Radio-Frequency Front-End Circuit With Blocker-Aware Resolution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Radio-frequency receiver circuits in mobile devices face increased power consumption due to signal blockers, which are not always present, leading to inefficient thermal management and reduced battery life.
Innovation Solution
A control circuit adjusts the resolution of analog-to-digital converter and filter circuits based on the presence of signal blockers, switching to high-power mode when blockers are detected and low-power mode when they are not, thereby optimizing power consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the resolution of analog-to-digital converter and filter circuits is increased to handle signal blockers, then signal reception reliability is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic adjustment of circuit resolution by switching between first and second resolutions based on the presence of signal blockers. The control circuit monitors for signal blockers and dynamically changes the resolution of the analog-to-digital converter and filter circuits from a first resolution to a second resolution when blockers are detected, and vice versa when they are not present. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction by only using high resolution (and high power) when actually needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operational parameters (resolution settings) of the analog-to-digital converter and filter circuits based on detected conditions. By switching between different resolution parameters depending on whether signal blockers are present, the system optimizes the balance between signal reception reliability and power consumption, using high resolution only when signal blockers require it.
2Measurement precision
If high-resolution mode is used continuously to ensure signal quality, then measurement precision is improved, but energy loss increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system periodically monitors for signal blockers and switches between resolution modes accordingly. Rather than continuously operating at high resolution, the control circuit periodically assesses the signal environment and adjusts the resolution of the analog-to-digital converter and filter circuits, using high-resolution mode only during periods when signal blockers are detected and low-resolution mode when they are absent, thereby reducing overall energy loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The operational parameter (resolution) of the signal processing circuits is changed based on the presence or absence of signal blockers. The control circuit switches between a first resolution and a second resolution, using high measurement precision only when signal blockers require it, and reducing precision (and energy consumption) when blockers are not present, thus minimizing energy loss while maintaining adequate measurement precision.
3Reliability
If circuit resolution is increased to overcome signal blockers, then reliability is improved, but thermal management difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic switching between different resolution modes based on the presence of signal blockers. By only activating high-resolution mode when signal blockers are detected, the system reduces the duration and intensity of high-power operation, thereby generating less heat overall and making thermal management easier while maintaining signal reception reliability when needed.
Data Source
AI summary
A front-end circuit for a radio-frequency receiver circuit in a computer system is disclosed. The front-end circuit may include an analog-to-digital converter circuit that samples a received input signal to generate a stream of samples. The front-end circuit may also include a filter circuit that digitally filters the stream of samples to generate output data. A control circuit included in the front-end circuit may analyze the stream of samples to detect the presence of a blocker of the input signal and adjust the resolution of the analog-to-digital converter circuit and the filter circuit based on whether or not the input signal is blocked.