Auxiliary Receiver AGC Support for Wireless Power Saving
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Solution Overview
Problem
In wireless receivers, particularly in User Equipment (UE) for cellular communications, the need to perform Automatic Gain Control (AGC) based on network reference signals reduces battery life due to the UE waking up from sleep state to receive these signals, especially in 5G New Radio networks where reference signals are not transmitted in every subframe, leading to inefficient energy consumption.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating an auxiliary receiver with lower power consumption to monitor periodic reference signals and provide power information to the main receiver's AGC circuitry, allowing the main receiver to skip waking up for AGC tuning, thus reducing overall power consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the UE wakes up from sleep state to receive reference signals for AGC tuning, then the receiver can perform automatic gain control to ensure optimal signal processing, but the battery life is reduced due to increased wake-up frequency
Solution Approach 1:
The receiver is divided into two independent parts: a main receiver for processing paging information and an auxiliary receiver for monitoring reference signals. This segmentation allows each component to operate independently with different power consumption characteristics, resolving the contradiction between maintaining signal processing quality and extending battery life.
Solution Approach 2:
The auxiliary receiver acts as an intermediary that performs AGC tuning using reference signals before the main receiver needs to process paging information. This intermediary component enables the main receiver to wake up only when necessary for paging, significantly reducing overall power consumption while maintaining signal processing reliability.
2Reliability
If the receiver wakes up from sleep state to receive reference signals, then AGC can be performed, but the time spent in sleep state is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the receiver into main and auxiliary components, the auxiliary receiver assumes the responsibility of monitoring reference signals and performing AGC tuning during sleep state, allowing the main receiver to remain asleep longer and reducing the frequency and duration of wake-ups.
Solution Approach 2:
The auxiliary receiver performs preliminary AGC tuning using reference signals before the main receiver needs to wake up for paging information. This preliminary action ensures that when the main receiver does wake up, it can immediately begin processing without needing to perform AGC setup, thereby reducing the effective sleep time loss.
3Reliability
If additional reference signals are broadcast by the network for AGC tuning, then the UE can perform AGC without waking up, but the energy efficiency on the network side is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The UE's auxiliary receiver performs self-service by autonomously monitoring reference signals and performing AGC tuning without requiring network intervention. This self-service capability allows the UE to maintain AGC functionality using existing network transmissions, avoiding the need for the network to broadcast additional reference signals and thereby preserving network energy efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
A wireless device comprising at least one antenna is provided. The wireless devices further comprises a main receiver, having first automatic gain control circuitry for controlling a gain applied to signals received by way of the antenna. The wireless device further comprises an auxiliary receiver, configured to monitor a power of a periodic reference signal received by way of the antenna, and further configured to send power information to the main receiver. The main receiver is configured, on waking up, to use the power information received from the auxiliary receiver to assist in operation of the first automatic gain control circuitry.