Preemptive AGC in Portable RF Receivers for Interference Blocking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wireless communication receivers in portable devices face saturation issues when collocated or external interfering signals are present, leading to loss or corruption of desired packets due to fixed automatic gain control settings.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a preemptive-automatic gain control (AGC) system that dynamically adjusts gain settings based on real-time detection of interfering signals, using information such as transmission power, time, and frequency to generate an interference-free signal, and ensuring the signal strength meets a minimum detectable signal threshold.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the AGC gain is set based solely on the desired signal during the preamble, then the desired signal can be received without saturation, but the receiver becomes saturated or blocked when interfering signals are transmitted after the gain is set
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by detecting interfering signals before they cause saturation and adjusting the AGC gain in advance. The system monitors for upcoming interference transmissions and preemptively reduces the gain setting before the interfering signal arrives, preventing receiver saturation while maintaining adequate signal reception.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback by continuously monitoring the received signal for signs of interference and using this information to dynamically adjust the AGC gain. The system measures signal characteristics, detects potential interference patterns, and feeds this information back to the gain control mechanism to optimize reception conditions in real-time.
2Measurement precision
If the AGC amplifies the received signal to maximize dynamic range, then the signal-to-quantization-noise ratio is improved, but the receiver becomes vulnerable to saturation when strong interfering signals are present
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection of interfering signals and preemptively adjusts the AGC gain downward before strong interference arrives. This prevents signal clipping by ensuring the total received signal (desired plus interference) remains within the linear range of the receiver, while still maintaining adequate amplification for the desired signal under normal conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dynamic adjustment of the AGC gain setting based on real-time interference detection. Rather than using a fixed gain setting, the system continuously adapts the gain level in response to changing signal conditions, switching between high gain (for weak signals) and low gain (for strong interference) as needed.
3Device complexity
If a fixed AGC gain setting is used, then the system is simple to implement, but it cannot adapt to changing interference conditions and causes packet loss or corruption
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback-based AGC control mechanism that monitors received signal characteristics and automatically adjusts the gain setting in response to detected interference. This closed-loop approach maintains packet reception integrity by adapting to changing conditions without requiring complex manual intervention or configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs self-service by enabling the receiver to autonomously detect interference conditions and adjust its own gain setting without external control. The AGC mechanism monitors its own performance, detects saturation or clipping conditions, and automatically corrects the gain setting to maintain optimal reception.
Data Source
AI summary
Described herein are technologies related to an implementation of interference mitigation in a receiver of a portable device. A preemptive-automatic gain control (AGC) system mitigates a collocated or external interfering signal in a receiver of a portable device. The receiver of the portable device receives and processes a data packet of a first radio frequency (RF) signal that includes a Bluetooth (BT) signal, a Wi-Fi signal, a near field communications (NFC), 3G, 4G, or the like. During the processing of the data packet, a collocated or an external second RF signal is detected and received by the receiver. The second RF signal includes an interfering Bluetooth (BT) uplink transmission, a near field communications (NFC) transmission signal, a Wi-Fi transmission signal, 3G or 4G uplink transmission, an LTE signal, or the like.