Transceiver Mode Switching via Overlapped Power Sequencing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing wireless transceivers face challenges in quickly switching between transmit and receive modes due to the need to power off and on components, which can lead to increased power consumption and complexity, especially when meeting timing requirements for acknowledging received data as per standards like IEEE 802.11.

Innovation Solution

The approach involves initiating power-on of the transmit radio portions before powering off the receive radio portions, allowing for timely transmission of acknowledgement signals by ensuring the transmitter is operational before the receiver is fully powered off, thus adhering to the required timing standards.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of energy

If the receiver is powered off before the transmitter is powered on, then power consumption is minimized, but the timing requirement for acknowledgement transmission cannot be met

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower consumptionVSAvoidreceive-to-transmit turnaround time

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The transmitter is powered on before the receiver is powered off. This preliminary action ensures that the transmitter is ready and operational when the acknowledgement needs to be transmitted, eliminating the timing delay that would occur if the receiver were powered off first. The processing block executes the power-on sequence for the transmitter prior to executing the power-off sequence for the receiver, thereby meeting the timing requirements of wireless communication standards.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Ease of manufacture

If complete power cycling is performed for both transmitter and receiver, then power management is simplified, but power consumption increases during mode transitions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower management simplicityVSAvoidpower consumption during mode transition

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of completely powering off all receiver components and then powering on the transmitter, the system uses partial power management. The receiver is powered off only after the transmitter is powered on and stabilized, rather than completing the power-off sequence immediately. This partial action approach reduces the duration during which both transmitters and receivers are in powered-off states, thereby reducing unnecessary power consumption while maintaining simplified power management logic.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Device complexity

If the transmitter is powered on after the receiver, then power sequencing is simplified, but the acknowledgement transmission timing is delayed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower sequencing complexityVSAvoidtiming requirement compliance

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The processing block is designed to execute the transmitter power-on sequence before the receiver power-off sequence. This preliminary action ensures that the transmitter is fully operational and ready for acknowledgement transmission before the receiver is powered off. By reversing the conventional power sequencing approach, the system meets the timing requirements of wireless communication standards while maintaining manageable power sequencing complexity through structured control logic.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS9484979B2Switching between transmit and receive modes in a wireless transceiver

Publication Date: 2016.11.01 TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INC

AI summary

A wireless transceiver decodes a receive signal to extract data contained in the receive signal. A processing block contained in the wireless transceiver then initiates a power-ON of the transmit radio portions of the transceiver prior to initiating a power-OFF of the receive radio portions. The technique enables the transceiver to meet timing requirements when operating in environments that require an acknowledgement to be sent in response to receipt of data.