Multi-Tone Waveform Generation with Shared Accumulator Logic
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current waveform generators require large bit widths and significant chip area for high-resolution sine wave generation, leading to increased costs as the number of sine waves increases, and are inefficient in generating multi-tone waveforms.
Innovation Solution
A waveform generator that receives step values and phase values to generate a count signal, calculating index values and determining tone point values to produce a multi-tone waveform as a sequence of waveform points, reducing circuit complexity and cost by using shared logic circuits for each tone.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If an accumulator with large bit width is used for each sine wave to support high resolution, then the resolution and accuracy of sine wave generation is improved, but the chip area and device complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple separate accumulators into a single shared accumulator that is time-multiplexed across multiple sine wave channels. Instead of having dedicated accumulators for each tone, the system uses one accumulator to sequentially service multiple channels, thereby reducing the total chip area while maintaining the required resolution for each individual channel.
Solution Approach 2:
The single accumulator is designed to be universal and multi-functional, serving multiple sine wave generation channels by switching between them in a time-multiplexed manner. This universal accumulator can generate multiple tones by sequentially updating different channel states, eliminating the need for separate dedicated accumulators for each channel.
2Reliability
If separate accumulators are used for each sine wave channel, then the independence and reliability of each channel is improved, but the device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple independent channel functions are merged into a single accumulator unit that operates in a time-multiplexed fashion. The accumulator maintains separate state information for multiple channels sequentially, achieving channel independence through logical separation rather than physical duplication, thereby reducing circuit complexity.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the number of sine waves to be generated is increased, then the versatility and functionality of the waveform generator is improved, but the chip area and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs a universal accumulator that can serve any number of sine wave channels by time-multiplexing. As more channels are added, the accumulator simply increases its duty cycle or switching frequency, allowing the system to generate multiple tones simultaneously without proportionally increasing chip area, thus improving versatility at constant area.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems, methods, and devices are described for generating multi-tone waveforms. A count signal having a count value is generated. A plurality of step values and a plurality of phase values are received. For each increment of the count value, an index value corresponding to each step value of the plurality of step values is calculated based on the step value, the count value, and a respective phase value of the plurality of phase values. A tone point value corresponding to each calculated index value is determined to generate a plurality of tone point values for each increment of the count value. The determined tone point values are summed to generate a corresponding waveform point for each increment of the count value. A waveform is generated as a sequence of generated waveform points.