Wide Dynamic Range Phase Conversion Circuit

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Solution Overview

Problem

Wide dynamic range signals in digital communication systems pose challenges for processing in the phase domain, requiring efficient reduction methods to simplify receivers while retaining amplitude data and avoiding complex hardware resources.

Innovation Solution

A two-stage process involving collapsing inphase and quadrature signal components into a single quadrant, followed by scaling, and subsequent conversion into the phase domain, using a fast dynamic range reduction circuit and a one quadrant phase converter to reduce the signal dynamic range efficiently.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If wide dynamic range signals are used in digital filtering, then linearity and selectivity are improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelinearity and selectivityVSAvoidreceiver complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The dynamic range reduction is divided into two distinct stages: first collapsing I and Q components into a single quadrant, then performing scaling. This segmentation allows complex wide dynamic range processing to be broken into simpler, more manageable operations that reduce overall system complexity while maintaining performance

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transforms the problem from processing wide dynamic range complex signals directly into phase domain by first mapping to a single quadrant (reducing dimensional complexity) and then scaling. This dimensional transformation simplifies the subsequent phase conversion operations

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Productivity

If wide dynamic range signals are used, then processing gain is improved, but phase domain processing becomes difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprocessing gainVSAvoidphase domain processing
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary dynamic range reduction operations (collapsing to single quadrant and scaling) before the phase domain conversion. This preliminary action prepares the signal in a form that is much more suitable for efficient phase domain processing, enabling m-ary phase demodulation with reduced complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Device complexity

If dynamic range is reduced, then device complexity is reduced, but amplitude data loss increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvereceiver complexityVSAvoidamplitude data
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies different processing strategies to different aspects of the signal: the dynamic range reduction operations (collapsing and scaling) are applied to the amplitude components, while the phase information is preserved through the quadrant mapping process. This local quality approach ensures that amplitude data is sufficiently reduced for practical processing while phase information remains intact

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP1755303B1Method and apparatus for wide dynamic range reduction
Publication Date: 2019.05.08 ARRIS ENTERPRISES LLC
  • EP1755303B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP1755303B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP1755303B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present invention discloses a method and apparatus for wide dynamic range phase conversion. In one embodiment, inphase and quadrature signal components of a complex input signal are collapsed into a single quadrant to produce a first signal representation. A scaling operation is subsequently performed on the first signal representation to produce a second signal representation. Lastly, the second signal representation is converted into the phase domain.