Reconfigurable Wideband Receiver Switching for Low-IF Noise Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional wireless communication systems face challenges in accommodating multiple standards and bands due to differences in carrier frequencies, leading to the need for multi-standard and multi-band transceivers that can handle signals across a wide spectrum while addressing issues like DC offset and flicker noise, especially when dealing with narrowband signals.
Innovation Solution
A reconfigurable wideband receiver that can switch between direct-conversion and low-IF modes using cross-coupled filters and feedback circuits, allowing it to function as either a low-pass or band-pass filter, thereby accommodating various wireless communication standards like GSM, W-CDMA, and LTE by adjusting its configuration based on the active standard.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a direct-conversion receiver is used, then the device complexity is reduced, but DC offset and flicker noise issues occur
Solution Approach 1:
The receiver architecture is made dynamically reconfigurable between direct-conversion and low-IF modes through a switching mechanism. The feedback circuit can be selectively enabled or disabled based on operating conditions, allowing the system to adapt its structure dynamically. This resolves the contradiction by enabling the simple direct-conversion mode when appropriate while switching to low-IF mode when DC offset and flicker noise become problematic.
2Reliability
If separate hardware is designed for different wireless standards, then the reliability for each standard is optimized, but the device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The receiver is designed with universal functionality to support multiple wireless communication standards (GSM, W-CDMA, LTE, etc.) through a single reconfigurable architecture. By implementing frequency-tunable filters and reconfigurable signal paths, the same hardware can be optimized for different standards and frequency bands, eliminating the need for separate dedicated hardware for each standard while maintaining reliable performance across all supported standards.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If a low-IF receiver architecture is used, then DC offset and flicker noise are mitigated, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The harmful DC offset and flicker noise components are extracted and separated from the main signal path through selective filtering. The feedback circuit isolates these low-frequency harmful components and directs them to a separate processing path where they can be removed without affecting the main signal reception, thereby mitigating the harmful factors while minimizing the increase in overall device complexity.
4Adaptability or versatility
If multiple filters are used for different frequency bands, then the adaptability to different standards is improved, but the manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple filtering functions for different frequency bands and standards are merged into a single reconfigurable filter structure. The filterbank uses shared components and circuitry that can be dynamically configured to handle different frequency ranges and signal characteristics. This consolidation reduces the total number of discrete filters needed, lowering manufacturing costs while maintaining the ability to adapt to various wireless standards and frequency bands.
Data Source
AI summary
One embodiment of the present invention provides a receiver for wireless communication. The receiver includes a demodulator and at least one filtering mechanism coupled to the demodulator, and an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) coupled to the filtering mechanism. The filtering mechanism can be configured to function as a low-pass filter (LPF) or a band-pass filter (BPF), thereby enabling the receiver to function as a direct-conversion receiver or a low-intermediate frequency (low-IF) receiver.