Shared-LO Diversity Receiver With Supplemental Mixer Switching
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional diversity receivers experience high power consumption due to the transmission of the primary oscillator signal over long paths to secondary receivers, which is undesirable and inefficient.
Innovation Solution
A diversity receiver design that shares a primary local oscillator (LO) signal between the primary and secondary receivers, allowing the primary LO signal to be used by both downconverters, thereby reducing power consumption and minimizing the signal path length.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the primary oscillator signal is transmitted over long paths to the secondary receiver, then the secondary receiver can down-convert signals, but power consumption increases substantially
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the local oscillator functions by having the secondary receiver's mixer share the primary receiver's oscillator signal instead of using a separate oscillator. The secondary receiver's mixer is configured to receive and process signals using the primary oscillator signal, effectively combining the oscillator resources of both receivers to eliminate redundant power consumption while maintaining signal processing capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The primary oscillator signal serves multiple functions simultaneously - it drives both the primary receiver's mixer and the secondary receiver's mixer. This multi-functional use of the oscillator signal allows the system to maintain diversity reception capability while reducing the total number of oscillators needed, thereby reducing power consumption.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the primary oscillator signal is distributed to the secondary receiver, then diversity mode operation is enabled, but the transmission path length increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the oscillator signal distribution architecture by having the secondary receiver's mixer directly coupled to the primary receiver's oscillator output through a short internal connection rather than requiring a long external transmission path. This merging of signal paths enables diversity mode while minimizing transmission distance.
3Use of energy by moving object
If the secondary receiver's mixer uses the primary oscillator signal, then power consumption is reduced, but the secondary receiver's local oscillator function is eliminated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic operation where the secondary receiver's mixer can adaptively use the primary oscillator signal when operating in diversity mode. The system dynamically switches between using the primary oscillator and having independent oscillator capability based on the operational mode, allowing power savings in diversity mode while maintaining full functionality when needed.
Data Source
AI summary
A multi-mode receiver is disclosed that is reconfigurable to share a local oscillator signal in diversity mode to save power consumption. In an exemplary embodiment, an apparatus includes a primary receiver having a primary mixer configured to down-convert a primary signal and a secondary mixer configured to down-convert a secondary signal in carrier aggregation mode. The apparatus also includes a supplemental mixer that uses a shared primary local oscillator (LO) signal generated by a shared primary frequency synthesizer in diversity mode to reduce power consumption. The apparatus further includes a controller configured to disable the secondary mixer and to enable the supplemental mixer to down-convert the secondary signal when operating in the diversity mode.