Multi-Antenna ADC Encoding for Low-Power High-SNR Reception
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional multiple antenna systems for wireless communication require high-resolution analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) with high power consumption, which is inefficient and increases path attenuation in high-frequency bands, leading to a low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR).
Innovation Solution
A digital conversion device comprising multiple antennas with unit ADC portions and an encoder that converts partial voltage levels to binary data, using automatic gain control and differential reference voltages to reduce power consumption and increase resolution, while generating binary data with lower bit rates and proportional values.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If high-resolution ADCs are used in multiple antenna systems, then measurement precision is improved, but use of energy increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the full voltage range into multiple partial ranges, with each unit ADC portion responsible for converting signals within its specific partial range. This segmentation allows each ADC to operate at lower resolution for its narrow range while collectively achieving high overall resolution, significantly reducing power consumption compared to a single high-resolution ADC.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a new dimension by combining multiple low-resolution ADC outputs through encoding techniques. Instead of relying on a single high-resolution ADC, the system uses multiple ADCs with different voltage range assignments and combines their outputs digitally, achieving high effective resolution through dimensional expansion rather than increasing individual ADC resolution.
2Power
If multiple antenna systems are used to obtain high antenna gain, then reception power is improved, but use of energy increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent assigns each antenna to a specific unit ADC portion, segmenting the signal conversion task across multiple antenna-ADC pairs. Each unit ADC processes signals from its corresponding antenna with reduced resolution requirements, lowering the power consumption per antenna while maintaining overall system gain through the combined output of all units.
3Power
If conventional multiple antenna systems are used, then antenna gain is improved, but signal-to-noise ratio deteriorates due to path attenuation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the operating parameters of each unit ADC by assigning different voltage range thresholds to each unit. This parameter differentiation allows optimal signal conversion for each antenna's received signal strength, improving the overall signal-to-noise ratio by matching ADC characteristics to the actual signal distribution across multiple antennas.
Data Source
AI summary
A wireless signal digital conversion device includes: a plurality of RF signal processing units for receiving wireless signals, and adjusting the voltage levels of the wireless signals based on automatic gain values; a plurality of unit ADCs for receiving in-phase signals and quadrature phase signals of the RF signal processing units, and performing analog-to-digital conversion based on different differential reference voltages; an encoder unit for generating binary data having less bits than binary data outputted from the unit ADCs based on the binary data outputted from the unit ADCs; and an automatic gain control unit for generating automatic gain values based on the output of a spatial ADC. A terminal can be linked to an artificial intelligence module, a drone (unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)), a robot, an augmented reality (AR) device, a virtual reality (VR) device, a device related to 6G services, and the like.