed.