Power Divider Placement After LNA for Multi-Protocol Signal Monitoring

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Current mobile wireless communications devices face challenges in seamlessly monitoring and switching between different cellular protocols like CDMA2000 1X and EVDO, leading to inefficiencies and signal losses due to the need for additional components and complex switching mechanisms, which increase costs and space requirements while potentially degrading noise floors.

Innovation Solution

A mobile wireless communications device design incorporating a low noise amplifier (LNA) connected to a duplexer and two receive signal chains, with a power divider that taps signal energy after amplification, allowing for separate processing of CDMA2000 1X and EVDO signals, thereby minimizing signal losses and improving sensitivity by approximately 1 dB.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a power divider is placed before the LNA to split signals to multiple receive chains, then multiple protocols can be monitored, but signal losses increase and sensitivity degrades

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveability to monitor multiple protocolsVSAvoidsignal loss

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent inverts the conventional architecture by placing the power divider after the LNA instead of before it. This reversal allows the high-gain amplified signal to be split, ensuring that each receive chain receives sufficient signal strength while still enabling monitoring of multiple protocols through the power divider's signal distribution capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The LNA performs preliminary amplification of the received signal before it reaches the power divider. This preliminary action ensures that the signal is already strengthened when it needs to be split into multiple paths, preventing signal loss that would occur if the splitting happened before amplification.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Adaptability or versatility

If additional filter elements and switching mechanisms are added to switch between protocols, then protocol switching capability is improved, but device complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprotocol switching capabilityVSAvoidcomplexity of switching mechanisms

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The architecture enables both receive chains to operate simultaneously and process different protocols (CDMA2000 1X and EVDO) without requiring switching mechanisms. The power divider naturally distributes signals to both chains, making the system universally capable of handling multiple protocols concurrently, thereby eliminating the need for additional filters and switches.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent merges the functionality of multiple protocol handling into a single unified architecture where the LNA feeds both receive chains through the power divider. This combination eliminates the need for separate filtering and switching paths that would otherwise be required for each protocol, reducing overall device complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Adaptability or versatility

If additional filter elements and switching mechanisms are added, then protocol monitoring is enabled, but manufacturing cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprotocol monitoring capabilityVSAvoidmanufacturing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple protocol monitoring capabilities into a single streamlined architecture using one LNA and one power divider. This consolidation eliminates the need for multiple filters and switching mechanisms that would increase component count and manufacturing complexity, thereby reducing production costs while maintaining full protocol monitoring capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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

This configuration reduces signal losses and improves sensitivity by tapping signal energy after amplification, avoiding the need for additional costly filter elements and complex switching, providing a more efficient and compact solution for monitoring and switching between different cellular protocols.

Implementation Method 1

a low noise amplifier (LNA) connected to a duplexer and two receive signal chains

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSignal amplification:

Implementation Method 2

a power divider that taps signal energy after amplification

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPower division:

Data Source

PatentUS8989060B2Mobile wireless communications device including a power divider connecting an LNA to multiple receive signal chains

Publication Date: 2015.03.24 MALIKIE INNOVATIONS LTD

AI summary

A mobile wireless communications device may include an antenna, a wireless radio frequency (RF) receiver, a wireless RF transmitter, and a duplexer connecting the wireless RF receiver and the wireless RF transmitter to the antenna. More particularly, the wireless RF receiver may include a low noise amplifier (LNA) connected to the duplexer, a first receive signal chain for wireless communications signals having a first signal type downstream from the LNA, a second receive signal chain for wireless communications signals having a second signal type different than the first frequency band downstream from the LNA, and a power divider connecting the LNA to the first and second receive signal chains.