High speed camera interface PCB layout planning for autonomous driving vehicles

Abstract

A printed circuit board (PCB) is disclosed that includes one or more signal layers between a first surface and a second surface, the one or more signal layers including a first signal layer. The PCB includes a connector interface disposed on the first surface and a first signal via electrically coupled to the connector interface. The PCB includes a first transmission line disposed on the first signal layer for electrically coupling a first position of the first signal layer to a second position of the first signal layer, and a second signal via disposed on the second position. The PCB includes a cable supply circuit disposed on the first surface electrically coupled to the second signal via and a receiver circuit disposed on the first surface adjacent to the cable supply circuit. The PCB includes a second transmission line disposed on the first surface layer for electrically coupling the cable supply circuit to the receiver circuit.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to operating an autonomous vehicle. More specifically, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to high-speed camera interface printed circuit board (PCB) layout planning for an autonomous vehicle (ADV). Background Art

[0002] Vehicles operating in autonomous mode (e.g., without human control) can relieve occupants, particularly the driver, of some driving-related responsibilities. When operating in autonomous mode, the vehicle can navigate to various locations using onboard sensors, allowing the vehicle to travel with minimal human interaction or, in some cases, without any passengers.

[0003] Autonomous vehicles require high-speed data signal paths to transmit signals from cameras that sense the vehicle's surroundings. Higher-definition cameras require higher bandwidth utilization of the data signal path. Optimizing the signal path to improve signal quality for high-speed and high-bandwidth signals is critical. Summary of the invention

[0004] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a method for routing a conductive path within a printed circuit board (PCB) is provided, the method comprising: routing a first segment of the conductive path from a connector interface on a surface of the PCB to a first position of a first signal layer using a first signal via, the first signal via extending from the surface to the first signal layer of the PCB; routing a second segment of the conductive path from the first position of the first signal layer to a second position of the first signal layer using a first transmission line; and routing a third segment of the conductive path from the second position of the first signal layer to a cable power supply circuit disposed on the surface of the PCB using a second signal via, the second signal via extending from the first signal layer to the surface of the PCB.

[0005] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a printed circuit board (PCB) is provided, comprising: one or more signal layers between a first surface and a second surface of the PCB, the one or more signal layers comprising a first signal layer; a connector interface disposed on the first surface; a first signal via electrically coupled to the connector interface, the first signal via extending from the first surface to the first signal layer; a first transmission line disposed on the first signal layer, the first transmission line electrically coupling a first position of the first signal layer to a second position; a second signal via disposed at the second position, the second signal via extending from the first signal layer to the first surface; a cable power supply circuit disposed on the first surface, the cable power supply circuit electrically coupled to the second signal via; a receiver circuit disposed on the first surface and adjacent to the cable power supply circuit; and a second transmission line disposed on the first signal layer, the second transmission line electrically coupling the cable power supply circuit to the receiver circuit, wherein the first transmission line and the second transmission line transmit a signal of an image sensor from the connector interface to the receiver circuit, and the first transmission line transmits power from the cable power supply circuit to the image sensor, wherein the image sensor is used to sense the environment of an autonomous driving vehicle (ADV).

[0006] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a sensor system for an autonomous driving vehicle is provided, the sensor system comprising: an image sensor; a printed circuit board (PCB); and a transmission cable, the transmission cable electrically coupling the image sensor to the PCB, wherein the PCB comprises: one or more signal layers between a first surface and a second surface of the PCB, the one or more signal layers comprising a first signal layer; a connector interface disposed on the first surface; a first signal via electrically coupled to the connector interface, the first signal via extending from the first surface to the first signal layer; a first transmission line disposed on the first signal layer, the first transmission line electrically coupling a first position of the first signal layer to a second position; and a first signal via disposed on the second position. a second signal via disposed on the connector interface, the second signal via extending from the first signal layer to the first surface; a cable power circuit disposed on the first surface, the cable power circuit electrically coupled to the second signal via; a receiver circuit disposed on the first surface and adjacent to the cable power circuit; and a second transmission line disposed on the first signal layer, the second transmission line electrically coupling the cable power circuit to the receiver circuit, wherein the first transmission line and the second transmission line transmit a signal of an image sensor from the connector interface to the receiver circuit, and the first transmission line transmits power from the cable power circuit to the image sensor, wherein the image sensor is used to sense the environment of an autonomous driving vehicle (ADV). BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] Embodiments of the disclosure are illustrated by way of example and not limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which like reference numerals indicate similar elements.

[0008] Figure 1 is a block diagram illustrating a networking system according to one embodiment.

[0009] Figure 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of an autonomous driving vehicle according to one embodiment.

[0010] FIG. 3A to FIG. 3B is a block diagram illustrating an example of an autonomous driving system for use with an autonomous vehicle according to one embodiment.

[0011] Figure 4 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a decision and planning system according to one embodiment.

[0012] Figure 5A is a block diagram illustrating an example of a sensor system according to one embodiment.

[0013] Figure 5B FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a system having multiple communication channels according to one embodiment. Figure 5A Block diagram of the sensor system.

[0014] Figure 6 is a block diagram illustrating a sensor module coupled to a sensor interface of a sensor system according to one embodiment.

[0015] Figure 7 is a block diagram showing a side view of a printed circuit board (PCB) of a sensor system.

[0016] Figure 8 It shows Figure 7 A block diagram of a three-dimensional view of the PCB.

[0017] Fig. 9 is a block diagram illustrating a side view of a printed circuit board (PCB) of a sensor system according to one embodiment.

[0018] Fig.10 is a diagram showing a method according to an embodiment Fig. 9 A block diagram of a three-dimensional view of the PCB.

[0019] Fig.11 is a diagram showing a method according to an embodiment Fig. 9 Block diagram of the PCB floor plan layout of the PCB.

[0020] Fig.12 is a block diagram showing a PCB plan layout according to one embodiment.

[0021] Fig.13 is a block diagram illustrating a side view of a printed circuit board (PCB) of a sensor system according to one embodiment.

[0022] Fig.14 is a diagram showing a method according to an embodiment Fig.13 A block diagram of a three-dimensional view of the PCB.

[0023] Fig.15 is a diagram showing a method according to an embodiment Fig.13 Block diagram of the PCB floor plan layout of the PCB.

[0024] Fig.16 is a block diagram showing a PCB plan layout according to one embodiment.

[0025] Fig.17 is a block diagram illustrating a process for routing conductive paths according to one embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] Various embodiments and aspects of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the details discussed below, and the accompanying drawings will illustrate the various embodiments. The following description and drawings are illustrative of the present disclosure and should not be construed as limiting the present disclosure. Many specific details are described to provide a full understanding of the various embodiments of the present disclosure. However, in some cases, well-known or traditional details are not described in order to provide a concise discussion of the embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0027] References in this specification to "one embodiment" or "an embodiment" mean that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in conjunction with the embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. The appearances of the phrase "in one embodiment" in various places in this specification do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment.

[0028] According to some embodiments, a PCB layout plan for a cable power (POC) circuit layout method for mitigating the stub effect is disclosed. The PCB layout plan combines strip lines, microstrip lines and vias for optimizing signal routing to minimize impedance discontinuities in the conductive path from the sensor interface to the receiver chipset (or receiver integrated circuit (IC)). The optimized signal path achieves high signal quality under high-speed data transmission.

[0029] Traditionally, sensor manufacturers have supported low voltage differential signaling (LVDS) interfaces. The LVDS interface requires the use of two complementary signals that work as a pair or channel. Each pair of such signals enables data to be transferred from the image sensor to the FPGA at a rate of approximately 600Mbit / sec. However, the need for increased speed means that high-speed image sensors require 64 or more LVDS signal pairs.

[0030] Standard interfaces (e.g. Ethernet) may have additional latency due to protocol-related overhead and / or throughput limitations for high-speed and high-bandwidth sensor data transmission. Interfaces that fail to provide adequate throughput may further introduce artifacts into the data path.

[0031] Power over cable (POC) circuits can minimize the number of wires from the sensor to the interface of the sensor unit. One way to connect the sensor to the POC circuit is by using signal vias that extend from the surface layer to the signal layer, but such signal vias can produce a stub effect that affects the quality of high-speed data signals. The stub effect refers to the effect of a high-frequency incident signal seeing a large impedance discontinuity at the signal via, and thus causing signal reflection and resonance, leading to signal loss / attenuation. The longer the stub line or signal via, the greater the impedance discontinuity, and therefore the greater the impact on the quality of the data signal.

[0032] A POC circuit refers to a circuit that supplies power to a sensor through the same transmission medium (e.g., a cable line and a transmission line / trace on a printed circuit board) that transmits a data signal. Typically, the POC is electrically coupled to a power integrated circuit (IC) to receive the supplied power. Therefore, a minimum number of wires can be routed to the sensor through the POC circuit. In some embodiments, only one signal path is required to connect the sensor to the POC circuit, where the signal path is also routed to the receiver circuit.

[0033] According to a first aspect, a method for laying out a conductive path in a printed circuit board (PCB) includes laying out a first segment of the conductive path from a connector interface on a surface of the PCB to a first position of a first signal layer using a first signal via, the first signal via extending from the surface of the PCB to the first signal layer. The method includes laying out a second segment of the conductive path from a first position of the first signal layer to a second position of the first signal layer using a first transmission line. The method includes laying out a third segment of the conductive path from a second position of the first signal layer to a cable power circuit disposed on the surface of the PCB using a second signal via, the second signal via extending from the first signal layer to the surface of the PCB. The method includes laying out a fourth segment of the conductive path from the cable power circuit to a receiver chipset using a second transmission line. The receiver chipset and the cable power circuit are disposed on the surface of the PCB. The receiver chipset is disposed at a position adjacent to the cable power circuit, and the conductive path is laid out to an image sensor for sensing the environment of an autonomous vehicle (ADV).

[0034] In one embodiment, the cable power circuit is electrically coupled to a power integrated circuit (IC) disposed on the surface to receive a power signal from the power IC.

[0035] In one embodiment, the image sensor includes one or more image sensors and the connector interface includes a Gigabit Multimedia Serial Link (GMSL) connector coupled to one or more transmission cables to receive one or more signals from the one or more image sensors.

[0036] In one embodiment, each of the one or more transmission cables is a single conductor for transmitting serial signals of the image sensor and transmitting power from a cable power circuit to the image sensor.

[0037] In one embodiment, the method further includes one or more of: a connector interface, a cable power circuit, a receiver chipset, and a power integrated circuit (IC).

[0038] In one embodiment, the first transmission line is a stripline and the second transmission line is a microstrip line. In one embodiment, the power transmitted from the cable power circuit to the image sensor is direct current (DC) and the signal transmitted from the image sensor to the receiver chipset is a signal having a frequency greater than one gigabit per second.

[0039] According to a second aspect, a printed circuit board (PCB) of an autonomous vehicle includes one or more signal layers between a first surface and a second surface of the PCB, the one or more signal layers including a first signal layer. The PCB includes a connector interface disposed on the first surface and a first signal via electrically coupled to the connector interface, the first signal via extending from the first surface to the first signal layer. The PCB includes a first transmission line disposed on the first signal layer and a second signal via disposed at a second position, the first transmission line electrically coupling the first position of the first signal layer to the second position, the second signal via extending from the first signal layer to the first surface. The PCB includes a cable power supply circuit disposed on the first surface and electrically coupled to the second signal via, and a receiver circuit disposed on the first surface adjacent to the cable power supply circuit. The PCB includes a second transmission line disposed on the first surface layer, the second transmission line electrically coupling the cable power supply circuit to the receiver circuit. The first transmission line and the second transmission line transmit a signal of an image sensor from the connector interface to the receiver circuit and the first transmission line transmits power from the cable power supply circuit to the image sensor, wherein the image sensor is used to sense the environment of the autonomous vehicle (ADV).

[0040] In one embodiment, the PCB further includes a power integrated circuit (IC) disposed on the first surface, and the cable power circuit is electrically coupled to the power IC to receive a power signal from the power IC.

[0041] In one embodiment, the image sensor includes one or more image sensors and the connector interface includes a Gigabit Multimedia Serial Link (GMSL) connector coupled to one or more transmission cables to receive one or more signals from the one or more image sensors.

[0042] In one embodiment, each of the one or more transmission cables is a single conductor for transmitting serial signals of the image sensor and transmitting power from a cable power circuit of the PCB to the image sensor.

[0043] In one embodiment, the PCB further includes one or more of the following groups: a connector interface, a cable power circuit, a receiver chipset, and a power integrated circuit (IC).

[0044] In one embodiment, the first transmission line is a stripline and the second transmission line is a microstrip line. In one embodiment, the power transmitted from the cable power circuit to the image sensor is direct current (DC) and the signal transmitted from the image sensor to the receiver chipset is a signal having a frequency greater than one gigabit per second.

[0045] According to a third aspect, a sensor system for an autonomous driving vehicle includes an image sensor, a printed circuit board (PCB), and a transmission cable electrically coupling the image sensor to the PCB. The PCB includes one or more signal layers between a first surface and a second surface of the PCB, the one or more signal layers including a first signal layer. The PCB includes a connector interface disposed on the first surface and a first signal via electrically coupled to the connector interface, the first signal via extending from the first surface to the first signal layer. The PCB includes a first transmission line disposed on the first signal layer and a second signal via disposed at a second position, the first transmission line electrically coupling the first position of the first signal layer to the second position, the second signal via extending from the first signal layer to the first surface. The PCB includes a cable power supply circuit disposed on the first surface and electrically coupled to the second signal via, and a receiver circuit disposed on the first surface adjacent to the cable power supply circuit. The PCB includes a second transmission line disposed on the first surface layer, the second transmission line electrically coupling the cable power supply circuit to the receiver circuit. The first transmission line and the second transmission line transmit the signal of the image sensor from the connector interface to the receiver circuit and the first transmission line transmits power from the cable power supply circuit to the image sensor, wherein the image sensor is used to sense the environment of an autonomous driving vehicle (ADV). Using a PCB layout plan that optimizes the signal path can reduce the loss of high-speed and high-bandwidth signals.

[0046] Figure 1 is a block diagram showing an autonomous driving network configuration according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 1 , network configuration 100 includes an autonomous driving vehicle (ADV) 101, which can be communicatively coupled to one or more servers 103-104 via a network 102. Although one ADV is shown, multiple ADVs can be coupled to each other and / or to servers 103-104 via network 102. Network 102 can be any type of network, such as a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN) (such as the Internet), a cellular network, a satellite network, or a combination thereof, wired or wireless. (Multiple) servers 103-104 can be any kind of server or server cluster, such as a web server or cloud server, an application server, a back-end server, or a combination thereof. Servers 103-104 can be data analysis servers, content servers, traffic information servers, maps and points of interest (MPOI) servers or location servers, etc.

[0047] ADV refers to a vehicle that can be configured to assume an autonomous mode in which the vehicle navigates an environment with little or no driver input. Such an ADV may include a sensor system having one or more sensors configured to detect information about the environment in which the vehicle is operating. The vehicle and its associated controller(s) use the detected information to navigate the environment. ADV 101 can operate in a manual mode, a fully autonomous mode, or a partially autonomous mode.

[0048] In one embodiment, ADV 101 includes, but is not limited to, an autonomous driving system (ADS) 110, a vehicle control system 111, a wireless communication system 112, a user interface system 113, and a sensor system 115. ADV 101 may further include certain common components included in an ordinary vehicle, such as an engine, wheels, a steering wheel, a transmission, etc., which may be controlled by the vehicle control system 111 and / or ADS 110 using various communication signals and / or commands (e.g., acceleration signals or commands, deceleration signals or commands, steering signals or commands, braking signals or commands, etc.).

[0049] The components 110-115 may be communicatively coupled to each other via an interconnect, a bus, a network, or a combination thereof. For example, the components 110-115 may be communicatively coupled to each other via a controller area network (CAN) bus. The CAN bus is a vehicle bus standard designed to allow microcontrollers and devices to communicate with each other in applications without a host computer. It is a message-based protocol that was originally designed for multi-way electrical routing within an automobile, but has also been used in many other environments.

[0050] Reference now Figure 2In one embodiment, the sensor system 115 includes, but is not limited to, one or more cameras 211, a global positioning system (GPS) unit 212, an inertial measurement unit (IMU) 213, a radar unit 214, and a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) unit 215. The GPS system 212 may include a transceiver operable to provide information about the location of the ADV. The IMU unit 213 may sense changes in position and direction of the ADV based on inertial acceleration. The radar unit 214 may represent a system that uses radio signals to sense objects within the local environment of the ADV. In some embodiments, in addition to sensing objects, the radar unit 214 may also sense the speed and / or heading of the object. The LIDAR unit 215 may use lasers to sense objects in the environment in which the ADV is located. The LIDAR unit 215 may include one or more laser sources, a laser scanner, and one or more detectors, as well as other system components. The camera 211 may include one or more devices for capturing images of the environment around the ADV. The camera 211 may be a static camera and / or a video camera. The camera may be mechanically movable, for example, by mounting the camera on a rotating and / or tilting platform.

[0051] The sensor system 115 may further include other sensors, such as a sonar sensor, an infrared sensor, a steering sensor, a throttle sensor, a brake sensor, and an audio sensor (e.g., a microphone). The audio sensor may be configured to capture sound from the environment surrounding the ADV. The steering sensor may be configured to sense the steering angle of the steering wheel, the wheels of the vehicle, or a combination thereof. The throttle sensor and the brake sensor sense the throttle position and the brake position of the vehicle, respectively. In some cases, the throttle sensor and the brake sensor may be integrated into an integrated throttle / brake sensor.

[0052] In one embodiment, the vehicle control system 111 includes, but is not limited to, a steering unit 201, a throttle unit 202 (also referred to as an acceleration unit), and a brake unit 203. The steering unit 201 is used to adjust the direction or heading of the vehicle. The throttle unit 202 is used to control the speed of the motor or engine, thereby controlling the speed and acceleration of the vehicle. The brake unit 203 is used to slow down the wheels or tires of the vehicle by providing friction, thereby decelerating the vehicle. Note that, as Figure 2 The components shown in the drawings may be implemented in hardware, software, or a combination thereof.

[0053] Return to reference Figure 1, the wireless communication system 112 allows communication between the ADV 101 and external systems such as devices, sensors, other vehicles, etc. For example, the wireless communication system 112 can wirelessly communicate with one or more devices directly or via a communication network, such as communicating with servers 103-104 through the network 102. The wireless communication system 112 can use any cellular communication network or wireless local area network (WLAN), for example, using WiFi to communicate with another component or system. The wireless communication system 112 can communicate directly with devices (e.g., a passenger's mobile device, a display device, a speaker in the vehicle 101) using, for example, an infrared link, Bluetooth, etc. The user interface system 113 can be part of a peripheral device used in the vehicle 101, including, for example, a keyboard, a touch screen display device, a microphone, and a speaker.

[0054] Some or all functions of ADV 101 may be controlled or managed by ADS 110, particularly when operating in autonomous driving mode. ADS 110 includes necessary hardware (e.g., processor(s), memory, storage devices) and software (e.g., operating system, planning and navigation programs) to receive information from sensor system 115, control system 111, wireless communication system 112, and / or user interface system 113, process the received information, plan a route or path from a starting point to a destination, and then drive vehicle 101 based on the planning and control information. Alternatively, ADS 110 may be integrated with vehicle control system 111.

[0055] For example, a user as a passenger may specify a starting location and a destination of a trip, for example, via a user interface. ADS 110 obtains trip-related data. For example, ADS 110 may obtain location and route data from an MPOI server, which may be part of servers 103-104. The location server provides location services, while the MPOI server provides map services and POIs of certain locations. Alternatively, such location and MPOI information may be cached locally in a persistent storage device of ADS 110.

[0056] When ADV 101 moves along the route, ADS110 can also obtain real-time traffic information from a traffic information system or server (TIS). Note that servers 103-104 can be operated by third-party entities. Alternatively, the functions of servers 103-104 can be integrated with ADS110. Based on real-time traffic information, MPOI information and location information, and real-time local environmental data (e.g., obstacles, objects, nearby vehicles) detected or sensed by sensor system 115, ADS 110 can plan the optimal route and drive vehicle 101 according to the planned route, for example, via control system 111, to reach the designated destination safely and efficiently.

[0057] Figure 3A and Figure 3B is a block diagram illustrating an example of an automated driving system for use with an ADV according to one embodiment. The system 300 may be used as Figure 1 The ADV 101 may be implemented as part of the ADV 101, including but not limited to the ADS 110, the control system 111 and the sensor system 115. Figure 3A-3B ADS 110 includes but is not limited to a positioning module 301 , a perception module 302 , a prediction module 303 , a decision module 304 , a planning module 305 , a control module 306 and a route planning module 307 .

[0058] Some or all of modules 301-307 may be implemented in software, hardware, or a combination thereof. For example, these modules may be installed in persistent storage device 352, loaded into memory 351, and executed by one or more processors (not shown). Note that some or all of these modules may be implemented in conjunction with Figure 2 Some or all modules of the vehicle control system 111 are communicatively coupled or integrated. Some modules in the modules 301-307 can be integrated together as integrated modules.

[0059] The positioning module 301 determines the current location of the ADV 101 (e.g., using the GPS unit 212) and manages any data related to the user's itinerary or route. The positioning module 301 (also referred to as the map and route module) manages any data related to the user's itinerary or route. The user can log in, for example, via a user interface and specify the starting location and destination of the itinerary. The positioning module 301 communicates with other components of the ADV 101, such as map and route data 311, to obtain itinerary related data. For example, the positioning module 301 can obtain location data and route data from a location server and a map and POI (MPOI) server. The location server provides location services, while the MPOI server provides map services and POIs at certain locations, which can be cached as part of the map and route data 311. When the ADV 101 moves along the route, the positioning module 301 can also obtain real-time traffic information from a traffic information system or server.

[0060] Based on the sensor data provided by the sensor system 115 and the positioning information obtained by the positioning module 301, the perception module 302 determines the perception of the surrounding environment. The perception information can represent the perception of the average driver around the vehicle that the driver is driving. The perception can include lane configuration, traffic light signals, the relative position of another vehicle, pedestrians, buildings, crosswalks, or other traffic-related signs such as objects (e.g., stop signs, yield signs), etc. The lane configuration includes information describing one or more lanes, such as the shape of the lane (e.g., straight or curved), the width of the lane, how many lanes there are in the road, one-way or two-way lanes, merging or splitting lanes, exit lanes, etc.

[0061] The perception module 302 may include a computer vision system or functionality of a computer vision system to process and analyze images captured by one or more cameras in order to identify objects and / or features in the ADV environment. Objects may include traffic signals, road boundaries, other vehicles, pedestrians, and / or obstacles, etc. The computer vision system may use object recognition algorithms, video tracking, and other computer vision techniques. In some embodiments, the computer vision system may map the environment, track objects, and estimate the speed of objects, etc. The perception module 302 may also detect objects based on other sensor data provided by other sensors such as radar and / or LIDAR.

[0062] For each object, the prediction module 303 predicts how the object will behave in such an environment. The prediction is performed based on a set of map / route information 311 and traffic rules 312 based on perception data of the driving environment at the current point in time. For example, if the object is a vehicle traveling in the opposite direction and the current driving environment includes an intersection, the prediction module 303 will predict whether the vehicle is likely to move straight ahead or turn. If the perception data indicates that there is no traffic light at the intersection, the prediction module 303 can predict that the vehicle may have to come to a complete stop before entering the intersection. If the perception data indicates that the vehicle is currently in a left-turn-only lane or a right-turn-only lane, the prediction module 303 can predict that the vehicle will be more likely to turn left or right, respectively.

[0063] For each object, the decision module 304 makes a decision about how to deal with the object. For example, for a particular object (e.g., another vehicle in a cross-road) and its metadata describing the object (e.g., speed, direction, turn angle), the decision module 304 decides how to encounter the object (e.g., overtake, yield, stop, pass). The decision module 304 can make such a decision based on a set of rules (e.g., traffic rules or driving rules 312), which can be stored in the persistent storage device 352.

[0064] The route making module 307 is configured to provide one or more routes or paths from the starting point to the destination point. For a given trip from the starting location to the destination location, for example, received from a user, the route making module 307 obtains the route and map information 311 and determines all possible routes or paths from the starting location to the destination location. The route making module 307 can generate a reference line in the form of a topographic map for each route it determines from the starting location to the destination location. The reference line refers to an ideal route or path that is not interfered by any other factors (such as other vehicles, obstacles, or traffic conditions). That is, if there are no other vehicles, pedestrians, or obstacles on the road, the ADV should follow the reference line completely or closely. The topographic map is then provided to the decision module 304 and / or the planning module 305. The decision module 304 and / or the planning module 305 examine all possible routes to select and modify one of the optimal routes based on other data provided by other modules (such as traffic conditions from the positioning module 301, the driving environment perceived by the perception module 302, and the traffic conditions predicted by the prediction module 303). The actual path or route used to control the ADV may be close to or different from the reference line provided by the route planning module 307, depending on the specific driving environment at the current point in time.

[0065] Based on the decision for each object perceived, the planning module 305 plans a path or route for the ADV, as well as driving parameters (e.g., distance, speed, and / or turning angle) using the reference lines provided by the route making module 307 as a basis. That is, for a given object, the decision module 304 decides how to deal with the object, and the planning module 305 determines how to do it. For example, for a given object, the decision module 304 may decide to pass through the object, and the planning module 305 may determine whether to pass through the left or right side of the object. Planning and control data is generated by the planning module 305, and the planning and control data includes information describing how the vehicle 101 will move in the next movement cycle (e.g., the next route / path segment). For example, the planning and control data may instruct the vehicle 101 to move at a speed of 30 miles per hour (mph) for 10 meters and then change to the right lane at a speed of 25 mph.

[0066] Based on the planning and control data, the control module 306 controls and drives the ADV according to the route or path defined by the planning and control data by sending appropriate commands or signals to the vehicle control system 111. The planning and control data includes sufficient information to drive the vehicle from a first point on the route or path to a second point using appropriate vehicle settings or driving parameters (e.g., throttle commands, brake commands, steering commands) at different points in time along the route or path.

[0067] In one embodiment, the planning phase is performed in multiple planning cycles (also referred to as driving cycles), such as in each 100 millisecond (ms) time interval. For each planning cycle or driving cycle, one or more control commands will be issued based on the planning and control data. That is, for every 100ms, the planning module 305 plans the next route segment or path segment, for example, including the target position and the time required for the ADV to reach the target position. Alternatively, the planning module 305 can further specify a specific speed, direction and / or steering angle, etc. In one embodiment, the planning module 305 plans the route segment or path segment for the next predetermined time period (such as 5 seconds). For each planning cycle, the planning module 305 plans the target position of the current cycle (e.g., the next 5 seconds) based on the target position planned in the previous cycle. The control module 306 then generates one or more control commands (e.g., throttle control command, brake control command, steering control command) based on the planning and control data of the current cycle.

[0068] Note that the decision module 304 and the planning module 305 can be integrated into an integrated module. The decision module 304 / planning module 305 can include a navigation system or a function of a navigation system to determine the driving path of the ADV. For example, the navigation system can determine a series of speeds and directional headings to affect the movement of the ADV along a path that substantially avoids perceived obstacles while causing the ADV to generally move along a road-based path to the final destination. The destination can be set based on user input via the user interface system 113. The navigation system can dynamically update the driving path while the ADV is running. The navigation system can combine data from a GPS system and one or more maps to determine the driving path of the ADV.

[0069] Figure 4 400 is a block diagram illustrating a system architecture for autonomous driving according to one embodiment. Figure 3A and Figure 3B The system architecture of the autonomous driving system shown in . Figure 4, the system architecture 400 includes, but is not limited to, an application layer 401, a planning and control (PNC) layer 402, a perception layer 403, a driver layer 404, a firmware layer 405, and a hardware layer 406. The application layer 401 may include a user interface or configuration application that interacts with a user or passenger of the autonomous vehicle, such as functionality associated with the user interface system 113. The PNC layer 402 may include at least the functionality of the planning module 305 and the control module 306. The perception layer 403 may include at least the functionality of the perception module 302. In one embodiment, there are additional layers that include the functionality of the prediction module 303 and / or the decision module 304. Alternatively, such functionality may be included in the PNC layer 402 and / or the perception layer 403. The system architecture 400 further includes a driver layer 404, a firmware layer 405, and a hardware layer 406. The firmware layer 405 may represent at least the functionality of the sensor system 115, which may be implemented in the form of a field programmable gate array (FPGA). The hardware layer 406 may represent hardware of the autonomous vehicle, such as the control system 111. Layers 401 - 403 may communicate with firmware layer 405 and hardware layer 406 via device driver layer 404 .

[0070] Figure 5A is a block diagram illustrating an example of a sensor system according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 5A , the sensor system 115 includes a plurality of sensors 510 and a sensor unit 500 coupled to the host system 110. The host system 110 represents a planning and control system as described above, which may include Figure 3A and Figure 3B . The sensor unit 500 may be implemented in the form of an FPGA device or an ASIC (application specific integrated circuit) device. In one embodiment, the sensor unit 500 includes one or more sensor data processing modules 501 (referred to as sensor processing modules), a data transmission module 502, and a sensor control module or logic 503. The modules 501-503 may communicate with the sensor 510 via a sensor interface 504 and communicate with the host system 110 via a host interface 505. Optionally, an internal or external buffer 506 may be used to buffer data for processing.

[0071] In one embodiment, for the receive path or upstream direction, the sensor processing module 501 is configured to receive sensor data from the sensor via the sensor interface 504 and process the sensor data (e.g., format conversion, error checking), which may be temporarily stored in the buffer 506. The data transmission module 502 is configured to transmit the processed data to the host system 110 using a communication protocol compatible with the host interface 505. Similarly, for the transmit path or downstream direction, the data transmission module 502 is configured to receive data or commands from the host system 110. The data is then processed into a format compatible with the corresponding sensor by the sensor processing module 501. The processed data is then sent to the sensor.

[0072] In one embodiment, the sensor control module or logic 503 is configured to control certain operations of the sensor 510, such as the activation time to capture sensor data, in response to commands received from the host system (e.g., the perception module 302) via the host interface 505. The host system 110 can configure the sensors 510 to capture sensor data in a collaborative and / or synchronized manner so that the sensor data can be used to perceive the driving environment around the vehicle at any point in time.

[0073] The sensor interface 504 may include one or more of the following: Ethernet, USB (Universal Serial Bus), LTE (Long Term Evolution) or cellular, WiFi, GPS, camera, CAN, serial (e.g., Universal Asynchronous Receiver-Transmitter or UART), SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) card, and other general purpose input / output (GPIO) interfaces. The host interface 505 may be any high-speed or high-bandwidth interface, such as a PCIe (Peripheral Component Interconnect or PCI express) interface. The sensor 510 may include various sensors utilized in an autonomous vehicle, such as a camera, a LIDAR device, a RADAR device, a GPS receiver, an IMU, an ultrasonic sensor, a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) receiver, an LTE or cellular SIM card, a vehicle sensor (e.g., a throttle sensor, a brake sensor, a steering sensor), and a system sensor (e.g., a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, a pressure sensor), etc.

[0074] For example, a camera may be coupled via an Ethernet or GPIO interface. A GPS sensor may be coupled via a USB or a specific GPS interface. A vehicle sensor may be coupled via a CAN interface. A RADAR sensor or an ultrasonic sensor may be coupled via a GPIO interface. A LIDAR device may be coupled via an Ethernet interface. An external SIM module may be coupled via an LTE interface. Similarly, an internal SIM module may be inserted into a SIM card holder of the sensor unit 500. A serial interface, such as a UART, may be coupled to a console system for debugging.

[0075] Note that the sensors 510 may be any type of sensor and may be provided by a variety of vendors or suppliers. The sensor processing module 501 is configured to process different types of sensors and their corresponding data formats and communication protocols. According to one embodiment, each of the sensors 510 is associated with a specific channel for processing sensor data and transmitting the processed sensor data between the host system 110 and the corresponding sensor. Each channel includes a specific sensor processing module and a specific data transmission module that have been configured or programmed to process the corresponding sensor data and protocol, such as Figure 5B shown.

[0076] Reference now Figure 5B , the sensor processing modules 501A-501C are specifically configured to process sensor data obtained from sensors 510A-510C, respectively. Note that sensors 510A-510C may be sensors of the same or different types. Sensor processing modules 501A-501C may be configured (e.g., software configurable) to perform different sensor processing for different types of sensors. For example, if sensor 510A is a camera, processing module 501A may be configured to perform pixel processing operations on specific pixel data of an image captured by camera 510A. Similarly, if sensor 510A is a LIDAR device, processing module 501A is specifically configured to process LIDAR data. That is, according to one embodiment, depending on the specific type of a specific sensor, its corresponding processing module may be configured to process the corresponding sensor data using a specific process or method corresponding to the type of sensor data.

[0077] Similarly, the data transmission modules 502A-502C can be configured to operate in different modes because different kinds of sensor data can have different sizes or sensitivities, thereby requiring different speed or time requirements. According to one embodiment, each of the data transmission modules 502A-502C can be configured to operate in one of a low latency mode, a high bandwidth mode, and a memory mode (also referred to as a fixed memory mode).

[0078] According to one embodiment, when operating in low latency mode, the data transmission module (e.g., data transmission module 502) is configured to send sensor data received from the sensor to the host system as quickly as possible without delay or with minimal delay. Some sensor data is very time sensitive and needs to be processed as quickly as possible. Examples of such sensor data include vehicle status, such as vehicle speed, acceleration, steering angle, etc.

[0079] According to one embodiment, when operating in high bandwidth mode, the data transfer module (e.g., data transfer module 502) is configured to accumulate sensor data received from the sensor to a predetermined amount but still within the bandwidth of the connection between the data transfer module and the host system 110. The accumulated sensor data is then transferred to the host system 110 in batches in a manner that maximizes the use of the bandwidth of the connection between the data transfer module and the host system 110. Typically, the high bandwidth mode is applied to sensors that generate a large amount of sensor data. Examples of such sensor data include camera pixel data.

[0080] According to one embodiment, when operating in memory mode, the data transfer module is configured to write sensor data received from the sensor directly to a memory location of a mapped memory of the host system 110, similar to a shared memory page. Examples of sensor data to be transferred using memory mode include system status data, such as temperature, fan speed, etc.

[0081] Figure 6 600 is a block diagram illustrating cable powering between a sensor module and a sensor interface of a sensor system according to one embodiment. Figure 5B Channel 1 of the sensor interface 504 is connected. Figure 6 , the sensor 510A may include a sensor integrated circuit (IC) 601 and a serializer IC 603. The sensor IC may include an image photodiode array (e.g., a charge coupled device (CCD) or a CMOS solid-state image sensor, etc.) for capturing light incident at the sensor 510A. In some embodiments, the sensor IC 601 includes a LIDAR sensor, a RADAR sensor, or a time-of-flight (TOF) sensor IC. In one embodiment, the sensor data is generated as a parallel data array representing multiple pixel lines / color channels. The serializer IC 603 can receive the parallel data arrays and convert these data arrays into a serial data stream according to a specific SerDes protocol. Some example ser / des chipsets that can serialize and deserialize data arrays may include the Texas Instruments TM V3Link TM SerDes IC and maxim integrated TM Gigabit Multimedia Serial Link (GMSL TM )SerDes IC, etc.

[0082] In one embodiment, the sensor unit 500 includes a PCB 611 that interfaces with the sensor 510A. In one embodiment, the PCB 611 includes a sensor interface (or connector interface) 504, a POC IC 613, a power IC 614, and a receiver IC 615. The receiver IC 615 may include a deserializer IC 617 corresponding to the serializer IC 603, and a sensor processing module 501A. The sensor interface 504, the POC IC 613, the power IC 614, and the receiver IC 615 may be disposed on a surface of the PCB 611.

[0083] In one embodiment, the sensor interface 504 may be a general purpose input / output (GPIO) interface. In one embodiment, the sensor interface 504 includes a female socket / male pin, and the sensor interface 504 may connect to the male pin / female socket from the cable 621 to receive a signal from the sensor 510A. The signal may be routed from the sensor interface 504 to the receiver IC 615 via a conductive path of the PCB 611, such as Figure 7-Figure 16 As further described in .

[0084] The receiver IC 615 may include a deserializer IC 617 that converts the serial signal back into a parallel data array. The sensor processing module 501A may receive the parallel data for processing. In one embodiment, the sensor 510A receives power from the power IC 614 via the POC IC 613 through a portion of the same conductive path. Therefore, both the supplied power and the sensor data signal may be transmitted on the same transmission conductor 621 and conductive path.

[0085] Figure 7 is a schematic block diagram of a printed circuit board (PCB) 611 illustrating the challenge of the stub effect of high frequency signals within the PCB 611 . Figure 8 is a three-dimensional diagram of PCB 611. Figure 7-Figure 8 The challenges of PCB 611 as recognized by the inventors may be described. Figure 7-Figure 8 Similar reference numerals may be used in other figures to identify similar elements. Therefore, even if the same or similar reference numerals are neither mentioned nor described in the corresponding figures, they may be described with reference to other figures. In addition, elements not represented by reference numerals may be described with reference to other figures. Reference numerals followed by letters (such as "710A") specifically refer to elements with that particular reference numeral. Reference numerals without letters (such as "710") refer to any or all elements with that reference numeral in the figures.

[0086] refer to Figure 7, PCB 611 may include one or more layers 710. In some embodiments, layer 710 may include an insulating material (e.g., a substrate or substrate layer of a dielectric composite material) covered and / or implanted with a conductive material (e.g., a signal layer) such as copper. The conductive material of layer 710 of PCB 611 may be etched or otherwise processed to form a conductive path 760 (e.g., a signal layer). Conductive path 760 may extend along layer 710 and / or between these layers.

[0087] In some embodiments, conductive paths 760 may extend between layers 710 using vias 740. Figure 7 , vias 740A-740C are illustrated, but one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate other configurations of vias 740. Vias 740 may be formed by forming holes in layer 710 of PCB 611. In some embodiments, the holes may be formed by drilling. Figure 7 The vias 740 are shown penetrating the entire PCB 611, but embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited to such a configuration. The holes in the PCB 611 may be made conductive, for example, by electroplating with copper or other conductive materials to form the conductive vias 740. In some embodiments, the holes may be made conductive before the layers 710 of the PCB 611 are laminated together.

[0088] Conductive vias 740 may be used to connect different layers 710 of PCB 611 to each other and / or to a surface 770 of PCB 611. For example, conductive path 760 may be routed from sensor interface 504 to via 740A and then from via 740A to trace and / or transmission line 750. Transmission line 750 may include segments 750A-750B, wherein segment 750A is routed from via 740A to via 740B and segment 750B is routed from via 740B to via 740C. Via 740B may be coupled to POC IC 613 and via 740C may be coupled to receiver IC 615 on surface 770. Power IC 614 may be disposed next to POC IC 613 and electrically coupled to the POC IC using line 755 to provide a power signal to POC IC 613. In some embodiments, although not shown, the conductive paths 760 may be routed to other electronic components (e.g., capacitors, resistors, inductors, other ICs, etc.) or circuit components. The circuit components may be mounted to the surface 770 of the PCB 611 and electrically connected to the conductive paths 760.

[0089] Figure 8 Pictured Figure 7 A perspective view of a portion of the conductive path 760, wherein the conductive path 760 is removed for ease of illustration. Figure 7 Layer 710. Reference Figure 8, it can be seen that via 740B is implemented as a structure extending substantially perpendicular to conductive traces / wires 750 (e.g., 750A and 750B) as part of conductive path 760. Conductive path 760 can be electrically connected to via 740B (e.g., POC IC 613 and power IC 614) to receive a power supply (e.g., direct current (DC)) to be transmitted to the sensor.

[0090] For example, the conductive path 760 may extend onto the surface of the PCB 611 by connecting to the via 740B at or near the surface of the PCB 611. The conductive path 760 may then extend to the mounting pad 735 on the surface of the PCB 611. The mounting pad 735 may provide a mounting surface for the POC IC 613. The POC IC 613 may be mounted to the mounting pad 735.

[0091] Despite Figure 8 Although not explicitly shown in the figure, the conductive path 760 can be further extended from the mounting pad 735 to other electronic components or connected to other parts of the PCB 611 to implement a complex circuit of the electronic device. Figure 7-Figure 8 As illustrated in , when the data transmission signal is at a high frequency (e.g., greater than one gigabit per second), the structure of the via 740B used in the PCB 611 may cause a via stub effect. The via stub effect is that the via stub behaves like a resonant circuit with a specific resonant frequency. If the signal has a significant component at or near that frequency, the signal component will be severely attenuated by the energy demand of the via stub at its resonant frequency. For example, the configuration of the conductive path 760 and the via 740B may cause the via 740B and the pad 735 to be treated as an open circuit (the pad 735 is a distance d from the POC IC 613) under high frequency signals and as a short circuit under power (DC) signals. The high frequency incident signal may treat the via 740B / mounting pad 735 as an inductor 801 (e.g., an open circuit) at high frequencies and the high frequency incident signal (e.g., a sensor data signal) will follow path 760 or path 803. For path 803, the incident signal enters via 740B and then reflects from the via due to the long stub effect at via 740B. The reflected signal and the incident signal are superimposed at trace segment 750B. Therefore, at trace 750B, the reflected signal may destructively interfere with the incident signal, thereby causing resonance, degradation, and / or artifacts in the data signal.

[0092] To mitigate the stub effect of via 740B at POC IC 613, the layout of conductive path 760 may be modified to include Figure 9-11 Additional vias as shown in . Figure 9-11 PCB 911 can represent Figure 7-Figure 8PCB 611. For simplicity, Figure 9-11 Descriptions of some previously described elements will be omitted.

[0093] refer to Figure 9-10 , PCB 911 includes a conductive path 960. The conductive path 960 can be routed through vias 740A-740C and via 940D. For example, the conductive path 960 can be routed from the sensor interface 504 at the surface 770 of the PCB 911 to the location 901 through via 740A. The conductive path 960 can then be routed from the location 901 on the layer 710A to the location 903 on the layer 710A (e.g., through the conductive trace / wire segment 750A on the layer 710A). The conductive path 960 can then be routed from the location 903 on the layer 710A to the POC IC 613 at the surface 770 of the PCB 911 through via 740B. The conductive path 960 can then be routed from the POC IC 613 at the surface 770 of the PCB 911 to the location 905 on the layer 710A through via 940D. Conductive path 960 may be routed from location 905 on layer 710A to location 907 on layer 710A through conductive trace / wire segment 750B on layer 710A. Finally, conductive path 960 may be routed from location 907 on layer 710A through via 740C to receiver IC 615 at surface 770 of PCB 911. Here, surface 770 of PCB 911 may be the surface opposite to surface 771 on which electronic components 730 may be mounted.

[0094] Routing conductive path 960 from POC IC 613 to segment 750B at layer 710A using additional via 940D creates a Figure 7 Here, because the incident signal from the sensor interface 504 sees a continuous path 960 without long stubs (e.g., impedance discontinuities) that can reflect the signal, signal reflections or resonances are mitigated for the incident signal, thereby minimizing signal degradation, eliminating artifacts, and improving signal quality.

[0095] Fig.11 is a diagram illustrating a method according to an embodiment Fig. 9 The PCB layout diagram of PCB 911 is shown in Figure 1. Fig.11, PCB 911 includes a sensor interface 504, 4 POC ICs 613A-613D, a power IC 614, and 2 receiver chipsets 615A-615B. In one embodiment, the sensor interface 504 may include a GMSL interface with 4 signal connection points 1101A-1101D. Each of the signal connection points 1101A-1101D can be connected to a GMSL cable (not shown) routed to one or more camera sensors to receive high-speed signals from the camera sensors. The signal connection points 1101A-1101D are connected to the POCICs 613A-613D, respectively. In one embodiment, the POC IC may include one or more mounting pads and microstrip traces coupled to the power IC 614 to receive power from the power IC 614. The POC ICs 613A-613D can provide DC power to any signal traces coupled to the POC ICs 613A-613D. In one embodiment, traces 1103A-1103D are coupled to connection points 1101A-1101D, POC ICs 613A-613D, and receiver chipsets 615A-615B, respectively. Traces 1103A-1103D can simultaneously transmit high-speed camera signals from a camera sensor (not shown) to receiver chipsets 615A-615B and transmit power signals from power IC 614 to the camera sensor. Traces 1103A-1103D can include a combination of striplines embedded at a signal layer between one or more reference planes of PCB 911 and / or microstrip lines disposed on the surface of the PCB.

[0096] Fig.12 1 is a block diagram illustrating a PCB plan layout of PCB 1200 according to one embodiment. Fig.12 As shown in FIG. 1 , PCB 1200 includes Fig.111-615B2. The PCB 1200 includes an array of components of the PCB 911. For example, the PCB 1200 includes 4 rows / groups of components. These components include sensor interfaces 504A-504D, POC ICs 613A1-613D4, power ICs 614A-614D, and receiver chipsets 615A1-615B4. The sensor interface 504A can be coupled to the POC ICs 613A1-613D1, the power ICs 614A, and the receiver chipsets 615A1-615B1. The sensor interface 504B can be coupled to the POC ICs 613A2-613D2, the power ICs 614B, and the receiver chipsets 615A2-615B2. The sensor interface 504C can be coupled to the POC ICs 613A3-613D3, the power ICs 614C, and the receiver chipsets 615A3-615B3. The sensor interface 504D may be coupled to the POC ICs 613A4-613D4, the power IC 614D, and the receiver chipsets 615A4-615B4. Although four groups are shown, the PCB 1200 may include any other number of component groups.

[0097] Fig.13 is a block diagram illustrating a side view of a printed circuit board (PCB) of a sensor system according to one embodiment. Fig.14 is a diagram illustrating a method according to an embodiment Fig.13 The block diagram of the PCB is a three-dimensional diagram. Figure 13-14, PCB 1311 includes a conductive path 1360. Conductive path 1360 uses vias 740A and 740B to route the cable power transmission path. For example, conductive path 1360 can be routed from sensor interface 504 at surface 770 of PCB 1311 to location 901 through via 740A. Then, conductive path 1360 can be routed from location 901 on layer 710A to location 903 on layer 710A through conductive trace / wire segment 750A on layer 710A. Then, conductive path 1360 can be routed from location 903 on layer 710A to POC IC 613 at surface 770 of PCB 1311 through via 740B. In one embodiment, power IC 614 is arranged to be separate from POC IC 613, for example, located behind receiver IC 615. In one embodiment, the receiver IC 615 is located adjacent to the POC IC 613 to allow a microstrip line 1350 to be disposed on the surface 770 to bridge the connection between the POC IC 613 and the receiver IC 615. The current return path for the high-speed signal trace 750A (e.g., the surface 770 / 771 or any layer 710 with a ground plane) can be disposed above and / or below the signal trace. Due to this arrangement, the high-frequency signal on the trace 750A is shielded from distortion, crosstalk, radiation, and / or noise. However, the microstrip line 1350 disposed on the surface 770 may be subject to distortion, crosstalk, radiation, and / or noise. Although the microstrip line 1350 is susceptible to distortion, because the POC IC 613 is disposed on the surface 770 and is directly adjacent to the receiver IC 615, the microstrip line 1350 can be kept at a minimum length (e.g., less than 10 mm). Using a short microstrip line 1350 to lay out the conductive path can offset the use of additional vias (such as vias) for the conductive path. Fig. 9 any signal attenuation caused by via 940D).

[0098] Fig.15 is a diagram illustrating a method according to an embodiment Fig.13 The block diagram of the PCB plan layout of PCB 1311. The plan layout of PCB 1311 can be represented Fig.11 The planar layout of the PCB 911 is shown, except that the power IC 614 is arranged to be separated from the POC ICs 613A-613D to allow the POC ICs 613A-613D to be arranged adjacent to the receiver ICs 615A-615B. Fig.15, PCB 1311 includes a sensor interface 504, 4 POC ICs 613A-613D, a power IC 614, and 2 receiver chipsets 615A-615B. The sensor interface 504 may include a GMSL interface with 4 signal connection points 1101A-1101D. Each of the signal connection points 1101A-1101D can be connected to a GMSL cable (not shown) routed to one or more camera sensors (not shown) to receive high-speed signals from the camera sensors. The signal connection points 1101A-1101D are respectively connected to the POC ICs 613A-613D. In one embodiment, the POC IC may include one or more mounting pads and microstrip traces coupled to the power IC 614 to receive power from the power IC 614. The POC ICs 613A-613D can provide DC power to any signal traces coupled to the POC ICs 613A-613D. In one embodiment, the power IC 614 is disposed behind the receiver ICs 615A-615B to allow the POC ICs 613A-613D to be disposed in close proximity to the receiver ICs 615A-615B. Figure 13-14 As shown in FIG. 1 , the POC ICs 613A-613D can be routed to the receiver ICs 615A-615B using short traces of surface mounted microstrip lines as part of traces 1303A-1303D. The traces 1303A-1303D are coupled between connection points 1101A-1101D, the POC ICs 613A-613D, and the receiver chipsets 615A-615B, respectively. Fig.11 Compared with the planar layout of the conductive paths in Fig.15 The conductive paths at the traces 1303A-1303D in the planar layout of FIG. 6 are optimized because the POC ICs 613A-613D are adjacent to the receiver chipsets 615A-615B. Therefore, the traces 1303A-1303D can transmit high-speed camera signals from the camera sensor (not shown) of the ADV 101 to the receiver chipsets 615A-615B and simultaneously transmit power signals from the power IC 614 to the camera sensor.

[0099] Fig.16 1 is a block diagram illustrating a PCB plan layout of PCB 1600 according to one embodiment. Fig.16 As shown in FIG. , PCB 1600 includes Fig.151. The PCB 1600 includes an array of components of the PCB 1311. For example, the PCB 1600 includes 4 rows / groups of components. These components include sensor interfaces 504A-504D, POC ICs 613A1-613D4, power ICs 614A-614D, and receiver chipsets 615A1-615B4. In one embodiment, the power ICs 614A-614D are disposed on the PCB 1600 but separated from the POC ICs 613A1-613D1 to allow sufficient board spacing to place the POC ICs 613A1-613D1 adjacent to the receiver chipsets 615A1-615B1. In one embodiment, POC ICs 613A1 and 613B1 are positioned adjacent to (directly to the left and below) receiver chipset 615A1, POC ICs 613C1 and 613D1 are positioned adjacent to (directly to the left and below) receiver chipset 615B1, and so on. Short microstrip traces may be used to connect POC ICs 613A1-613D1 to receiver chipsets 615A1-615B1, such as Fig.13 613A1-613D1. In one embodiment, the distance between the receiver chipset 615A1-615B1 and the POC IC 613A1-613D1 is less than the distance between the power IC 614A-614D and the POC IC 613A1-613D1. In one embodiment, the transmission line coupling the receiver chipset 615A1-615B1 to the POC IC 613A1-613D1 is shorter than the transmission line coupling the power IC 614A-614D to the POC IC 613A1-613D1. Since the transmission lines coupling the receiver chipset 615A1-615B1 to the POC IC 613A1-613D1 are short, they can be implemented using microstrip lines.

[0100] Fig.17 1 is a block diagram illustrating a process 1700 for routing a conductive path according to one embodiment. The process 1700 may be performed by processing logic, which may include hardware (e.g., circuits, dedicated logic, programmable logic, processors, processing devices, central processing units (CPUs), system-on-chips (SoCs), etc.), software (e.g., instructions run / executed on a processing device), firmware (e.g., microcode), or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, the process 1700 may be performed by a computing device (e.g., Figure 1 Servers 103 to 104) are executed, wherein the operator prepares Figures 13 to 15 PCB 1311 and / or Fig.16 Layout planning of PCB1600.

[0101] refer to Fig.17, process 1700 illustrates example functionality used by various embodiments. Although specific functional blocks ("blocks") are disclosed in process 1700, such blocks are examples. That is, embodiments may be adapted to perform various other blocks or variations of the blocks described in process 1700. It should be understood that the blocks in process 1700 may be performed in an order different from that presented, and not all blocks in process 1700 may be performed.

[0102] At block 1701, processing logic utilizes a first signal via 740A to connect a conductive path (eg, Fig.13 The first section of the path 1360) is arranged from the connector interface 504 of the surface 770 of the PCB 1311 to the first position 901 of the first signal layer 710A, and the first signal via 740A extends from the first surface 770 to the first signal layer 710A of the PCB (PCB 1311).

[0103] At block 1703 , processing logic routes a second segment of the conductive path 1360 from the first location 901 of the first signal layer 710A to the second location 903 of the first signal layer 710A using the first transmission line 750A.

[0104] At box 1705, the processing logic uses a second signal via 740B to route the third segment of the conductive path 1360 from the second position 903 of the first signal layer 710A to a cable power circuit (e.g., POC IC 613) disposed on the first surface 770 of the PCB 1311, and the second signal via 740B extends from the first signal layer 710A to the surface 770 of the PCB 1311.

[0105] At block 1707, processing logic routes a fourth segment of the conductive path from the cable power circuit (e.g., POC IC 613) to the receiver chipset 615 using a second transmission line (e.g., line 1350), wherein the receiver chipset 615 and the cable power circuit 613 are disposed on the surface 770 of the PCB 1311, wherein the receiver chipset 615 is disposed adjacent to the cable power circuit 613, and the conductive path is routed to an image sensor for sensing the environment of an autonomous vehicle (ADV). In one embodiment, the distance between the receiver chipset 615 and the POC IC 613 is less than the distance between the power IC 614 and the POC IC 613.

[0106] In one embodiment, the cable power circuit 613 is electrically coupled to a power integrated circuit (IC) 614 disposed on the surface 770 to receive a power signal from the power IC.

[0107] In one embodiment, the image sensor includes one or more image sensors and the connector interface 504 includes a Gigabit Multimedia Serial Link (GMSL) connector that is coupled to one or more transmission cables to receive one or more signals from the one or more image sensors. These signals may have a high frequency with a transmission rate greater than 1 Gigabit per second.

[0108] In one embodiment, each of the one or more transmission cables is used to transmit an image sensor (eg, Figure 6 The serial signal of the sensor 510A) and the cable power supply circuit ( Figure 6 A single wire that transmits power from the POC IC 613) to the image sensor.

[0109] In one embodiment, the processing logic further arranges one or more of: a connector interface 504 , a cable power circuit 613 , a receiver chipset 615 , and a power integrated circuit (IC) 614 .

[0110] In one embodiment, the first transmission line is a stripline (e.g., stripline 750A) and the second transmission line is a microstrip line (e.g., microstrip line 1350). In one embodiment, the power transmitted from the cable power circuit to the image sensor is direct current (DC) and the signal transmitted from the image sensor to the receiver chipset is a signal having a frequency greater than one gigabit per second.

[0111] Note that some or all of the components shown and described above may be implemented in software, hardware, or a combination thereof. For example, such components may be implemented as software installed and stored in a persistent storage device, which may be loaded and executed by a processor (not shown) in a memory to perform the processes or operations described throughout the present application. Alternatively, such components may be implemented as executable code programmed or embedded in dedicated hardware, such as an integrated circuit (e.g., a dedicated IC or ASIC), a digital signal processor (DSP), or a field programmable gate array (FPGA), which may be accessed via a corresponding driver and / or operating system from an application. In addition, such components may be implemented as dedicated hardware logic in a processor or processor core as part of an instruction set accessible by a software component via one or more dedicated instructions.

[0112] Some portions of the foregoing detailed description have been presented in terms of algorithms and symbolic representations of operations on data bits within a computer memory. These algorithmic descriptions and representations are the means used by those skilled in the data processing arts to most effectively convey the substance of their work to others skilled in the art. An algorithm is here, and generally, is considered to be a self-consistent sequence of operations leading to a desired result. These operations are those requiring physical manipulations of physical quantities.

[0113] It should be borne in mind, however, that all of these terms and similar terms are associated with the appropriate physical quantities and are merely convenient labels applied to these quantities. Unless otherwise clearly stated from the above discussion, it should be understood that throughout the specification, discussions utilizing those terms as set forth in the appended claims relate to the actions and processes of a computer system, or similar electronic computing device, that manipulates data represented as physical (electronic) quantities within a computer system's registers and memories and transforms that data into other data similarly represented as physical quantities within a computer system's memory or registers or other such information storage, transmission, or display device.

[0114] Embodiments of the present disclosure also relate to a device for performing the operations herein. Such a computer program is stored in a non-transitory computer-readable medium. A machine-readable medium includes any mechanism for storing information in a form that can be read by a machine (e.g., a computer). For example, a machine-readable (e.g., computer-readable) medium includes a machine (e.g., computer) readable storage medium (e.g., read-only memory ("ROM"), random access memory ("RAM"), disk storage media, optical storage media, flash memory devices).

[0115] The processes or methods depicted in the foregoing figures may be performed by processing logic including hardware (e.g., circuits, dedicated logic, etc.), software (e.g., embodied on a non-transitory computer-readable medium), or a combination of both. Although the processes or methods are described above in terms of some sequential operations, it should be understood that some of the described operations may be performed in a different order. In addition, some operations may be performed in parallel rather than sequentially.

[0116] The embodiments of the present disclosure are not described with reference to any particular programming language. It should be appreciated that a variety of programming languages ​​can be used to implement the teachings of the embodiments of the present disclosure as described herein.

[0117] In the foregoing description, embodiments of the present disclosure have been described with reference to specific exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. It will be apparent that various modifications may be made to the present disclosure without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the present disclosure as set forth in the appended claims. Therefore, the description and drawings should be regarded as having an illustrative rather than a restrictive meaning.

Claims

1. A method for laying out a conductive path in a printed circuit board (PCB), the method comprising: routing a first segment of the conductive path from a connector interface on a surface of the PCB to a first location on a first signal layer using a first signal via, the first signal via extending from the surface to the first signal layer of the PCB; routing a second segment of the conductive path from the first location of the first signal layer to a second location of the first signal layer using a first transmission line; as well as The third section of the conductive path is routed from the second position of the first signal layer to a cable power supply circuit disposed on the surface of the PCB using a second signal via extending from the first signal layer to the surface of the PCB.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising routing a fourth segment of the conductive path from the cable power circuit to a receiver chipset using a second transmission line, wherein The receiver chipset and the cable power supply circuit are disposed on a surface of the PCB.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein: The receiver chipset is disposed adjacent to the cable power circuit, and wherein the conductive path is routed to an image sensor for sensing the environment of an autonomous vehicle (ADV).

4. The method of claim 3, wherein: The image sensor includes one or more image sensors and the connector interface includes a Gigabit Multimedia Serial Link (GMSL) connector coupled to one or more transmission cables to receive one or more signals from the one or more image sensors.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein: Each of the one or more transmission cables is a single wire for transmitting a serial signal of the image sensor and transmitting power from a cable power supply circuit to the image sensor.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein: The cable power circuit is electrically coupled to a power integrated circuit (IC) disposed on the surface to receive a power signal from the power IC.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising routing one or more of: the connector interface, the cable power circuit, the receiver chipset, and the power integrated circuit (IC).

8. The method of claim 3, wherein: The power transmitted from the cable power circuit to the image sensor is direct current (DC) and the signal transmitted from the image sensor to the receiver chipset is a signal having a frequency greater than one gigabit per second.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein: The first transmission line is a stripline and the second transmission line is a microstrip line.

10. A printed circuit board (PCB), comprising: One or more signal layers between the first surface and the second surface of the PCB, the one or more signal layers including a first signal layer; a connector interface disposed on the first surface; a first signal via electrically coupled to the connector interface, the first signal via extending from the first surface to the first signal layer; a first transmission line disposed on the first signal layer, the first transmission line electrically coupling a first position of the first signal layer to a second position; a second signal via disposed at the second position, the second signal via extending from the first signal layer to the first surface; a cable power supply circuit disposed on the first surface, the cable power supply circuit being electrically coupled to the second signal via; a receiver circuit disposed on the first surface and adjacent to the cable power circuit; as well as a second transmission line disposed on the first signal layer, the second transmission line electrically coupling the cable power supply circuit to the receiver circuit, The first transmission line and the second transmission line transmit the signal of the image sensor from the connector interface to the receiver circuit, and the first transmission line transmits power from the cable power supply circuit to the image sensor, wherein the image sensor is used to perceive the environment of an autonomous driving vehicle (ADV).

11. The PCB of claim 10, further comprising a power integrated circuit (IC) disposed on the first surface, and the cable power circuit is electrically coupled to the power IC to receive a power signal from the power IC.

12. The PCB according to claim 10, wherein: The image sensor includes one or more image sensors and the connector interface includes a Gigabit Multimedia Serial Link (GMSL) connector coupled to one or more transmission cables to receive one or more signals from the one or more image sensors.

13. The PCB according to claim 12, wherein: Each of the one or more transmission cables is a single conductor for transmitting a serial signal of the image sensor and transmitting power from a cable power supply circuit of the PCB to the image sensor.

14. The PCB of claim 10, further comprising one or more of: the connector interface, a cable power supply circuit, a receiver chipset, and a power integrated circuit (IC).

15. The PCB according to claim 10, wherein: The first transmission line is a stripline and the second transmission line is a microstrip line.

16. The PCB according to claim 10, wherein: The power transmitted from the cable power circuit to the image sensor is direct current (DC) and the signal transmitted from the image sensor to a receiver chipset is a signal having a frequency greater than one gigabit per second.

17. A sensor system for an autonomous driving vehicle, comprising: Image sensor; Printed circuit board (PCB); as well as a transmission cable, the transmission cable electrically coupling the image sensor to the PCB, wherein the PCB comprises: One or more signal layers between the first surface and the second surface of the PCB, the one or more signal layers including a first signal layer; a connector interface disposed on the first surface; a first signal via electrically coupled to the connector interface, the first signal via extending from the first surface to the first signal layer; a first transmission line disposed on the first signal layer, the first transmission line electrically coupling a first position of the first signal layer to a second position; a second signal via disposed at the second position, the second signal via extending from the first signal layer to the first surface; a cable power supply circuit disposed on the first surface, the cable power supply circuit being electrically coupled to the second signal via; a receiver circuit disposed on the first surface adjacent to the cable power circuit; and a second transmission line disposed on the first signal layer, the second transmission line electrically coupling the cable power supply circuit to the receiver circuit, The first transmission line and the second transmission line transmit the signal of the image sensor from the connector interface to the receiver circuit, and the first transmission line transmits power from the cable power supply circuit to the image sensor, wherein the image sensor is used to perceive the environment of an autonomous driving vehicle (ADV).

18. The sensor system of claim 17, further comprising a power integrated circuit disposed on the first surface, and the cable power circuit is electrically coupled to the power IC to receive a power signal from the power IC.

19. The sensor system of claim 17, wherein: The image sensor includes one or more image sensors and the connector interface includes a Gigabit Multimedia Serial Link (GMSL) connector coupled to one or more transmission cables to receive one or more signals from the one or more image sensors.

20. The sensor system of claim 19, wherein: Each of the one or more transmission cables is a single conductor for transmitting a serial signal of the image sensor and transmitting power from a cable power supply circuit of the PCB to the image sensor.

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