Systems and methods for dynamically controlling an analog-to-digital converter

• US 8,335,484 B1
• Filed: 07/31/2006
• Issued: 12/18/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: SiPort, Inc. (Intel Corporation)
• Inventors: Arad, Oren, Sharma, Sridhar
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Duc M
• Application Number:
  US11/496,767
• Time in Patent Office: 2,332 Days
• Field of Search: 455/67.11, 455/67.13, 455/574, 4552261-2263, 455/230, 455/343.2, 341/131, 341/139, 341/142, 341/155, 341/156
• US Class Current: 455/343.2
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/3078 Circuits generating control signals for digitally modulated signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/0003 Software-defined radio [SDR] systems, i.e. systems wherein components typically implemented in hardware, e.g. filters or modulators/demodulators, are implented using software, e.g. by involving an AD or DA conversion stage such that at least part of the signal processing is performed in the digital domain digital baseband systems H04L25/00; digital modulation/demodulation H04L27/00; CDMA H04B1/707; TDMA H04B7/2643; image transmission H04N5/00

Abstract

Systems and methods for dynamically controlling an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) in order to conserve power are provided. In exemplary embodiments, a receiver device comprises a tuner configured to receive a signal, at least one programmable analog-to-digital converter (ADC), and a digital signal processing hardware comprising a control logic. The exemplary control logic is configured to generate a control signal to configure components within the receiver device to conserve power at the ADC.

Claims

1. A system for power conservation in a receiver device, comprising:

a tuner;

a programmable analog-to-digital converter (ADC); and

a digital signal processing hardware (DSPHW) including logic executable by the DSPHW to;

configure the tuner to operate in a first mode,

measure a first power of a desired signal and a first total power at an input of the ADC,

determine a first ratio based at least in part on the first power of the desired signal and the first total power at the input of the ADC,

configure the tuner to operate in a second mode,

measure a second power of the desired signal and a second total power at the input of the ADC,

determine a second ratio based at least in part on the second power of the desired signal and the second total power at the input of the ADC,

configure the tuner to operate in the first mode or the second mode based at least in part on a comparison of the first ratio and the second ratio,

measure a third power of the desired signal;

generate a control signal to configure components within the receiver device to conserve power at the ADC,

calculate an available noise margin between the third power of the desired signal and a noise floor,

calculate a resolution of the ADC based at least in part on the available noise margin, and

configure the ADC with the calculated resolution.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the ADC switches between different output resolutions.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the receiver components include a phase locked loop (PLL) that provides a sampling clock to the ADC.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the receiver components include clock dividing circuitry that divides a sampling clock provided to the ADC.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the tuner further includes an automatic gain controller that controls power of the received signal at an input to the ADC.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the tuner includes a low-IF architecture.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the ADC includes a Sigma Delta ADC.

8. The system for power conservation in a receiver device of claim 1 wherein the first mode is an upper sideband (USB) mode, the second mode is a lower sideband (LSB) mode, the first ratio is the first power of the desired signal to the first total power, the second ratio is the second power of the desired signal to the second total power, and the tuner is configured to operate in the USB mode when the first ratio is greater than the second ratio and configured to operate in the LSB mode when the first ratio is less than the second ratio.

9. A method for power conservation in a receiver device, comprising:

receiving a signal at the receiver device, the receiver device including a programmable analog-to-digital converter (ADC), a tuner, and an oscillator;

measuring a first power of the signal and a first total power at an input of the ADC,

determining a first ratio based at least in part on the first power of the signal and the first total power at the input of the ADC,

configuring the tuner to operate in a second mode,

measuring a second power of the signal and a second total power at the input of the ADC,

determining a second ratio based at least in part on the second power of the signal and the second total power at the input of the ADC,

configuring the tuner to operate in the first mode or the second mode based at least in part on a comparison of the first ratio and the second ratio,

measuring a third power of the signal;

calculating an available noise margin between the third power of the signal and a noise floor;

calculating a resolution for the ADC based at least in part on the available noise margin; and

dynamically adjusting the resolution by adjusting the frequency of the local oscillator sine wave such that an effective dynamic range of the ADC is minimized to conserve power at the ADC while allowing for reliable demodulation of the signal, the adjustment of the frequency of the oscillator being based at least in part on a power of a desired signal.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein dynamically adjusting the resolution further comprises changing a sampling clock of the ADC.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein dynamically adjusting the resolution further comprises controlling a sampling frequency produced by a phase locked loop (PLL).

12. The method of claim 9 wherein dynamically adjusting the resolution further comprises controlling a sampling frequency produced by a clock dividing circuitry.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein dynamically adjusting the resolution further comprises changing a bias voltage of an amplifier circuitry.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein dynamically adjusting the resolution further comprises changing a number of integrator circuitries.

15. The method of claim 9 wherein dynamically adjusting the resolution further comprises controlling a start time of an ADC resolution reconfiguration.

16. The method of claim 9 wherein dynamically adjusting the resolution further comprises controlling gain of at least one automatic gain control.

17. The method of claim 9 wherein dynamically adjusting the resolution further comprises determining a new dynamic range of the ADC.

18. The method of claim 9 wherein the resolution for the ADC is determined for a Sigma Delta ADC.

19. The method for power conservation in a receiver device of claim 9 wherein the first mode is an upper sideband (USB) mode, the second mode is a lower sideband (LSB) mode, the first ratio is the first power of the desired signal to the first total power, the second ratio is the second power of the desired signal to the second total power and the tuner is configured to operate in the USB mode when the first ratio is greater than the second ratio and configured to operate in the LSB mode when the first ratio is less than the second ratio.