Method and system for an analog crossbar architecture
View Patent ↗Methods and systems for an analog crossbar may comprise, in a wireless device comprising a receiver path with an analog crossbar: receiving a digital signal comprising a plurality of channels; amplifying the received signal; converting the amplified signal to an analog signal; separating the analog signal into a plurality of separate channels; routing the plurality of separate channels to desired signal paths utilizing the analog crossbar; and converting the routed plurality of separate channels to a plurality of digital signals. The analog crossbar may comprise an array of complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) transistors. The analog crossbar may comprise a plurality of differential pair signal lines, and a plurality of single-ended signal lines. The received signal may be amplified utilizing a low-noise amplifier (LNA), where a gain level of the LNA may be configurable. The analog signal may be separated into separate channels using a channelizer.
1. A method for communication, the method comprising:
in a wireless device comprising a receiver path with an N×M analog crossbar:
receiving a digital signal via one or more antennas;
converting the digital signal to an analog signal utilizing a digital-to-analog converter (DAC);
separating the analog signal into a plurality of separate channels utilizing a channelizer;
routing the plurality of separate channels to desired signal paths utilizing the N×M analog crossbar; and
converting the routed plurality of separate channels to a plurality of digital signals utilizing one or more analog-to-digital converters (ADCs).
2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the N×M analog crossbar comprises an array of complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) transistors.
3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the N×M analog crossbar comprises a plurality of differential pair signal lines.
4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the N×M analog crossbar comprises a plurality of single-ended signal lines.
5. The method according to claim 1 , comprising amplifying the digital signal utilizing a low-noise amplifier (LNA) before converting to an analog signal, wherein a gain level of the LNA is configurable.
6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein sample rates of the ADC and the DACs are equal to or greater than twice the maximum frequency of a desired channel of the received digital signal.
7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein conversion steps of the ADC are in a known relationship to conversion steps of the DACs.
8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the conversion steps of the ADC are equal to the conversion steps of the DACs.
9. A system for communication, the system comprising:
a wireless device comprising a receiver path with an N×M analog crossbar, said wireless device being operable to:
receive a digital signal via one or more antennas;
convert the received digital signal to an analog signal utilizing a digital-to-analog-converter (DAC);
separate the analog signal into a plurality of separate channels utilizing a channelizer;
route the plurality of separate channels to desired signal paths utilizing the N×M analog crossbar; and
convert the routed plurality of separate channels to a plurality of digital signals utilizing one or more analog-to-digital converters (ADCs).
10. The system according to claim 9 , wherein the N×M analog crossbar comprises an array of complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) transistors.
11. The system according to claim 9 , wherein the N×M analog crossbar comprises a plurality of differential pair signal lines.
12. The system according to claim 9 , wherein the N×M analog crossbar comprises a plurality of single-ended signal lines.
13. The system according to claim 9 , wherein the wireless device is operable to amplify the digital signal utilizing a low-noise amplifier before converting to an analog signal, and wherein a gain level of the LNA is configurable.
14. The system according to claim 9 , wherein sample rates of the ADC and the DACs are equal to or greater than twice the maximum frequency of a desired channel of the received digital signal.
15. The system according to claim 9 , wherein conversion steps of the ADC are in a known relationship to conversion steps of the DACs.
16. The system according to claim 15 , wherein the conversion steps of the ADC are equal to the conversion steps of the DACs.
17. A system for communication, the system comprising:
a wireless device comprising a receiver path with a N×M analog crossbar, said wireless device being operable to:
receive a digital signal via one or more antennas;
convert the digital signal to an analog signal;
separate the analog signal into a plurality of separate channels utilizing a channelizer;
route the plurality of separate channels to desired signal paths utilizing the N×M analog crossbar; and
convert the routed plurality of separate channels to a plurality of digital signals.
18. The system according to claim 17 , wherein the N×M analog crossbar comprises an array of complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) transistors.
19. The system according to claim 17 , wherein the N×M analog crossbar comprises a plurality of differential pair signal lines.
20. The system according to claim 17 , wherein the N×M analog crossbar comprises a plurality of single-ended signal lines.