Radio Receiver Merging Downconverters for Compact RF Front-End
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional MIMO and SIMO systems face challenges with increased complexity, higher power consumption, and higher fabrication costs due to the need for multiple RF front-end units, which complicates physical configuration and does not meet demands for low-cost, compact, and low-power circuits.
Innovation Solution
A radio receiver configuration with an antenna array, an N:1 multiplexer, a downconverter, 2N low-pass filters, and 2N A/D converters is proposed, where N signals are multiplexed and downconverted into one signal, then demultiplexed into in-phase and quadrature-phase signal elements, reducing the number of components and power consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple RF front-end units are provided for each receiver antenna in conventional MIMO/SIMO systems, then signal reception capability is improved, but device complexity and power consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple RF front-end processing functions into a single shared downconverter. Instead of providing separate downconverters for each receiver antenna, the invention combines the downconversion function into one unit that processes signals from all N receiver antennas through time-division multiplexing, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining signal reception capability
Solution Approach 2:
The shared downconverter is designed to perform multiple functions by processing signals from different receiver antennas at different time slots. This universal unit handles downconversion for all N antennas, eliminating the need for dedicated downconverters for each antenna and reducing overall system complexity
2Reliability
If multiple RF front-end units are provided for each receiver antenna in conventional MIMO/SIMO systems, then signal reception capability is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
By merging the downconversion function into a single shared unit that serves all receiver antennas, the patent reduces the total number of active components. The shared downconverter operates in time-division mode, being activated sequentially for each antenna signal, which significantly reduces overall power consumption compared to having multiple simultaneously operating downconverters
Solution Approach 2:
The downconverter operates periodically, processing signals from different receiver antennas in sequential time slots rather than continuously simultaneously. This periodic operation mode reduces power consumption by keeping the downconverter inactive between processing cycles and only activating it when needed for specific antenna signals
3Reliability
If multiple RF front-end units are provided for each receiver antenna in conventional MIMO/SIMO systems, then signal reception capability is improved, but fabrication cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple downconverter units into a single shared unit, directly reducing the bill of materials and fabrication costs. By eliminating redundant components and reducing the total number of chips or circuit boards needed, the invention makes the MIMO/SIMO system more cost-effective to manufacture while preserving full signal reception capability across all antennas
4Reliability
If multiple RF front-end units are provided for each receiver antenna in conventional MIMO/SIMO systems, then signal reception capability is improved, but physical configuration becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
By merging the downconversion function into a single shared unit with centralized signal routing, the patent simplifies physical configuration. Instead of requiring separate signal paths and components for each antenna, the invention uses a unified architecture where all antenna signals are routed to the shared downconverter through time-division multiplexing, making installation and physical setup easier
Data Source
AI summary
In a radio receiver according to the present invention, an N:1 multiplexer multiplexes N signals received through N receiver antennas into one output, and a downconverter downconverts the combined signals into baseband signals, and two 1:N analog demultiplexers demultiplex the N combined and downconverted received signals into in-phase signal elements of N received signals and quadrature-phase signal elements of N received signals.