Parallel SR Amplifier Receiver for Low-Power Jamming Rejection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional ultra-wide band (UWB) receivers employing cascaded linear amplifiers face power consumption issues and are ineffective in rejecting both out-of-band and in-band jamming signals, leading to increased costs and complexity.

Innovation Solution

A super regenerative apparatus comprising multiple SR amplifiers tuned to distinct frequency bands, with isolation amplifiers to prevent injection locking and power leakage, and a circuit to detect and disable jamming signals, allowing for efficient rejection of both out-of-band and in-band jamming.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If cascaded linear amplifiers are used in conventional UWB receivers, then the receiver can amplify signals across a wide bandwidth, but the power consumption becomes substantial

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesignal amplification capabilityVSAvoidpower consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The wide bandwidth is divided into multiple narrower frequency bands, with each SR amplifier tuned to a specific band. This segmentation allows each amplifier to operate more efficiently at its designated frequency range while collectively covering the entire ultra-wide bandwidth, significantly reducing overall power consumption compared to a single cascaded linear amplifier system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Object-affected harmful factors

If a band pass filter is added to reject out-of-band jamming signals, then the rejection capability improves, but the device complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveout-of-band jamming rejectionVSAvoidreceiver structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Each SR amplifier is configured with specific tuning parameters and quality factors tailored to its assigned frequency band. This local optimization of amplifier characteristics provides inherent frequency-selective filtering, effectively rejecting out-of-band jamming signals without requiring additional band pass filters, thereby maintaining simple receiver architecture.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Device complexity

If conventional cascaded linear amplifiers are used, then the receiver architecture is simple, but the ability to reject in-band jamming signals is lost

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvereceiver architecture simplicityVSAvoidin-band jamming rejection
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The use of multiple parallel SR amplifiers, each tuned to a distinct frequency band within the ultra-wide bandwidth, creates a segmented frequency processing architecture. This segmentation enables selective amplification of desired signals while naturally suppressing in-band jamming signals that fall outside the tuned frequency ranges, maintaining architectural simplicity while enhancing jamming rejection capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

4Use of energy by moving object

If multiple SR amplifiers are tuned to distinct frequency bands, then power consumption is reduced and jamming rejection is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower consumptionVSAvoidnumber of amplifiers
Core Design Contradiction:
Use of energy by moving objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple SR amplifiers operating in parallel are merged into a unified receiver architecture that processes ultra-wide bandwidth signals collectively. The combined output of all SR amplifiers provides the complete amplified signal spectrum, achieving the functionality of a complex system through coordinated operation of simpler individual units, thereby managing overall device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The solution reduces power consumption, effectively eliminates jamming signals, and simplifies the receiver architecture, making it suitable for low-power applications while maintaining performance across a wide bandwidth.

Implementation Method 1

super regenerative (SR) amplifiers coupled in parallel, wherein the SR amplifiers are tuned to distinct frequency bands

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSuper regenerative oscillation:

Implementation Method 2

a first set of isolations amplifiers situated at the respective inputs of the SR amplifiers... The first and second sets of isolation amplifiers isolate the SR amplifiers from each other to prevent injection lock

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectromagnetic isolation:

Data Source

PatentEP2117114B1Super regenerative (SR) apparatus having plurality of parallel SR amplifiers tuned to distinct frequencies
Publication Date: 2015.06.24 QUALCOMM INC
  • EP2117114B1 patent drawingFigure 1A
  • EP2117114B1 patent drawingFigure 1B
  • EP2117114B1 patent drawingFigure 2A~2B

AI summary

An apparatus, which may be configured as a receiver or transceiver, includes a plurality of super regenerative (SR) amplifiers coupled in parallel, wherein the SR amplifiers are tuned to distinct frequency bands, respectively. The apparatus may further include isolation amplifiers at the respective inputs and outputs of the SR amplifiers to prevent injection locking and reduce power leakage. The apparatus may include a circuit to reduce or substantially eliminate in-band jamming signals. The apparatus may form at least part of a wireless communications device adapted to receive signals from other wireless communications devices, adapted to transmit signal to other wireless communications devices, and adapted to both transmit and receive signals to and from other wireless communications devices.