Parallel Receiver Gain Paths for Short Telegram Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current radio receivers face challenges in quickly adjusting amplification gain to handle short data telegrams during signal strength changes, leading to potential missed transmissions due to the time required for automatic gain control (AGC) to adapt.
Innovation Solution
A receiving stage with multiple parallel paths, each equipped with signal processors and comparators, allows for immediate processing of signals with varying amplification gains and threshold values, enabling immediate reception of signals with different strengths without delay, forming an M x K matrix for a wider input dynamic range.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If automatic gain control (AGC) is used to adjust amplification gain, then the receiver can adapt to different signal strengths, but the adjustment takes time causing short data telegrams to be missed
Solution Approach 1:
The receiver is divided into multiple parallel receiving paths (M paths), each with its own signal processor and comparators. Each path processes signals with different amplification gains simultaneously, eliminating the need for sequential gain adjustment and preventing data loss during transition.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically selects which receiving path to use based on the current signal strength. By having multiple paths with different fixed gains available simultaneously, the system can quickly switch between paths without the time penalty of gradual gain adjustment, thus maintaining responsiveness to short data telegrams.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple parallel receiving paths with different amplification gains are used, then the input dynamic range is widened and signal processing is immediate, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Each receiving path is designed with the same functional components (signal processor and comparators), but configured with different amplification gains. This universal design allows the system to handle multiple signal strength scenarios using identical building blocks, reducing design complexity while expanding dynamic range.
Solution Approach 2:
The system varies the amplification gain parameter across different receiving paths rather than changing the fundamental structure of each path. By adjusting this single parameter (gain) while keeping the architecture uniform, the system achieves wide dynamic range coverage without proportionally increasing overall device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A receiver stage for receiving a receive signal comprises M receiving paths, each receiving path comprises a signal processor and K comparators. The signal processors of the M receiving paths are configured to generate, for each of the M receiving paths, an amplified version of the receive signal, such that an amplification gain of the respective receiving path increases from a first of the M receiving paths to a last of the M receiving paths. For each of the M receiving paths the K comparators of the respective receiving paths are configured to compare the amplified receive signal of the respective receiving path with a respective threshold value. For each of the M receiving paths the threshold value increases from a first of the K comparators to the last of the K comparators.