Quadrature Receiver Analog Front End Power Optimization

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Solution Overview

Problem

Low-power wireless sensor and actor networks (LP-WSAN) devices face high power consumption in their RF analog front end, especially during 'hub' or 'mesh' use-cases, which can lead to increased wireless activity and counterproductive power reduction strategies that degrade receiver performance, resulting in higher power loss due to retransmissions for single-bit errors.

Innovation Solution

Adaptive optimization of receiver analog front end (AFE) power consumption based on signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and adjacent channel interference conditions, allowing for single-chain operation when robust reception is ensured, thereby reducing active power consumption and extending battery life in devices like wearables and IoT devices.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the receiver operates in full quadrature mode to ensure robust reception, then communication reliability is maintained, but power consumption increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecommunication reliabilityVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The receiver dynamically switches between full quadrature mode and single-chain mode based on real-time channel conditions. The system monitors SNR and interference levels, then adaptively selects the appropriate processing mode to balance power consumption and reception reliability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the operational parameters of the analog front end by disabling one of the two processing chains when channel conditions permit, thereby reducing power consumption while maintaining adequate reception performance through parameter adaptation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Use of energy by moving object

If the analog front end is simplified to reduce power consumption, then active power is reduced, but receiver performance degrades leading to more retransmissions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveactive power consumptionVSAvoidreceiver performance

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts the complexity of analog front end processing based on channel conditions. When SNR is high and interference is low, single-chain operation suffices; when conditions deteriorate, the system transitions to full quadrature mode to maintain performance

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses feedback from channel quality measurements (SNR, interference levels) to control the operational mode of the analog front end, ensuring that simplification does not lead to performance degradation that would require retransmissions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Use of energy by moving object

If single-chain operation is used to save power, then power consumption decreases, but the system can only operate when channel conditions are favorable

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower consumptionVSAvoidoperational flexibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adapts its processing mode based on real-time channel assessments, transitioning between single-chain and full quadrature operation to maintain versatility across varying channel conditions while optimizing power consumption

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS9980168B2Apparatus and methods for power-saving low intermediate frequency receiver

Publication Date: 2018.05.22 INTEL CORP

AI summary

This application discusses apparatus and methods of saving power using a quadrature receiver by enabling a single string reception mode of the quadrature receiver. In an example, a receiver for receiving communication information can include an analog front end configured to receive a modulated, information-carrying radio frequency signal at a first frequency band and to provide a digital representation of the modulated, information-carrying radio frequency signal at a second frequency band, a digital front end configured to receive the digital representation at the second frequency and to provide the communication information, for example, to a baseband processor. In a first processing mode of the receiver, the analog front end can provide either one of in-phase symbol information of the modulated, information-carrying radio frequency signal or quadrature symbol information of the modulated, information-carrying radio frequency signal at the second frequency band.