Mobile Terminal Clock Architecture for Harmonic EMI Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

In mobile terminals, adjacent modules experience electromagnetic interference due to similar clock frequencies, leading to malfunctions such as slow fingerprint unlock speeds, stalling during shooting, key linkage issues, and broken lines on touch panels, despite the use of frequency-domain management methods and different crystal oscillators, as ambient temperature affects clock frequencies, causing harmonic interference.

Innovation Solution

A mobile terminal design that uses a single crystal oscillator to generate clocks for multiple modules through frequency conversion circuits, ensuring that clock frequencies have the same temperature drift amplitude, thereby minimizing electromagnetic interference by maintaining a consistent frequency spacing between harmonic frequencies.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If different crystal oscillators are configured for modules to generate clocks with different frequencies, then electromagnetic interference between modules is reduced, but clock frequencies deviate at different amplitudes under ambient temperature impact, causing harmonic interference

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveelectromagnetic interferenceVSAvoidclock frequency stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the clock generation function into a single crystal oscillator that serves multiple modules, rather than using separate oscillators for each module. This unified approach ensures that all modules share the same temperature characteristics and frequency drift behavior, eliminating the harmonic interference problem caused by differential drift while maintaining frequency separation through division relationships

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the frequency parameter relationship between modules by using a division relationship (where one clock frequency is N times another) instead of using completely different oscillators. This parameter change ensures that frequency spacing remains consistent even under temperature variations, as all frequencies derive from the same source and scale uniformly with temperature

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Stability of the object's composition

If a single crystal oscillator is used to generate clocks for multiple modules, then temperature drift amplitude is consistent across modules, but frequency-domain management becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetemperature drift consistencyVSAvoidfrequency conversion circuit complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the frequency output from a single crystal oscillator by using frequency division circuits that divide the base clock frequency by different integers (N, M, etc.) to generate different clock frequencies for different modules. This segmentation approach simplifies the overall system by using one stable oscillator while creating multiple frequency channels through mathematical division, reducing the complexity compared to managing multiple independent oscillators

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

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 approach effectively reduces harmonic interference caused by temperature drift, ensuring low electromagnetic interference and maintaining module functionality even under temperature variations, as shown by the consistent spectral deviations and anti-interference capabilities.

Implementation Method 1

a frequency conversion circuit connected to both the clock generator and the first module, and configured to: perform frequency conversion on a clock signal generated by the clock generator, to obtain a first clock signal, and output the first clock signal to the first module

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFrequency conversion:

Implementation Method 2

a clock generator, and a first frequency conversion circuit connected to both the clock generator and the first module

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPiezoelectric effect: Piezoelectric Effect

Data Source

PatentEP3591917B1Mobile terminal
Publication Date: 2024.02.14 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP3591917B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3591917B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3591917B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

This application discloses a mobile terminal, including a clock generator, a first frequency conversion circuit, a first module, a second frequency conversion circuit, and a second module. The first frequency conversion circuit performs frequency conversion on a clock signal generated by the clock generator, to obtain a first clock signal, and outputs the first clock signal to the first module. The second frequency conversion circuit performs frequency conversion on the clock signal generated by the clock generator, to obtain a second clock signal, and outputs the second clock signal to the second module. The mobile terminal in this application has a better anti-electromagnetic interference capability.