Multi-Path ADC Front End With Filtered Path Blending
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing multipath analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) and analog front ends (AFEs) face challenges in smooth switching between multiple paths, leading to undesirable signal artifacts, particularly in audio applications, and do not scale well to integrated circuit levels.
Innovation Solution
A signal processing system with multiple processing paths and a filter that generates a filtered digital output by combining spectral components from different paths based on a corner frequency, allowing for smooth transition and reduced artifacts, and is integrated into a single circuit for efficient scaling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple processing paths are used to optimize for both small and large amplitude signals, then dynamic range and signal processing quality are improved, but switching between paths causes signal artifacts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple processing paths (first path for small amplitude signals, second path for large amplitude signals) into a unified output by combining their digital signals. The combiner integrates outputs from both paths, allowing the system to maintain adaptability across different signal amplitudes while avoiding abrupt switching artifacts through continuous signal blending.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a combiner as an intermediary component between the multiple processing paths and the final output. This combiner smoothly transitions between paths by weighting and summing their outputs, preventing direct abrupt switching that would cause signal artifacts while maintaining the benefits of path-specific optimization.
2Measurement precision
If separate processing paths are implemented for different signal amplitudes, then noise performance and dynamic range are improved, but circuit complexity and area increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements processing paths that can handle multiple signal amplitude ranges. The first path optimizes for small amplitude signals with lower noise, while the second path handles large amplitude signals. By making the system multi-functional across different signal conditions, it achieves improved noise performance and dynamic range without requiring completely separate dedicated circuits for each amplitude range.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses digital signal copying and processing rather than fully separate analog paths. Digital signals from both processing paths are combined and processed further in the digital domain, reducing the need for duplicate analog circuitry and thereby reducing overall circuit complexity and area while maintaining the benefits of multiple optimization paths.
3Reliability
If multiple independent ADC and AFE circuits are used for different signal paths, then signal processing quality is improved, but power consumption and area increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the processing functions of multiple paths into a unified digital output stage. By combining digital signals from both the first and second processing paths through a combiner, the system achieves high signal processing quality through path-specific optimization while reducing power consumption by sharing common digital infrastructure rather than maintaining fully independent ADC and AFE circuits for each path.
Data Source
AI summary
In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, a processing system comprising may include a plurality of processing paths and a filter. The plurality of processing paths may include a first processing path and a second processing path, wherein the first processing path is configured to generate a first digital signal based on an analog input signal and the second processing path is configured to generate a second digital signal based on the analog input signal. The filter may have a corner frequency and may be configured to generate a filtered digital output signal combining spectral components of the first digital signal lower than the corner frequency and spectral components of the second digital signal higher than the corner frequency to generate a filtered digital signal.