Receiver Eye Opening Optimization via Slicer Measurement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing data transmission system receivers face challenges in optimizing parameters across varying noise and environmental characteristics, as traditional cost functions are not consistently effective in improving bit error rates due to diverse noise sources and varying conditions within multi-link equipment.
Innovation Solution
The technique measures the 'eye opening size' of a receiver using a data slicer and an auxiliary slicer, allowing for non-invasive optimization of receiver parameters like bandwidth, and employs a search procedure to adjust parameters incrementally, avoiding local minima by reversing changes when the eye opening size decreases.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional cost functions (minimum energy or min-max) are used to optimize receiver parameters, then optimization can be achieved for specific noise models and environmental conditions, but the effectiveness is inconsistent across varying noise sources and environmental conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the optimization parameter from traditional cost functions (minimum energy, min-max) to eye opening size measurement. This parameter change enables consistent optimization across varying noise conditions because eye opening size directly reflects the receiver's ability to distinguish signal levels regardless of the specific noise characteristics, making the optimization adaptable to different environmental conditions
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the theoretical/mathematical optimization approach (cost functions based on statistical noise models) with a practical measurement-based approach (eye opening size measurement using slicers). This substitution eliminates the need to model complex noise characteristics and directly measures the actual performance impact, achieving consistent results across diverse noise sources
2Reliability
If cost function minimization based on bit error rate is used, then optimal receiver parameters can be achieved, but the cost function cannot be expressed in closed form making it intractable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a simplified copy or proxy measurement of bit error rate performance through eye opening size measurement. Instead of directly minimizing the intractable bit error rate cost function, the system measures eye opening size using slicers, which provides a tractable proxy that correlates with bit error rate performance and can be optimized using standard techniques
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces eye opening size measurement as an intermediary between the desired bit error rate optimization and the actual parameter adjustment. This intermediary provides a measurable, tractable metric that mediates the optimization process, allowing indirect optimization of bit error rate through eye opening size without requiring closed-form bit error rate expressions
3Productivity
If receiver parameters are optimized using fixed cost functions, then optimization can be performed systematically, but the optimization does not yield consistent improvement across different noise characteristics and link conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback through continuous eye opening size measurement using data slicers and auxiliary slicers. The measurement results feed back to guide parameter optimization, allowing the system to adapt to actual performance rather than relying on predetermined cost functions. This feedback mechanism ensures consistent improvement by responding to real-time performance metrics across varying noise conditions
Data Source
AI summary
An eye opening measurement technique, that does not interrupt a receiver's normal operation, is used as a metric for optimizing any selected parameters of the receiver's operation. If eye opening size decreases, as a result of a change to a receiver parameter, the polarity for stepwise changes is reversed such that the next change is in the opposite direction. Other types of search procedures can be used.Eye opening size is the difference between the eye's upper and lower edges. Measurement of eye opening size is accomplished using a data and auxiliary slicer that find each “edge” of an eye opening based upon the slicers' level of agreement.Depending upon the level of agreement, and whether symbols of the upper or lower region of the eye are counted, the threshold of the auxiliary slicer can be adjusted in the direction necessary to converge on the eye edge sought.