Time synchronization in sensor array systems
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- カオス インダストリーズインコーポレイテッド
- Filing Date
- 2024-04-02
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-16
Smart Images
Figure 2026519335000001_ABST
Abstract
Claims
1. A method for synchronizing sensor nodes in a sensor array system, wherein the method is Each of the multiple sensor nodes shares the state information of the corresponding sensor node with the sensor array system, To synchronize the data signals received or transmitted by the plurality of sensor nodes, the plurality of sensor nodes are synchronized based on the state information of the plurality of sensor nodes, Methods that include...
2. To generate a composite signal, the synchronization data signals of the plurality of sensor nodes are combined, wherein the composite signal has a power level greater than any of the power levels of the sensor nodes. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:
3. The sensor array system performs signal intelligence processing on the composite signal in order to determine one or more parameters associated with the object on which it is used. The method according to claim 2, further comprising:
4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the state information includes a local timestamp of the occurrence of an event at the corresponding sensor node.
5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the event includes receiving a request for a timestamp at the corresponding sensor node.
6. The method according to claim 4, wherein the event includes receiving a calibration signal at the corresponding sensor node.
7. Synchronizing each of the aforementioned multiple sensor nodes is For each of the plurality of sensor nodes, a time offset is determined between the timestamp of reception of the calibration signal at the reference node of the sensor array system and the timestamp of reception of the calibration signal at the corresponding sensor node. To time-align the data signals received by the plurality of sensor nodes, each of the plurality of sensor nodes is synchronized based on the time offset of the corresponding sensor node, The method according to claim 6, including the method described in claim 6.
8. Synchronizing each of the aforementioned multiple sensor nodes is To generate a time-aligned data signal, the data signals are equalized based on the time offsets of the plurality of sensor nodes, wherein the equalization includes adding a first time offset associated with a first sensor node among the plurality of sensor nodes to a first data signal received by the first sensor node, in order to generate a first time-aligned data signal that is time-aligned with a data signal received by the reference node. The method according to claim 7, including the method described in claim 7.
9. Equalizing the aforementioned data signals To generate the first time-aligned data signal, one or more phases or amplitudes associated with the first data signal are adjusted based on one or more phases or amplitudes associated with the data signals associated with the remaining sensor nodes among the plurality of sensor nodes. The method according to claim 8, further comprising:
10. Determining the aforementioned time offset is The reference node receives timestamps from the plurality of sensor nodes, wherein the timestamps include a first timestamp of the reception of a calibration signal at a first sensor node among the plurality of sensor nodes. The reference node calculates the time offset based on the timestamps of the plurality of sensor nodes, wherein the time offset includes a first time offset determined as the difference between the first timestamp and the timestamp of reception of the calibration signal at the reference node. The method according to claim 7, including the method described in claim 7.
11. The storage device associated with the reference node stores the first time offset. The method according to claim 10, further comprising:
12. The aforementioned synchronization is The reference node receives the first data signal received by the first sensor node, Retrieving the first time offset from the storage device, In order to generate a first time-aligned data signal that is time-aligned with the data signal received by the reference node, the first time offset is added to the first data signal, The method according to claim 11, including the method described in claim 11.
13. Transmitting the first time offset from the reference node to the first sensor node. The method according to claim 11, further comprising:
14. The first sensor node adjusts the clock of the first sensor node based on the first time offset in order to synchronize the clock of the first sensor node with the clock of the reference node. The method according to claim 13, further comprising:
15. The first sensor node and the reference node receive a first data signal, wherein the timestamp of the reception of the first data signal at the reference node is the same as the timestamp of the reception of the first data signal at the first sensor node. The method according to claim 14, further comprising:
16. The first sensor node and the reference node receive a first data signal, In the first sensor node, in order to generate a first time-aligned data signal that is time-aligned with the first data signal received by the reference node, the first time offset is added to the first data signal, The method according to claim 13, further comprising:
17. Determining the aforementioned time offset is The method for determining the arrival time difference of calibration signals at the plurality of sensor nodes is such that the arrival time difference represents the difference between the time the calibration signal arrives at a specific sensor node among the plurality of sensor nodes and the time the calibration signal arrives at the reference node. Determining a time offset for the specific sensor node based on the aforementioned arrival time difference, The method according to claim 7, including the method described in claim 7.
18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the arrival time difference is determined based on the location information of the specific sensor node, the reference node, and the transmitter node that transmits the calibration signal.
19. Determining the aforementioned time offset is The calibration signal is received at the aforementioned multiple sensor nodes. The method according to claim 7, including the method described in claim 7.
20. Receiving the calibration signal at the plurality of sensor nodes, Receiving the calibration signal at multiple sensor nodes located in the same location, wherein the sensor nodes are considered to be located in the same location when they are within a specified proximity to each other. The method according to claim 19, including the method described in claim 19.
21. Receiving the calibration signal at the plurality of sensor nodes, The sensor node receives the calibration signal from a transmitter located at the same location as the sensor node. The method according to claim 19, including the method described in claim 19.
22. Receiving the calibration signal at the plurality of sensor nodes, The sensor node receives the calibration signal from a transmitter located beyond a specified proximity to the sensor node. The method according to claim 19, including the method described in claim 19.
23. The method according to claim 19, wherein the calibration signal includes at least one of a pulse transmitted through Ethernet, a Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) signal, a quasar waveform, an RF signal, an acoustic signal, or a seismic signal.
24. The timestamps of the reception of the calibration signals at the aforementioned plurality of sensor nodes are The calibration signal is compressed into a single time point at a first sensor node among the plurality of sensor nodes, wherein the single time point is determined as a first timestamp of the reception of the calibration signal at the first sensor node. The method according to claim 7, as determined by...
25. The method according to claim 24, wherein the calibration signal is compressed to a single time point using a matching filter.
26. Synchronizing the aforementioned multiple sensor nodes To synchronize the multiple sensor nodes according to a specified schedule. The method according to claim 1, including the method described in claim 1.
27. Synchronizing the aforementioned multiple sensor nodes (a) Synchronizing the sensor node before transmitting an input signal from the sensor node, or (b) before receiving a response signal to the input signal at the sensor node. The method according to claim 1, including the method described in claim 1.
28. Synchronizing the aforementioned multiple sensor nodes To detect objects in the atmosphere, the system synchronizes data signals received or transmitted by multiple sensor nodes within the radar system. The method according to claim 1, including the method described in claim 1.
29. Synchronizing the aforementioned multiple sensor nodes To detect objects underwater, the data signals received or transmitted by multiple sensor nodes within the sonar system must be synchronized. The method according to claim 1, including the method described in claim 1.
30. A system for synchronizing sensor nodes in a phased array system, wherein the system A plurality of sensor nodes configured to receive calibration signals, wherein the plurality of sensor nodes includes a first sensor node and a second sensor node, A reference node configured to receive the calibration signal, The time synchronization of the aforementioned multiple sensor nodes is performed as follows: Calculate a first time offset between the timestamp of reception of the calibration signal at the reference node and the first timestamp of reception of the calibration signal at the first sensor node. Calculate a second time offset between the timestamp of reception of the calibration signal at the reference node and the second timestamp of reception of the calibration signal at the second sensor node. Based on the first time offset and the second time offset, respectively, this causes a time alignment of the data signals received by the first sensor node and the second sensor node, A central processing node configured to facilitate this, A system equipped with these features.
31. The system according to claim 30, wherein the central processing node includes a software-defined radio configured to cause a time alignment of data signals received by the first sensor node and the second sensor node.
32. The aforementioned central processing node, The timestamp is received from the reference node, the first timestamp is received from the first sensor node, and the second timestamp is received from the second sensor node. The aforementioned timestamp, the first timestamp, and the second timestamp are stored in a storage device associated with the central processing node. The system according to claim 30, configured as described above.
33. The aforementioned central processing node, The first data signal received by the first sensor node and the reference node is received, The first time offset is retrieved from the storage device, To generate a first time-aligned data signal that is time-aligned with the first data signal received by the reference node, the first time offset is added to the first data signal. The system according to claim 32, configured as follows.
34. The aforementioned central processing node, The first time offset is transmitted to the first sensor node. The system according to claim 30, configured as described above.
35. The first sensor node, The clock of the first sensor node is adjusted based on the first time offset in order to synchronize the clock of the first sensor node with the clock of the reference node, so that the timestamp of reception of the first data signal at the reference node and the timestamp of reception of the first data signal at the first sensor node are the same. The system according to claim 34, configured as described above.
36. The system according to claim 35, wherein the first sensor node includes a software-defined radio configured to regulate the clock of the first sensor node.
37. The first sensor node, Upon receiving the first data signal, To generate a first time-aligned data signal that is time-aligned with the first data signal received by the reference node, the first time offset is added to the first data signal. The system according to claim 30, configured as described above.
38. The system according to claim 37, wherein the first sensor node includes a software-defined radio configured to generate a first time-aligned data signal that is time-aligned with a first data signal received by the reference node.
39. The system according to claim 30, wherein the central processing node and the reference node are the same sensor node.
40. The system according to claim 30, wherein the reference node is located in the same location as the plurality of sensor nodes, and the reference node is deemed to be located in the same location as the plurality of sensor nodes when the plurality of sensor nodes and the reference node are within a specified proximity to each other.
41. Transmitter node that transmits the calibration signal The system according to claim 30, further comprising:
42. The system according to claim 41, wherein the transmitter node is located in the same location as the plurality of sensor nodes.
43. The system according to claim 41, wherein the transmitter node is located outside a specified proximity of the plurality of sensor nodes.
44. The aforementioned central processing node, Determining the arrival time difference of the calibration signal at the first sensor node, wherein the arrival time difference represents the difference between the time the calibration signal arrives at the first sensor node and the time the calibration signal arrives at the reference node. The time offset for the first sensor node is determined based on the arrival time difference, The system according to claim 30, configured to perform the following:
45. The aforementioned central processing node, The arrival time difference is determined based on the positional information of the first sensor node, the reference node, and the transmitter node that transmits the calibration signal. The system according to claim 44, configured as follows.
46. The system according to claim 45, wherein the location information of the first sensor node, the reference node, and the transmitter node is obtained using a corresponding software-defined radio in each of the first sensor node, the reference node, and the transmitter node.
47. The aforementioned central processing node, To generate a composite signal, the time-aligned data signals of the plurality of sensor nodes are combined, wherein the composite signal has a power level greater than the power level of any of the plurality of sensor nodes. The system according to claim 30, configured to perform the following:
48. The signal intelligence processing for the synthesized signal determines one or more parameters associated with the object in which the phased array system is used. The system according to claim 47, further comprising: