Lookup-Table Equalizer for Low-Power Serial Signal Compensation
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Solution Overview
Problem
High complexity and power consumption in existing equalizers for high-speed serial communication, particularly due to the need for precise signal filtering and compensation for channel distortion, which is not efficiently addressed by traditional FIR filters.
Innovation Solution
An equalizer using a refreshable lookup table that extracts symbol sequences from serial data, eliminating the need for multiplications in FIR filters, thereby reducing power consumption and complexity while supporting programmable equalization protocols.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a high complexity FIR filter is used to precisely compensate for signal distortion, then signal compensation accuracy is improved, but power consumption and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent pre-calculates and stores equalization values for all possible symbol sequence combinations in a lookup table before operation. During actual operation, the equalizer simply retrieves pre-computed values based on the current symbol sequence, avoiding real-time complex calculations. This preliminary computation approach maintains high compensation accuracy while dramatically reducing operational power consumption and complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a lookup table that stores copies of equalization results for all possible input symbol sequences. Instead of performing complex FIR filter calculations for each incoming symbol sequence, the system copies and retrieves the appropriate pre-computed equalization values from the lookup table. This copying mechanism preserves signal compensation accuracy while eliminating the need for repeated complex computations.
2Measurement precision
If a high complexity FIR filter is used to precisely compensate for signal distortion, then signal compensation accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent pre-calculates and stores equalization values for all possible symbol sequence combinations in a lookup table before operation. During actual operation, the equalizer simply retrieves pre-computed values based on the current symbol sequence, avoiding real-time complex calculations. This preliminary computation approach maintains high compensation accuracy while dramatically reducing operational power consumption and complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a lookup table that stores copies of equalization results for all possible input symbol sequences. Instead of performing complex FIR filter calculations for each incoming symbol sequence, the system copies and retrieves the appropriate pre-computed equalization values from the lookup table. This copying mechanism preserves signal compensation accuracy while eliminating the need for repeated complex computations.
3Productivity
If traditional FIR filters are used for signal equalization, then signal filtering is performed, but efficiency is reduced due to multiplication operations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical multiplication and addition operations of traditional FIR filters with a lookup table retrieval mechanism. Instead of performing arithmetic operations (multiplications and additions) for each symbol sequence, the system substitutes these operations with a simple memory access that retrieves pre-computed equalization values. This substitution dramatically improves filtering efficiency and reduces power consumption while maintaining equalization performance.
Data Source
AI summary
An integrated circuit for generating an equalized signal, according to a channel, from serial data includes a shift register that extracts a symbol sequence from the serial data. A data storage stores values of an equalized digital signal corresponding to potential symbol sequences corresponding to a filter coefficient sequence. A lookup table outputs the equalized digital signal of a value corresponding to the extracted symbol sequence. A digital-to-analog converter (DAC) converts the equalized digital signal into the equalized signal. A controller refreshes the lookup table, based on at least one of values stored in the data storage and values included in the lookup table, in response to a control signal.