Master Clock Distribution for Low Jitter Sampling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing digital sampling systems face challenges in achieving low jitter for sample clocks, which leads to noise in sampled signals, particularly in wideband digital sampling, due to high cost and complexity of clocks with low noise floor performance.
Innovation Solution
A modular wireless communication platform that distributes a master clock signal generated by an oscillator, filtered by a monolithic crystal filter, to multiple conversion modules, reducing noise and jitter through a low noise amplifier, thereby achieving the required signal-to-noise ratio without the need for expensive, high-jitter clocks in each module.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a high-performance clock with low noise floor is used in each conversion module, then jitter performance is improved, but cost and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple conversion modules share a single master clock signal distributed from a common source rather than each module having its own independent clock. This consolidation reduces the total number of clock circuits while maintaining synchronization across all modules, directly addressing the cost and complexity issue while preserving jitter performance through the shared low-noise clock distribution network
Solution Approach 2:
A dedicated clock distribution network acts as an intermediary between the master clock source and the conversion modules. This intermediary structure allows the master clock signal to be distributed to multiple modules while maintaining signal integrity and low jitter characteristics, solving the problem of how to share a high-performance clock without degrading its performance
2Measurement precision
If a high-performance clock with low noise floor is used, then signal-to-noise ratio is improved, but cost and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple conversion modules share a single master clock signal distributed from a common source rather than each module having its own independent clock. This consolidation reduces the total number of clock circuits while maintaining synchronization across all modules, directly addressing the cost and complexity issue while preserving jitter performance through the shared low-noise clock distribution network
Solution Approach 2:
The system separates the high-performance clock generation function from the conversion modules, placing it in a dedicated clock distribution network. This segmentation allows the expensive, high-performance clock circuitry to be isolated and shared, while the conversion modules can use simpler, lower-cost designs that rely on the distributed clock signal for their timing requirements
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 solution effectively reduces jitter and noise in sampled signals, improving signal quality while minimizing costs and complexity by using a shared, filtered master clock signal across multiple conversion modules, thus enhancing the signal-to-noise ratio and dynamic range.
Implementation Method 1
filtered by a monolithic crystal filter
Data Source
AI summary
A unit for use in a communication system comprises a communication module having an oscillator configured to generate a master clock signal; a plurality of conversion modules; and a distribution component configured to distribute the master clock signal from the communication module to each of the plurality of conversion modules. Each of the plurality of conversion modules comprises a filter configured to filter the master clock signal; and a converter configured to use the filtered master clock signal in converting between analog and digital signals.