Multi-Service Transceiver Architecture Using Wideband ADC
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional multi-service transceivers are area, cost, and power inefficient due to the use of dedicated transmitter/receiver front ends per service type and are difficult to customize for different product variants and frequency spectrum allocations.
Innovation Solution
A multi-service transceiver architecture that combines multiple service contents into a composite analog signal, using a frequency multiplexer/demultiplexer module, ADC, and DAC to generate digital streams, and then separates them using digital techniques, reducing the need for multiple front ends and enabling efficient transmission and reception over a single communications medium.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If dedicated transmitter/receiver front ends are used per service type, then service-specific performance is improved, but area, cost, and power efficiency deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple service-specific front ends into a single shared front end that handles multiple services (DOCSIS and DVB-C) simultaneously. The shared front end includes common components such as the low-noise amplifier, filters, and ADC/DAC, eliminating the need for separate dedicated front ends for each service type.
Solution Approach 2:
The front end is designed as a universal multi-functional unit that can process multiple service types and frequency bands. The frequency multiplexer/demultiplexer and channelizer enable the single front end to dynamically adapt to different service requirements, making it universally applicable to various communication standards.
2Reliability
If dedicated transmitter/receiver front ends are used per service type, then service-specific performance is improved, but device area increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple service-specific front ends into a single shared front end structure. By combining common components such as amplifiers, filters, and converters into a shared resource, the overall device area is significantly reduced compared to having separate dedicated front ends for each service.
Solution Approach 2:
The universal front end design allows a single set of hardware components to serve multiple service types. The frequency multiplexer/demultiplexer and channelizer enable dynamic allocation of the shared front end resources to different services, achieving multi-functionality without proportionally increasing device area.
3Reliability
If dedicated transmitter/receiver front ends are used per service type, then service-specific performance is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple service-specific front ends into a single shared front end, reducing the total number of components that need to be manufactured and assembled. This consolidation lowers manufacturing costs by reducing part counts, assembly steps, and testing requirements while maintaining service-specific performance through software-defined signal processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The universal front end design allows a single hardware platform to support multiple services, eliminating the need to manufacture different hardware variants for different service types. This reduces manufacturing complexity and cost while maintaining the ability to deliver service-specific performance through configurable signal processing.
4Reliability
If dedicated transmitter/receiver front ends are used per service type, then service-specific performance is improved, but adaptability to different product variants deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal front end that can be configured to support multiple service types and frequency bands through software control. The frequency multiplexer/demultiplexer and channelizer enable dynamic reconfiguration of the front end to adapt to different product variants and service requirements without requiring hardware changes.
Solution Approach 2:
The front end incorporates dynamic signal processing capabilities that allow real-time reconfiguration of filtering, frequency conversion, and signal routing. This dynamic adaptability enables the same hardware to be optimized for different services and frequency allocations, greatly enhancing versatility across product variants.
Data Source
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AI summary
Embodiments provide an area, cost, and power efficient multi-service transceiver architecture. The multi-service transceiver architecture simplifies receiver/transmitter front ends needed for a multi-service architecture, by replacing significant portions of multiple receiver and/or transmitter front ends with a single ADC and/or DAC, respectively. In embodiments, a plurality of received service contents are combined into one composite analog/RF signal and applied to an ADC. The ADC converts the composite signal into a composite multi-service digital signal. Digital techniques are then used to separate the plurality of service contents into a plurality of respective digital streams that each can be independently demodulated. Similarly, in the transmit direction, a plurality of digital streams, including a plurality of service contents, are combined into one composite digital signal. The composite digital signal is applied to a DAC to generate a composite multi-service analog/RF signal for subsequent transmission over a coaxial cable or wirelessly via an antenna.