Receiver ADC Segmentation for Power-Efficient DPD Updates

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Solution Overview

Problem

Power amplifiers in wireless communication systems exhibit nonlinear characteristics, requiring digital predistortion to compensate, which necessitates high-speed operation of all analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) in the receiver, leading to significant power consumption.

Innovation Solution

A communication device employs a receiver as an observation receiver, selectively turning on and off ADCs to update digital predistortion parameters while achieving power savings by using a wideband ADC distinct from the main receiver for high-speed processing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If all ADCs in the receiver operate at high speed to enable DPD parameter updates, then measurement precision is improved, but power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveDPD parameter update accuracyVSAvoidreceiver power consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The receiver's ADC resources are segmented into multiple groups, where only a subset of ADCs operates at high speed during DPD parameter updates while others operate at lower speed or remain idle. This segmentation allows the system to achieve necessary measurement precision for DPD updates without requiring all ADCs to consume high power simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of operating all ADCs at maximum speed continuously, the system applies partial action by activating only the necessary number of ADCs at high speed specifically when DPD parameter updates are required. The remaining ADCs operate at reduced speed or are turned off, providing exactly enough measurement capability for DPD updates while avoiding excessive power consumption.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

2Productivity

If a separate observation receiver is added for high-speed processing, then productivity is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveDPD parameter update speedVSAvoidreceiver structure
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The receiver is designed with multi-functionality, serving both as the main communication receiver and as an observation receiver for DPD parameter updates. By making the receiver universal, the system gains high-speed processing capability for DPD updates without adding a completely separate observation receiver, thus improving productivity while limiting the increase in device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The functions of the main receiver and the observation receiver are merged into a single receiver structure. The receiver can dynamically switch between normal reception mode and observation mode for DPD updates, combining the capabilities of both receivers into one unified system. This merging approach achieves high-speed DPD processing while avoiding the full complexity of maintaining two separate receiver systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP4274106B1Communication device and method for operating same
Publication Date: 2025.08.20 SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD
  • EP4274106B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4274106B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4274106B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A communication device is disclosed. According to various embodiments, the communication device may comprise: a transmitter that, in a first operation, distorts an input signal through a digital predistortion unit, converts the distorted input signal into an analog signal, performs frequency up-conversion on the converted analog signal so as to generate a first signal, amplifies the generated first signal through a power amplifier, and couples the amplified first signal; a receiver that, in the first operation, receives the coupled first signal from the transmitter and performs frequency down-conversion on the coupled first signal so as to generate a second signal, and converts the generated second signal into a digital signal through one or more analog-to-digital converters that are turned on, among a plurality of analog-to-digital converters; and a processor that, in the first operation, causes one or more of the plurality of analog-to-digital converters in the receiver to be turned on and the remaining analog-to-digital converters in the receiver to be turned off.