DC-DC Converter Timing Offset Calibration for Quiet Receiver Sampling
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Solution Overview
Problem
The co-location of DC-DC converters, transmitter elements, and receiver paths in applications like NFC and RFID readers results in significant noise interference due to the disparity in transmit and receive signal strengths, affecting receiver performance.
Innovation Solution
A controller performs a calibration process to select an optimal time offset for the DC-DC converter's switching schedule and the receiver path's sampling schedule based on noise measurements, minimizing interference by aligning or misaligning the DC-DC converter's switch edges with the receiver's sampling periods.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If a DC-DC converter, transmitter element and receiver path are co-located on the same die to reduce device size and improve integration, then device integration and compactness are improved, but noise interference in the receiver path increases due to the large transmit power and switching noise from the DC-DC converter
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the time offset between DC-DC converter switching schedule and receiver path sampling schedule adjustable rather than fixed. The controller dynamically selects from multiple candidate offset settings to optimize the temporal separation between noise-generating switching events and sensitive sampling periods, thereby reducing noise interference while maintaining co-location benefits
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the temporal parameter (time offset) between the switching schedule of the DC-DC converter and the sampling schedule of the receiver path. By acquiring noise measurements for different candidate offset settings and selecting the optimal one, the system adjusts the timing parameter to minimize noise impact on the receiver path while keeping all components co-located
2Power
If the DC-DC converter operates with high switching power to support large transmit power requirements in NFC/RFID applications, then transmitter performance is improved, but noise measurement in the receiver path deteriorates due to increased electromagnetic interference
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing a calibration process before normal operation to establish the optimal time offset setting. The controller acquires noise measurements for multiple candidate offset settings and selects the best one in advance, so that during subsequent high-power transmission operations, the receiver path is already optimized to minimize noise interference from the DC-DC converter switching
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses feedback by measuring the actual noise level in the receiver path for different candidate offset settings and using these measurements to select the optimal setting. The noise detector provides feedback information about the noise impact of each timing configuration, allowing the controller to make an informed decision about the best offset setting to minimize interference during high-power operation
Data Source
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AI summary
An apparatus comprising: a transmitter; a DC-DC converter configured to generate, based on a switching schedule, an output voltage for said transmitter element; a receiver path to sample a received signal based on a sampling schedule; a noise detector to measure receiver path noise; a controller to perform a calibration process comprising: acquire a first measurement of receiver path noise for a first candidate offset setting, wherein the first candidate offset setting defines a first time offset applied to default timing of one of the switching schedule and the sampling schedule; acquire a second measurement of receiver path noise for a second candidate offset setting that defines a second, different, time offset applied to default timing of the switching schedule and the sampling schedule; and select, for use in sampling the received signal, one of the first or second candidate offset setting based on a noise-based criteria.