Wideband Image-Rejecting Receiver With Reconfigurable Filters
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing radio communication hardware faces challenges in operating at high frequencies with large bandwidth while ensuring signal frequency appropriateness for digital processing and minimizing noise and image effects.
Innovation Solution
A wideband receiver system incorporating an active splitter and reconfigurable RF and IF filter circuits, which split and filter electronic signals using local oscillator components to generate intermediate frequency signals, enabling independent amplitude and phase control for improved image rejection and wideband operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If radio communication hardware operates at high frequencies with large bandwidth, then operating frequency and bandwidth are improved, but image rejection and signal quality deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The receiver is divided into multiple parallel signal paths (I-path and Q-path) with separate filtering and mixing stages. Each path processes signals independently with dedicated reconfigurable filters, allowing precise control over image frequency components while maintaining high-frequency operation and wide bandwidth capability.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If traditional filtering methods are used, then device complexity is reduced, but image rejection performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs reconfigurable filters with dynamically adjustable parameters that can be adapted based on the operating frequency and desired image rejection level. This dynamic configuration allows the filtering characteristics to optimize performance across wide bandwidth while managing complexity through programmable control rather than fixed hardware structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The reconfigurable filters serve multiple functions: they act as pre-mixing filters for image rejection, post-mixing filters for channel selection, and can be programmed for different bandwidth configurations. This multi-functionality reduces overall system complexity by eliminating the need for separate dedicated filters for each function.
3Speed
If wideband operation is implemented, then bandwidth is improved, but signal frequency appropriateness for digital processing deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary frequency downconversion through mixing with local oscillator signals before digital processing. Reconfigurable filters are configured beforehand to ensure that the downconverted signals fall within the appropriate frequency range for digital processing, maintaining signal appropriateness across wide bandwidth operations.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system achieves enhanced image rejection and wideband operation from 1 GHz to over 50 GHz, allowing for efficient digital signal processing and rapid broadband frequency searches, with approximately 50 dB of image rejection and double the bandwidth of existing systems.
Implementation Method 1
an active splitter that receives an electronic signal and splits the electronic signal into a first signal on a first path and a second signal on a second path
Implementation Method 2
a first reconfigurable RF filter circuit that receives the first signal, filters the first signal responsive to a first control signal to generate a first filtered signal
Implementation Method 3
mixes the first filtered signal and the in-phase component of the LO signal to output a first intermediate frequency (IF) signal
Data Source
AI summary
A wideband receiver includes an active splitter that splits an electronic signal into first and second signals, first and second reconfigurable RF filters, and first and second reconfigurable IF filters. The first reconfigurable RF filter filters the first signal responsive to a first control signal and mixes the first filtered signal and an in-phase LO signal component to output a first IF signal. The second reconfigurable RF filter filters the second signal responsive to a second control signal to generate a second filtered signal and mixes the second filtered signal and a quadrature phase LO signal component to output a second IF signal. The first reconfigurable IF filter filters the first IF signal responsive to a third control signal to generate a first filtered IF signal. The second reconfigurable IF filter filters the second IF signal responsive to a fourth control signal to generate a second filtered IF signal.