Signal Notch Mitigation via Oversampling and Frequency Translation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Signal loss occurs in high input/output transfer rates over channels between integrated circuits due to notches in frequency response, leading to inter symbol interference (ISI), where signal contents are attenuated or lost in specific frequency regions.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of filter banks and pre/post-processing techniques to oversample and modulate signal contents in the notch region to a higher frequency band, ensuring fidelity by translating them back to the original frequency at the receiver end, thereby mitigating the notch effect.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If signal is transmitted at high input/output transfer rate over channel, then productivity is improved, but loss of information occurs due to notch region attenuation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinput/output transfer rateVSAvoidsignal content loss

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the frequency spectrum into multiple sub-bands using filter banks. Each sub-band is processed separately to identify and mitigate notch region attenuation. This segmentation allows selective enhancement of affected frequency components while maintaining overall signal integrity at high transfer rates.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary analysis of the channel frequency response to identify notch regions before signal transmission. Pre-processing techniques are applied to pre-emphasize frequencies that will be attenuated by the channel notch, compensating for expected signal loss before transmission occurs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Loss of information

If filter banks and pre/post-processing techniques are implemented, then loss of information is reduced, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesignal content lossVSAvoidsignal processing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of processing the entire frequency spectrum uniformly, the system applies complex processing only to specific sub-bands affected by notch regions. This partial action approach reduces overall computational complexity while still recovering lost signal information in critical frequency ranges.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces intermediate processing stages including filter banks, spectral analysis blocks, and adaptive equalizers that act as mediators between the transmitter and receiver. These intermediaries break down the complex signal recovery task into manageable processing steps, reducing overall system complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS9438287B2Apparatus and method for mitigating loss of signal content

Publication Date: 2016.09.06 INTEL NDTM US LLC

AI summary

Described is an apparatus comprising: a first sampler to oversample a signal, the signal being processed for transmission through a channel having a notch region; a bandpass filter with passband response to filter the oversampled signal in the notch region; and a first modulator to translate the filtered signal to a higher frequency band than a frequency band of the notch region. Described is a method performed by a transmitter, the method comprising: oversampling a signal; and translating, in response to the oversampling, signal content in a notch region of a channel to a frequency band which is higher than a frequency band of the notch region.