Direct-Demodulation Isolation Channel for Low-Jitter Data Transfer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional common mode transient suppression techniques introduce substantial delay and gaps in common mode transient suppression, leaving systems vulnerable to fault conditions, especially in high-rate data transfer and power applications, and are limited by manufacturing processes.
Innovation Solution
An isolation communications system using a differential pair of input terminals, bandpass filter, and direct demodulator, along with an LC oscillator and data-edge encoding, reduces jitter and power consumption by enabling the transmitter only during data transitions, and employs a parallel LC filter for common-mode transient immunity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional deglitching techniques are used for common mode transient suppression, then common mode transient immunity is improved, but substantial delay is introduced into the receiver signal path
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the deglitching circuit from the signal path, replacing it with a different architecture that achieves common mode transient immunity without introducing substantial delay. The receiver circuit directly processes the differential signal without passing it through deglitching logic, thereby removing the time penalty associated with conventional approaches.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using deglitching circuits to suppress common mode transients after they affect the signal, the patent inverts the approach by designing the receiver circuit to inherently reject common mode transients through differential signaling and balanced architecture, preventing the problem rather than correcting it afterward.
2Reliability
If deglitching circuits are used to suppress common mode transient events, then common mode transient immunity is improved, but gaps in suppression range remain and system vulnerability persists
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal receiver circuit design that handles all common mode transient events regardless of their duration or characteristics. The differential receiver architecture provides broad-spectrum immunity that adapts to various transient conditions without requiring multiple specialized circuits or programmable configuration, achieving both reliability and adaptability simultaneously.
3Use of energy by moving object
If data-edge encoding with LC oscillator is used, then power consumption is reduced to less than 10 μA, but transmitter can only operate during data transitions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs periodic data transitions as the triggering mechanism for transmitter operation. By encoding data in the edges (transitions) rather than continuous signaling, the transmitter activates only periodically during state changes, dramatically reducing average power consumption while maintaining complete data transmission capability through edge-triggered communication protocols.
4Reliability
If direct demodulation is used in the receiver circuit, then common mode transient immunity is achieved, but the circuit must directly process differential signals from the isolation barrier
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the demodulation function directly into the receiver circuit that processes differential signals from the isolation barrier. By combining these functions in a unified differential receiver architecture, the circuit achieves common mode transient immunity while avoiding the complexity of separate stages, as the differential nature inherently provides both signal recovery and transient rejection.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system achieves low power consumption and common-mode transient immunity with scalable data rates, reducing electromagnetic interference and power consumption to less than 10 μA, while maintaining high signal-to-noise ratio and common-mode transient immunity.
Implementation Method 1
a bandpass filter circuit configured to receive a received signal on the differential pair of input terminals and to provide a received differential signal on a differential pair of nodes
Implementation Method 2
a demodulator directly coupled to the bandpass filter circuit and configured to directly demodulate the received differential signal on the differential pair of nodes to provide a demodulated received signal
Implementation Method 3
employs a parallel LC filter for common-mode transient immunity
Implementation Method 4
An LC oscillator and data-edge encoding
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for communicating across an isolation barrier includes a differential pair of input terminals. The apparatus includes a bandpass filter circuit configured to receive a received signal on the differential pair of input terminals and to provide a received differential signal on a differential pair of nodes. The apparatus includes a demodulator directly coupled to the bandpass filter circuit and configured to directly demodulate the received differential signal on the differential pair of nodes to provide a demodulated received signal.