Complex-Signal Digital Filtering for Lower Power and Heat

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing digital filters require high power consumption and generate significant heat during filter processing due to the processing of complex signals and their conjugates in the frequency domain.

Innovation Solution

A digital filter circuit that includes a separation unit, a signal selection unit, and two filter units, which selectively processes complex signals with different signal amplitudes using distinct filter coefficients to reduce power consumption and heat generation by optimizing the filter processing modes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If filter processing is performed on both the second complex signal and its complex conjugate third complex signal, then the filter processing is complete and accurate, but power consumption and heat generation become large

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefilter processing completenessVSAvoidpower consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and processes only the necessary signal components. By separating the complex signal into second and third complex signals and selectively processing only one of them through the filter, the system removes the redundant processing of the complex conjugate signal while maintaining filter processing completeness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent discards the redundant processing of the third complex signal (complex conjugate of the second complex signal) while recovering the necessary filtering function by processing only the second complex signal. This eliminates unnecessary power consumption while maintaining the essential filter processing capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #34Discarding and recovering

2Reliability

If filter processing is performed on both the second complex signal and its complex conjugate third complex signal, then the filter processing is complete and accurate, but heat generation becomes large

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefilter processing completenessVSAvoidheat generation
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and processes only the necessary signal components. By separating the complex signal into second and third complex signals and selectively processing only one of them through the filter, the system removes the redundant processing of the complex conjugate signal while maintaining filter processing completeness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent discards the redundant processing of the third complex signal (complex conjugate of the second complex signal) while recovering the necessary filtering function by processing only the second complex signal. This eliminates unnecessary heat generation while maintaining the essential filter processing capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #34Discarding and recovering

3Device complexity

If complex signals with different signal amplitudes are processed uniformly, then the processing is simple, but power consumption and heat generation increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprocessing complexityVSAvoidpower consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies different processing approaches to different signal components based on their local characteristics. By identifying that the third complex signal is a complex conjugate and has predetermined signal amplitude, the system applies a different (reduced) processing approach to this specific component while maintaining full processing for the second complex signal.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces dynamic signal selection capability that allows the system to adaptively choose which signal components require full filter processing. The signal selection unit dynamically determines whether to process the second or third complex signal based on signal characteristics, enabling flexible power consumption management while maintaining processing quality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP3386103B1Digital filter, filter processing method, and recording medium
Publication Date: 2024.02.07 NEC CORP
  • EP3386103B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3386103B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3386103B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present invention addresses the problem of increasing the likelihood of making it possible to reduce the consumption of power necessary for filter processing and the amount of heat generated during filter processing. In order to overcome this problem, a second complex signal and a third complex signal are generated from a first complex signal in a frequency domain, the third complex signal being a complex conjugate of the second complex signal. Signal selection is performed from the plurality of types of complex signals having different amounts of change in signal amplitude. Processing is performed on the complex signal selected as the signal using a first filter coefficient and a second filter coefficient. The complex signals after filter processing are synthesized to generate a complex signal, which is then outputted.