Digitally Controlled Grounded Inductor Simulation Circuits

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Solution Overview

Problem

Implementing inductors in fully integrated circuit (IC) technology is challenging due to large area consumption and high loss in spiral inductors, necessitating the development of active circuits for simulating grounded inductors.

Innovation Solution

The development of digitally controlled grounded inductor simulation circuits using OP-AMPs, digitally controlled current amplifiers, voltage buffers, resistors, and capacitors, allowing for programmable adjustment of equivalent inductance values.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If spiral inductors are used in fully integrated circuit technology, then inductance function is achieved, but large area is consumed and loss increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinductance functionVSAvoidchip area

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses active circuits to create an electrical equivalent model that copies the impedance characteristics of a physical inductor. The simulator circuit reproduces the inductive behavior (jωL) across the frequency range without requiring actual magnetic components, thus achieving the inductance function while occupying minimal chip area.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical/magnetic physical inductor structure with an electronic circuit implementation using operational amplifiers, resistors, and capacitors. This substitution eliminates the need for magnetic fields and physical coil structures, replacing them with electronic signal processing that achieves the same electrical function with much smaller footprint.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Reliability

If spiral inductors are used in fully integrated circuit technology, then inductance function is achieved, but loss increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinductance functionVSAvoidinductor loss

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The simulator circuit copies the ideal inductive impedance characteristic (jωL) through active electronic components rather than physical magnetic structures. This electronic copying approach avoids the inherent resistive losses and magnetic core losses that plague physical spiral inductors, achieving high-Q inductive behavior without energy dissipation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the fundamental parameters of inductor realization by transitioning from passive magnetic components to active electronic circuits. By using operational amplifiers with high gain and low output impedance, the circuit achieves parameter values (quality factor Q, equivalent series resistance) that are superior to physical inductors, effectively eliminating the loss problem.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Adaptability or versatility

If grounded passive components are avoided, then component matching constraints are reduced, but circuit design complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecomponent matching flexibilityVSAvoidcircuit design

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the inductive function from the constraint of using physical passive components. By taking out the requirement for actual inductors and replacing them with active simulators, the design eliminates component matching constraints between inductors and capacitors, allowing independent optimization of each component while maintaining overall circuit performance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

4Reliability

If discrete components are used in Analog Digitizer Units, then functionality is achieved, but area increases and cost efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveADU functionalityVSAvoidPCB area

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the discrete analog components (inductors, capacitors, operational amplifiers) with the digital signal processing unit into a single integrated circuit. The inductor simulators are implemented using standard CMOS or bipolar process components that can be fabricated on the same chip as the digital logic, eliminating the need for separate PCB mounting and reducing overall system area.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The integrated ADU design uses universal building blocks (operational amplifiers, resistors, capacitors) that serve multiple functions. The same operational amplifiers used in inductor simulators can also serve as general-purpose amplifiers for other signal processing tasks, maximizing the utility of each component and reducing the total component count.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS12242782B2Digitally controlled ground inductor simulation circuits

Publication Date: 2025.03.04 SAUDI ARABIAN OIL CO

AI summary

A system for a first digitally controlled grounded inductor simulation circuit may include an OP-AMP, a digitally controlled current amplifier (DCCA), a voltage buffer, two resistors, and a capacitor. The first digitally controlled grounded inductor simulation circuit allows adjustment of an equivalent inductance value (CR1R2/A) through programming a digitally controlled current gain (A) of the DCCA. A system for a second digitally controlled grounded inductor simulation circuit includes an OP-AMP, a digitally controlled current amplifier (DCCA), a dual output current follower (CF), an active current division network (CDN), two resistors, and a capacitor. The second digitally controlled grounded inductor simulation circuit allows adjustment of an equivalent inductance value (CR1R2/αA) via programming the active CDN and the DCCA.