Current-Steering Digital Transmitter with Encoder-Based Power Gating
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current digital transmitters face challenges in reducing power consumption while maintaining linearity and chip area efficiency, particularly with current-steering digital transmitters that experience issues like signed LO feedthrough, duty cycle errors, and non-linearity, especially for signals with high peak-to-average power ratios.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a two-bit encoding scheme for up-conversion that selectively disables current steering circuitries based on input data, using a fourth state to power down units during low signal amplitudes, allowing for reduced power consumption without compromising performance or increasing chip area.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If current-steering digital transmitters use offset binary encoding, then chip area is reduced and linearity is maintained, but power consumption is not reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the current-steering circuitry selectively activatable/deactivatable based on input data conditions. The encoder generates control signals that dynamically enable or disable specific current-steering units, allowing the system to adapt its power consumption to the actual signal requirements while maintaining the compact digital architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operational state parameter of the current-steering circuitry from always-on to selectively on/off based on the encoded input data. By using the encoder to generate control signals that switch between different operational states (active/inactive), the system achieves power reduction without sacrificing the linearity and area efficiency of the digital architecture.
2Use of energy by moving object
If current-steering digital transmitters use sign-magnitude implementations with global sign-based LO multiplexing, then power consumption may be reduced, but timing closure becomes difficult and LO feedthrough and duty cycle errors occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the LO signal processing into separate quadrants using the encoder, with each quadrant having dedicated current-steering circuitry. This segmentation eliminates the need for global sign-based LO multiplexing, avoiding timing closure issues and LO feedthrough problems while allowing selective power reduction in inactive quadrants.
Solution Approach 2:
The encoder acts as an intermediary between the input data and the current-steering circuitry, generating control signals that coordinate the operation of different quadrants. This intermediary mechanism ensures proper timing and signal integrity while enabling power reduction, replacing the problematic global sign-based multiplexing approach.
3Use of energy by moving object
If analog transmitters are used, then power consumption is high, but they occupy large chip area
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the analog mechanical continuous signal processing system with a digital logic-based system using encoders and selective current-steering. This substitution maintains the benefits of analog transmitters (power efficiency) while achieving the area efficiency of digital circuits through binary-encoded control of compact current-steering units.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein are related to systems and methods for selectively disabling current steering circuitries. In one aspect, the system includes a balun including a first inductor and a second inductor, a first current steering circuit coupled to the first inductor, a second current steering circuit coupled to the first inductor, and a controller coupled to the first current steering circuit and the second current steering circuit. In one aspect, the controller is configured to, based on input data having a first state, apply a first signal and a second signal having a first level to the first current steering circuit and a third signal and a fourth signal having the first level to the second current steering circuit to disable a first current through the second inductor, a second current through the first current steering circuit, and a third current through the second current steering circuit.