RF Interference Cancellation Circuit for Full-Duplex Systems

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Solution Overview

Problem

In full-duplex communication systems, the interference from transmitted signals to the receive system is significant due to shared frequency bands, making it difficult to achieve effective isolation, especially in broadband systems where traditional filtering and passive cancellation methods are impractical, and existing active cancellation circuits are challenging to design for multiple simultaneous signals.

Innovation Solution

An apparatus with a cancellation circuit that taps and adjusts the phase and amplitude of the transmit signal to cancel interference in the receive path, using a combination of tappers, amplifiers, phase-shifters, and feedback loops to address both leakage and reflection issues, allowing for effective cancellation of multiple simultaneous signals with varying frequencies.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If a narrow bandpass filter is applied before the receiver to reject other frequencies, then interference from transmit signals is avoided, but the system cannot be applied to broadband systems where transmit and receive frequencies are in the same frequency band

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinterference from transmit signalsVSAvoidbroadband system compatibility
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

A cancellation circuit is introduced as an intermediary element between the receive antenna and the LNA. This circuit generates a cancellation signal that is the negative of the interfering transmit signal, thereby eliminating the interference without requiring frequency separation or narrow bandpass filtering, enabling broadband operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The cancellation circuit performs preliminary anti-action by generating and injecting the negative of the interfering signal before it reaches the LNA. This pre-cancellation prevents the interfering signal from saturating the LNA, allowing the receiver to process weak signals even in the presence of strong transmit signals in the same frequency band.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

2Object-affected harmful factors

If isolation between transmit antenna and receive antenna is provided, then interference is reduced, but space and weight increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinterference from transmit signalsVSAvoidsystem weight
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The cancellation circuit serves as an intermediary that electronically eliminates interference without requiring physical separation between transmit and receive antennas. By injecting the cancellation signal in the receive path, the system achieves interference rejection while maintaining a compact, single-antenna configuration, thereby reducing weight compared to dual-antenna isolated systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Device complexity

If a passive cancellation circuit is used with fixed phase and amplitude, then the circuit is simple, but it cannot compensate for temperature variations and frequency changes

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecancellation circuit complexityVSAvoidcancellation effectiveness under varying conditions
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The cancellation circuit is made dynamic by introducing adjustable phase and amplitude control mechanisms. These controls allow the cancellation signal parameters to be adapted in real-time to compensate for temperature variations and frequency changes, maintaining effective cancellation across varying operating conditions without requiring a completely complex system redesign.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

A feedback mechanism is implemented to monitor the effectiveness of the cancellation and adjust the phase and amplitude of the cancellation signal accordingly. This feedback loop ensures that the cancellation remains effective despite temperature drifts and frequency variations, improving reliability while keeping the overall circuit architecture relatively simple.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

4Reliability

If the cancellation signal is added before the LNA, then LNA saturation is prevented, but the phase and amplitude of the cancellation signal must be precisely controlled

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveLNA saturation preventionVSAvoidphase and amplitude control complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The cancellation circuit acts as an intermediary stage before the LNA, generating a signal that precisely counteracts the interfering transmit signal. By controlling the phase and amplitude of this intermediate cancellation signal, the system prevents LNA saturation while maintaining the ability to process weak receive signals, with the control complexity concentrated in the cancellation circuit rather than the entire receive chain.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The solution provides robust cancellation of interference from both leakage and reflection, ensuring receiver sensitivity and preventing LNA saturation, even in systems with multiple simultaneous transmit signals and frequency changes, by dynamically adjusting the cancellation signals based on frequency and phase variations.

Implementation Method 1

The principle is that a signal is added in the receive path. This signal is equal to the unwanted interference signal, but has opposite phase, such that the two signals cancel each other.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPhase cancellation: Interference

Data Source

PatentEP2237434B1An apparatus for emitting and receiving radio-frequency signals, comprising a circuit to cancel interferences
Publication Date: 2013.06.19 THALES NEDERLAND BV
  • EP2237434B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2237434B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2237434B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

There is disclosed an apparatus for emitting and receiving radio-frequency signals, the apparatus comprising a circuit to cancel interferences. It comprises means for transmitting at least one signal by virtue of an antenna, means for receiving signals by the same antenna and means for isolating the means for transmitting from the means for receiving. The apparatus comprises also: - means for tapping a first part of the signal to be transmitted; - means for controlling the amplitude and the phase of the first part of the signal; - means for introducing the first part of the signal in the means for receiving after said first part of the signal has been amplified and phase-shifted, such as to cancel in the means for receiving interferences due to portions of the signal that unwantedly have entered the means for receiving.