Multi-Carrier Direct RF Sampling Signal Processing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current communication systems face challenges in generating multi-carrier base band receive signals with low power consumption and minimal hardware effort, while also reducing spurious generation and synthesizer crosstalk.
Innovation Solution
The proposed solution involves a multi-carrier direct RF sampling method that uses channel-selective digital down-conversion, eliminating the need for analog IF mixers and employing delta sigma ADCs with adapted filter characteristics to sample RF signals directly, thereby reducing power consumption and hardware requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional analog IF mixers and multiple synthesizers are used for multi-carrier signal processing, then signal processing capability is improved, but power consumption and hardware complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces analog IF mixers and multiple synthesizers with a digital signal processing system using a single synthesizer. The analog mixing operation is substituted by digital down-conversion algorithms that operate on digitally sampled signals, eliminating the need for multiple analog frequency conversion stages and reducing power consumption while maintaining multi-carrier processing capability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes a single synthesizer perform the function of multiple synthesizers by using its output to modulate multiple carriers through code division multiplexing. The same synthesizer signal is reused across different code-modulated carriers, allowing one synthesizer to serve multiple frequency channels simultaneously, thereby reducing hardware complexity and power consumption
2Productivity
If traditional analog IF mixers and multiple synthesizers are used for multi-carrier signal processing, then signal processing capability is improved, but hardware complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex analog IF mixer circuits and multiple synthesizer units with a simplified digital signal processing architecture. The analog mixing function is performed digitally through multiplication and filtering operations, and multiple carrier generation is achieved through digital code modulation of a single synthesizer output, significantly reducing the number of hardware components
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the functions of multiple synthesizers and analog IF mixers into a single integrated digital signal processing system. The frequency generation, signal modulation, and mixing operations that were previously distributed across multiple analog components are combined into unified digital processing blocks, reducing hardware complexity while preserving functionality
3Measurement precision
If multiple synthesizers are used for multi-carrier generation, then carrier frequency control is improved, but synthesizer crosstalk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a single synthesizer to generate all carrier frequencies through code division multiplexing. The same synthesizer signal is modulated by different orthogonal codes to create multiple carriers, eliminating inter-synthesizer crosstalk while maintaining precise frequency control through the single synthesizer's phase-locked loop mechanism
4Speed
If analog IF mixers are used for signal down-conversion, then frequency conversion capability is improved, but spurious signal generation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces analog IF mixers with digital down-conversion processing. The frequency conversion is performed in the digital domain by multiplying the digitally sampled signal with complex exponential sequences generated from the synthesizer output, eliminating analog mixing spurs while maintaining fast frequency conversion capability through software-controlled algorithms
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for generating base band receive signals includes a first analog-to-digital converter module generating a first digital high frequency receive signal at least by sampling a first analog high frequency receive signal, a first digital signal processing module generating a first base band receive signal based on the first digital high frequency receive signal, a second analog-to-digital converter module generating a second digital high frequency receive signal at least by sampling a second analog high frequency receive signal and a second digital signal processing module generating a second base band receive signal based on the second digital high frequency receive signal. The first analog high frequency receive signal comprises first payload data at a first receive channel associated with a first carrier frequency and the second analog high frequency receive signal comprises second payload data at a second receive channel associated with a second carrier frequency.