Single-Stage Frequency Conversion for Digital Microwave Outdoor Units
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing digital microwave systems require excessive devices for frequency conversion twice, leading to high costs, increased weight, volume, and power consumption in the outdoor unit (ODU).
Innovation Solution
Implementing a frequency conversion system within the ODU that performs frequency conversion once using a first IF filter, a local oscillator, an up frequency converter, and a duplexer, along with band pass filters to reduce the number of components and achieve efficient frequency conversion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If frequency conversion is performed twice in the prior art, then the signal transmission is achieved, but the cost, weight, volume, and power consumption of the ODU are increased
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the transmit and receive frequency conversion functions into a single shared device. The ODU uses one frequency conversion device that can operate in both transmit mode (converting baseband to RF) and receive mode (converting RF to baseband), eliminating the need for separate transmit and receive frequency conversion devices. This sharing of hardware resources directly reduces the number of devices, cost, weight, volume, and power consumption while maintaining signal transmission capability
2Ease of manufacture
If excessive active devices are used for frequency conversion, then the frequency conversion function is achieved, but the power consumption of the system is quite high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple frequency conversion functions into a single active device that can be dynamically configured. The same frequency conversion device is used for both transmit and receive paths, and the system dynamically switches the device between transmit mode and receive mode based on operational requirements. This eliminates the need for parallel active devices operating simultaneously, thereby significantly reducing total power consumption while maintaining the frequency conversion function
3Manufacturing precision
If the ODU uses more components for frequency conversion, then the frequency conversion accuracy is improved, but the volume and weight of the ODU are increased
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates multiple frequency conversion functionalities into a single compact device, eliminating the need for separate transmit and receive frequency conversion hardware. This consolidation maintains the required frequency conversion accuracy through precise control of the shared device while significantly reducing the overall volume and weight of the ODU by eliminating redundant components and interconnections
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
This approach reduces the weight, volume, cost, and power consumption of the ODU by minimizing the number of components required for frequency conversion, while maintaining effective signal transmission and reception.
Implementation Method 1
perform an up frequency conversion on the IF signal to obtain a microwave signal
Implementation Method 2
generate and send a local oscillator signal
Implementation Method 3
perform an IF filtering on the IF signal
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
A frequency conversion device, method, and system are described. The device includes a first intermediate frequency (IF) filter, a first local oscillator, an up frequency converter, and a first duplexer. The first IF filter is adapted to receive an IF signal, and send the IF signal after performing an IF filtering on the IF signal. The first local oscillator is adapted to generate and send a local oscillator signal. The up frequency converter is adapted to receive the IF signal after the IF filtering and the local oscillator signal, perform an up frequency conversion on the IF signal to obtain a microwave signal according to the local oscillator signal, and send the microwave signal. The first duplexer is adapted to receive the microwave signal, and send the microwave signal after performing a band pass filtering on the microwave signal. By the use of the frequency conversion device according to the embodiments of the present invention, the frequency conversion of a digital microwave outdoor unit (ODU) once is thus realized.