Switched Antenna Array Converters for Lower mmW Power Use
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Solution Overview
Problem
Multi-antenna mmW systems face challenges with high energy consumption and inflexibility in analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog converters due to high sampling rates and quantization resolutions, particularly in mobile devices.
Innovation Solution
A switchable architecture with multiple conversion systems, each configurable for different sampling rates and quantization resolutions, allowing selective operation based on operational criteria such as subframe timing and energy consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If high sampling rate and high quantization resolution A/D and D/A converters are employed on every antenna element, then measurement precision and signal quality are improved, but energy consumption increases exponentially
Solution Approach 1:
The antenna array is divided into multiple subarrays, with each subarray having its own independent A/D or D/A converter. This segmentation allows each converter to process signals from a subset of antenna elements, reducing the sampling rate and quantization resolution requirements for individual converters while maintaining overall system performance through coordinated processing of multiple subarrays.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the operational parameters (sampling rate, quantization resolution, number of active converters) based on current communication conditions, traffic load, and energy availability. This dynamic adaptation allows the system to optimize the trade-off between measurement precision and energy consumption in real-time, using higher precision when needed and lower precision when energy conservation is prioritized.
2Measurement precision
If high sampling rate A/D and D/A converters are used, then signal processing accuracy is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the antenna array into multiple subarrays, each served by a separate converter. This reduces the complexity of individual converters by lowering their sampling rate and resolution requirements, while the overall system maintains high signal processing accuracy through the combined output of multiple simpler converters processed by digital signal processing algorithms.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple simplified converter copies are deployed across different subarrays rather than using a single complex high-performance converter. Each copy operates at reduced complexity levels, but their coordinated operation through digital processing achieves the equivalent or superior signal processing accuracy of a single high-complexity converter while reducing individual device complexity and cost.
3Productivity
If multiple A/D and D/A converters are deployed across all antenna elements, then system capacity and coverage are improved, but energy consumption and complexity increase proportionally
Solution Approach 1:
The antenna array is divided into multiple subarrays with independent converters, allowing the system to activate only the necessary number of converters based on current traffic demands and channel conditions. This segmentation enables scalable operation where system capacity can be maintained by strategically activating subsets of converters rather than requiring all converters to operate simultaneously at full power.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs periodic switching and activation of converter subsets based on traffic patterns and channel conditions. During periods of low activity, fewer converters are activated to reduce energy consumption. During high-traffic periods, additional converters are activated to maintain system capacity. This periodic activation pattern allows the system to achieve high average capacity while maintaining lower average energy consumption compared to continuous full-operation mode.
Data Source
AI summary
Exemplary apparatus can be provided that can comprise a plurality of antennas; a plurality of conversion systems, each capable of accepting and/or producing one or more digital signals; a circuit (e.g., radio circuit) configured to couple the antennas to the conversion systems; and computer arrangement configurable to selectively control operation of the conversion systems according to one or more predetermined criteria. In some embodiments, the conversion systems can be configured to utilize different sampling rates and/or quantization resolutions and/or to accept and/or produce different numbers of digital signals. Exemplary conversion systems can be enabled/disabled such that one or more can operate simultaneously based on, e.g., subframe timing of received signal, predetermined schedule, power or energy of s, availability of reference signals, channel coherence time, and apparatus energy consumption. Further, exemplary methods and computer-readable media can be provided embodying one or more procedures the apparatus is configured to perform.