Tapped Delay Line Equalizer With Magnitude-Based Tap Selection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing equalizers, such as decision-feedback equalizers (DFE), face inefficiencies in processing channels with long delay spread, requiring excessive computations and hardware to achieve accurate performance.
Innovation Solution
The configuration of equalization circuitry involves selecting and adjusting feedforward and feedback taps based on magnitude, using algorithms like LMS and Cholesky factorization, to optimize tap selection and reduce computational complexity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a decision-feedback equalizer (DFE) is used to equalize channels with long delay spread, then accurate performance can be achieved, but computational complexity and hardware requirements increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and processes only the most significant taps (those with largest magnitudes) from the full set of feedforward and feedback taps. By identifying and retaining only the N strongest taps rather than processing all taps, the system achieves the essential equalization function with reduced computational complexity and hardware requirements while maintaining adequate performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different processing strategies to different parts of the tap structure. The most significant taps (with largest magnitudes) are retained and processed with full precision, while less significant taps are either reduced in precision or eliminated entirely. This localized differentiation allows the system to focus computational resources where they provide the most benefit.
2Reliability
If more taps are processed in the feedforward and feedback filters, then equalization performance improves, but the amount of hardware and processing time required increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the N most significant taps from the complete tap set based on magnitude thresholding. This extraction process identifies which taps contribute most to equalization performance and processes only those, thereby improving processing efficiency by eliminating computations on less significant taps while maintaining adequate equalization performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial action by processing only a subset (N taps) of the complete tap set rather than all available taps. This partial processing approach is sufficient to achieve the required equalization performance for channels with long delay spread, avoiding the excessive computational burden of processing every tap while maintaining adequate reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and apparatus are provided for performing equalization of communication channels. In an embodiment of the invention, at least one tap can be selected from a set of feedforward taps of feedforward filter circuitry, where each tap of the selected at least one tap has a magnitude that is greater than or substantially equal to a magnitude of any tap of the set of feedforward taps that is not in the selected at least one tap. In addition, at least one tap can be added to a set of taps of feedback filter circuitry in communication with the feedforward filter circuitry. The invention advantageously allows for more efficient and reliable equalization of communication channels.