Multimodal perception non-hardware-synchronized timestamp alignment and time window fusion architecture

Abstract

This invention discloses a non-hardware synchronized timestamp alignment and time window fusion architecture for multimodal perception, belonging to the field of multimodal perception and robot control technology. This invention abandons the traditional strict hardware synchronization approach, achieving result-level equivalent synchronization by establishing a unified timing benchmark, calibrating the inherent delay of each sensor, and reversing the data back to the actual time of event occurrence. Furthermore, it employs a time window decision and asynchronous priority response mechanism to simulate the perception logic of a biological brain, achieving more stable, robust, and real-time multimodal fusion under low cost and weak hardware constraints. This invention can be widely applied to systems such as legged robots, autonomous driving, and multimodal AI terminals, completely solving problems such as hardware synchronization issues, complex algorithm alignment, and control jitter lag.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the fields of multimodal perception, robot control, and AI multimodal fusion technology. Specifically, it discloses a perception fusion architecture that does not rely on strict hardware synchronization and achieves equivalent synchronization of multimodal information such as vision, hearing, touch, force, and text through a unified time origin, sensor inherent time delay calibration, and time window decision. It is applicable to legged robots, autonomous driving, smart terminals, and multimodal large-scale hardware access systems. Background Technology

[0002] Current multimodal sensing systems generally fall into the trap of strict hardware synchronization: The system aims to achieve complete physical layer synchronization by sampling and triggering different modalities such as cameras, radar, force sensors, audio, and text at the same time on the hardware circuit. However, due to the significant differences in the working principles of different sensors: Vision requires exposure and line / frame readout, which inherently has large latency and low sampling rate; Inertial, force, audio, and text signals are high-speed electrical signals with low latency and high sampling rate; Hardware is inherently incapable of achieving true synchronous and simultaneous data acquisition. To mask these timing differences, existing solutions employ methods such as algorithmic interpolation, prediction, and phase-locked loops to forcibly align the data. This not only results in high complexity and poor robustness but also introduces additional delays and jitter. In high-speed motion, balance control, and real-time decision-making scenarios, this can easily lead to problems such as motion lag, posture jitter, instability due to missteps, obstacle avoidance failure, and misalignment between commands and perception. At the same time, existing technologies ignore the true mechanisms of biological perception: Human vision, hearing, touch, and balance are inherently asynchronous (e.g., the speed of light is much faster than the speed of sound). The brain does not pursue hardware-level synchronization, but rather achieves equivalent synchronization at the level of perception results through a unified timing benchmark, fixed delay compensation, and time window decision. This approach has not yet formed a root-level architecture in existing hardware and control systems. Summary of the Invention

[0003] Purpose of the invention This invention addresses the problems of multimodal hardware's inability to achieve strict synchronization, the high complexity of forced algorithm alignment, and poor robustness. It provides a timestamp alignment and time window fusion architecture for multimodal perception that is not hardware-synchronized. It abandons the technical approach of strict hardware synchronization and adopts a unified time origin, sensor inherent delay calibration, and reliable time window decision-making to achieve equivalent synchronization of multimodal information results. Under low cost, low computing power, and weak hardware constraints, it achieves a more stable, robust, and biologically-like perception fusion effect than hardware synchronization. Technical solution A multimodal sensing non-hardware synchronized timestamp alignment and time window fusion method includes: Establish a unified hardware timing origin The system has a globally unified time reference (clock / timestamp). All sensors (vision, hearing, touch, force, inertia, text commands, etc.) only carry their own hardware timestamps when collecting data, and the sampling time is not required to be consistent with the sampling rate. Pre-calibrate the inherent time delay of each sensor During the system initialization phase, the fixed transmission delay, processing delay, exposure delay, and calculation delay of each sensor are calibrated to form a global delay parameter table. Reverse timestamp alignment (result alignment) Perform the following for each frame of multimodal data: Actual occurrence time = Data acquisition timestamp - Sensor inherent delay All modal information is uniformly aligned to the "actual moment of the event," achieving result-level time alignment rather than hardware acquisition time alignment. Trusted Fusion with Time Window Set a total time window for system perception and action (corresponding to the biological response window). Multimodal information whose actual occurrence time falls within the same time window is judged as the same event, equivalent and synchronized, and enters the fusion decision-making process. Information falling outside the window is classified as historical events or future predictions and is not included in the decision-making process of the current frame. asynchronous priority response mechanism Data from different modalities arrive in no particular order. High-speed modalities (force, text, audio, inertia) arrive first and receive rapid feedback. The low-speed modality (visual) arrives later, and after returning to its original position, it supplements the global understanding; No waiting, no blocking, no strong alignment; whoever arrives first triggers the response first. A multimodal sensing non-hardware synchronized timestamp alignment and time window fusion system includes: Unified Timing Reference Unit Sensor delay calibration unit Timestamp Reverse homing unit Time window decision unit Multimodal priority response and fusion unit The system can achieve stable and equivalent synchronous perception without relying on hardware synchronization triggering, the same frame rate, or the same sampling rate. Beneficial effects Completely free from hardware synchronization constraints It eliminates the need for simultaneous triggering of cameras, force sensors, text, and audio hardware, reducing hardware costs and design complexity. Eliminate timing jitter at its source Using fixed time delay compensation instead of dynamic algorithm alignment results in far greater robustness than interpolation, prediction, and phase-locked loop schemes. Completely in line with the logic of biological perception It simulates the real mechanism of the human brain: "whoever is faster responds first, returns to position at the same time, and synchronizes with the same time window". More real-time and more stable With no waiting delay and no forced alignment overhead, high-speed movement and balance control are smoother, without shaking, wobbling, or slipping. Highly versatile It is suitable for all scenarios including robots, autonomous driving, multimodal large models, and smart devices, and is compatible with any combination of sensors. Detailed Implementation Example 1: Multimodal Balance Control of a Legged Robot Force sensors and inertial meters arrive at high speed, triggering rapid attitude adjustment. The visual frame arrives later, and after a time delay, it returns to its original position within the same time window as the force data; The system determines that the events are of the same attitude and performs a fusion balance decision. The entire process does not require synchronization between visual and force sensing hardware, and the control is smooth and vibration-free. Example 2: Multimodal AI Instruction Understanding User voice / text commands and visual scenes do not arrive simultaneously: Text commands arrive first; their intent is then analyzed. The visual frame arrives later and, after a time delay, returns to its original position and falls into the same time window; The system determines that the instructions are synchronized with the scene, correctly understands the referential relationships, and avoids misinterpreting the context. Example 3: High-speed motion sensing When the robot runs and jumps: The visual delay is large, but it is repositioned to the actual moment of occurrence by a fixed time delay; Align with inertial and force data within the time window; The actions and decisions are precise, without missteps, instability, or lag.

Claims

1. A multi-modal perception non-hardware-synchronized timestamp alignment and time window fusion method, characterized in that, include: Establish a globally unified timing benchmark, with each sensor independently collecting data and carrying its own timestamp, without requiring hardware to trigger or have the same sampling rate; Pre-calibrate the inherent transmission, processing, and exposure delays of each sensor to form a global delay parameter table; By using the formula "actual occurrence time = collection timestamp - inherent delay", all modal information is aligned to the actual time of the event, achieving result-level alignment. A unified perception-action time window is set, and multimodal information falling within the same window is judged as equivalent synchronization and fused. An asynchronous priority response mechanism is adopted, with high-speed modes responding first and low-speed modes being supplemented and fused after they return to their positions.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The system can achieve equivalent synchronization of multimodal perception without relying on strict hardware-level synchronization.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The time window corresponds to the total system perception-response delay, and all information within the window is considered a valid synchronization event.

4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, Different modalities respond independently in the order of arrival, without waiting, blocking, or forced alignment.

5. A multimodal sensing non-hardware synchronized timestamp alignment and time window fusion system, characterized in that, It includes a unified timing reference unit, a sensor delay calibration unit, a timestamp reverse homing unit, a time window decision unit, and a multimodal priority response and fusion unit; the system supports any combination of sensors and can achieve stable and robust multimodal perception fusion without relying on hardware synchronization.