Sub-Sampling RSSI Receiver for Wide Dynamic Range Estimation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional RSSI estimation methods face limitations in dynamic range, hardware cost, and power consumption, especially when applied to sub-sampling, making them unsuitable for recent wireless applications.
Innovation Solution
A signal receiver with a multiplexer and sub-sample ADC, coupled with an RSSI estimator, uses an N-stage cascade amplifiers architecture to perform sub-sampling and calculate RSSI values, allowing for efficient selection of signals and reduced hardware requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional RF rectifier approach is used for RSSI estimation, then RSSI can be obtained, but dynamic range is low and hardware cost is high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the conventional RF rectifier approach with a digital signal processing approach using sub-sampling ADC and digital envelope detection. Instead of using analog rectification circuits, the system samples the RF signal at a reduced rate and performs envelope detection in the digital domain, achieving wider dynamic range while reducing hardware complexity and power consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the sampling parameter by using sub-sampling (sampling at a rate lower than the Nyquist rate) to reduce the number of ADC conversions required. This parameter change enables the system to achieve the same RSSI measurement function with fewer hardware resources while maintaining acceptable dynamic range performance.
2Measurement precision
If cascade amplifiers with multiple rectifiers are used, then dynamic range is improved, but hardware cost and power consumption increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the necessary function of RSSI measurement from the signal path, using a single sub-sampling ADC to capture the RF signal envelope. Instead of using multiple amplifiers and rectifiers in cascade, the system extracts the envelope information directly through digital processing of sub-sampled data, significantly reducing power consumption while maintaining dynamic range.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses digital copying of the envelope signal through software-based processing of sub-sampled data. Instead of using multiple physical amplifier stages, the system creates a digital representation of the signal envelope and processes it further in the digital domain, reducing hardware power consumption while maintaining measurement accuracy.
3Device complexity
If sub-sampling is applied to conventional amplifiers, then hardware cost is reduced, but dynamic range becomes highly limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces dynamic range adjustment through digital gain control after sub-sampling. The system can dynamically adjust the gain applied to the sub-sampled signal in the digital domain, allowing the effective dynamic range to be adapted to different signal conditions. This dynamic adjustment compensates for the limited inherent dynamic range of sub-sampling while keeping hardware costs low.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes the sub-sampling ADC system multi-functional by using the same hardware for both RSSI measurement and signal demodulation. The sub-sampled data is used for envelope detection to obtain RSSI, while also being passed to the demodulator for signal recovery. This universal use of the sub-sampling architecture maximizes the utility of the reduced hardware while maintaining adequate dynamic range for both functions.
Data Source
AI summary
A signal receiver includes a multiplexer, a sub-sample analog-to-digital converter (ADC) and a received signal strength indicator (RSSI) estimator for a signal receiver with multiple stage cascade amplifiers architecture. The multiplexer may select one of the input signal of each stage of cascade amplifiers or the last stage output signal of cascade amplifiers as a selected signal according to a selection signal. The sub-sample ADC may perform a sub-sampling operation using the selected signal to generate sampled data. The RSSI estimator may calculate a RSSI value corresponding to the selected signal according to the sampled data.