Time-Interleaved Antenna Output Using a Single RF Chain
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Massive MIMO systems are not widely deployed due to the complex and power-hungry hardware requirements associated with the large number of radio frequency (RF) chains needed for implementing them.
Innovation Solution
A time-interleaved multiple output (TIMO) system that uses RF switches to toggle on and off in synchronization with a control signal, allowing a single RF chain to capture and process signals from multiple antennas, thereby reducing the need for multiple RF chains and minimizing power consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If massive MIMO systems use a large number of RF chains to serve multiple users, then multiplexing gains and spectrum efficiency are improved, but hardware complexity and power consumption increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple RF chains into a single shared RF chain by time-division multiplexing. The analog spreader combines signals from multiple antennas into one stream, which is then processed by a single RF chain. This merging approach maintains multiplexing capability while dramatically reducing hardware complexity and power consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the signal processing into distinct time slots where different antenna groups are activated sequentially. The analog spreader divides the multiple antenna inputs into separate time-interleaved streams, allowing a single RF chain to process multiple antenna signals by assigning each to different time periods.
2Productivity
If massive MIMO systems deploy many RF chains to enable concurrent multi-user communications, then spectrum efficiency is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the functionality of multiple power-consuming RF chains into a single shared RF chain. By using time-division multiplexing with the analog spreader, the system maintains the ability to serve multiple users concurrently in terms of spectrum efficiency while eliminating the redundant power consumption of multiple RF chains.
Solution Approach 2:
The single RF chain is designed to be universal and shareable across multiple antenna groups. Through time-interleaved operation controlled by the analog spreader, one RF chain performs the work of multiple RF chains, serving multiple users with different antenna configurations at different time slots.
3Productivity
If multiple RF chains are used to process signals from multiple antennas, then signal processing capability is improved, but the number of down conversion chains increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple down conversion chains into a single down conversion chain. The analog spreader pre-processes the multiple antenna signals by time-interleaving them, so that a single down conversion chain can process all antenna inputs sequentially in time, eliminating the need for multiple parallel down conversion paths.
Solution Approach 2:
The analog spreader performs preliminary signal processing by time-interleaving the antenna signals before they reach the single RF chain. This preliminary action organizes the multiple antenna signals into a time-structured format that can be efficiently processed by a single down conversion chain, avoiding the need for multiple simultaneous down conversion operations.
Data Source
AI summary
In some embodiments, there may be provided systems, methods, and articles of manufacture for timeinterleaved multiple output. In some example embodiments, there may be provided an apparatus including a plurality of antennas; an analog spreader coupled the plurality of antennas; a radio frequency chain coupled to the analog spreader, wherein the radio frequency chain down converts and performs an analog-to-digital conversion to generate a stream; and a digital despreader, wherein the digital despreader receives the stream output by the radio frequency chain and digitally inverts analog spreading caused by the analog spreader to generate one or more user streams. Related systems, methods, and articles of manufacture are also disclosed.