Signal Decomposition Amplifier for High-Dynamic-Range RF Linearity

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Solution Overview

Problem

High-linearity front-ends in wireless RF receivers face challenges with non-linear active devices causing compression for large voltage swings and weak distortion for small voltage swings, leading to excessive power consumption and noise figure issues, particularly in achieving dynamic range without burning excessive power.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of a quantized signal processing system that slices the input signal into multiple slices, each amplified by dedicated unit amplifiers, allowing a larger voltage swing and increasing the maximum signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) achievable, while maintaining the same power consumption, through the use of a quantized voltage amplifier (QA) architecture that recombines signals in the digital domain.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If a wideband ADC directly follows the antenna to digitize the signal at the earliest stage, then measurement precision and noise immunity are improved, but power consumption becomes impractical due to stringent blocking requirements and large carrier frequencies

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesignal digitization accuracyVSAvoidADC power consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the signal processing function into two segments: an analog front-end that performs amplification and down-conversion, followed by a digital baseband processing stage. This segmentation allows the ADC to operate at lower frequencies with reduced power consumption while maintaining measurement precision through the analog preprocessing stage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an analog front-end as an intermediary component between the antenna and the ADC. This intermediary performs signal conditioning (amplification and down-conversion) to prepare the signal for efficient digital conversion, thereby reducing the power burden on the ADC while preserving signal fidelity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Use of energy by moving object

If an analog front-end amplifies and down-converts the wanted signal to baseband, then the ADC power requirements are reduced, but linearity and noise requirements become technically challenging due to large blockers accompanying small signals

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveADC power consumptionVSAvoidlinearity and noise performance

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The signal path is segmented into multiple processing stages with dedicated functions: low-noise amplification stage, down-conversion stage, and filtering stage. Each stage is optimized for its specific function, allowing the system to handle large blockers and small signals simultaneously while maintaining linearity and noise performance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different parts of the signal processing chain are given different local qualities optimized for their specific tasks: the LNA provides high gain with low noise figure, the mixer provides frequency conversion with good linearity, and the filters provide selective attenuation. This local optimization resolves the contradiction between power efficiency and reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Reliability

If external SAW filters are used to filter large out-of-band blockers, then filtering performance is improved, but device complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveblocker filtering capabilityVSAvoidexternal filter components

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the filtering function with the baseband processing stage by implementing filters in the digital domain after down-conversion. This integration eliminates the need for separate external SAW filters, reducing device complexity and component count while maintaining effective blocker rejection through digital signal processing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces mechanical/analog filtering components (SAW filters) with digital filtering algorithms implemented in the baseband processor. This substitution maintains the filtering performance for blocker rejection while significantly reducing device complexity and eliminating the need for external passive components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS11601157B2Method and system for linear signal processing with signal decomposition

Publication Date: 2023.03.07 HUAWEI TECH CANADA CO LTD

AI summary

There is provided a method and system for linear signal processing with signal decomposition. The system including: a decomposition module to receive an analog input signal and perform signal decomposition, the signal decomposition including slicing the analog input signal into a plurality of slices to produce one or more analog components and one or more digital components, the decomposition module directing each component to a separate signal path; and a processing module to perform one or more linear operations on at least one of the signal paths. In some cases, the signal decomposition includes slicing the analog input signal into the plurality of slices by amplitude. In some cases, the analog components include unsaturated slices of the analog input signal and the digital components include saturated slices of the analog input signal.