ADC Request Scheduling for Multi-Core ECU Conversion Load
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Solution Overview
Problem
In the automotive industry, existing analog-digital converters for electronic control units (ECUs) face inefficiencies and increased system load due to the inability to process multiple analog-digital conversion requests simultaneously, leading to rejected conversion requests and high loads during result reading.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus and method that integrate and process analog-digital conversion requests by a control unit, which determines periodicity and delay allowance times to either integrate or separately handle aperiodic requests, optimizing the use of multi-core microprocessors and analog-digital converters.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple cores individually request AD conversion to an ADC, then each core can independently perform control functions, but conversion requests from other cores are rejected and system load increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a control unit as an intermediary between multiple cores and the ADC. This control unit receives AD conversion requests from multiple cores, integrates them, and manages the conversion process centrally. The control unit acts as a mediator that coordinates access to the ADC, preventing direct conflicts between multiple cores while maintaining independent control functionality for each core.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges multiple AD conversion requests into a single integrated request processed by the control unit. Instead of allowing each core to independently access the ADC (which causes conflicts), the control unit combines multiple requests and manages them as a unified process, improving conversion success rates while maintaining core independence.
2Productivity
If an ADC processes conversion requests from multiple channels simultaneously, then conversion throughput increases, but channel conflicts occur and individual channel conversions are rejected
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit implements periodic action by managing AD conversion requests in structured time intervals. It processes requests from multiple channels in an organized sequence, allocating ADC resources periodically to different channels. This approach increases overall throughput while ensuring each channel receives reliable service in turn, preventing channel conflicts.
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit dynamically manages channel access based on request timing and priority. It adapts the conversion schedule in real-time, adjusting which channels are processed and when, based on the specific needs and timing of each request. This dynamic management allows high throughput while maintaining reliability for each individual channel.
3Loss of time
If the ADC processes every conversion request immediately, then response time is minimized, but system load and power consumption increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit performs preliminary action by pre-processing and integrating AD conversion requests before they reach the ADC. It consolidates multiple requests, determines optimal processing timing, and prepares the conversion schedule in advance. This preliminary management reduces the need for immediate processing of every request, lowering power consumption while maintaining acceptable response times.
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit implements periodic processing of AD conversion requests rather than immediate processing of every request. It groups requests into periodic batches and processes them at optimized intervals, reducing the frequency of ADC operations and associated power consumption while maintaining system responsiveness through timely batch processing.
Data Source
AI summary
An analog-digital conversion apparatus may include a control unit configured for receiving an analog-digital (AD) conversion request from a plurality of processing modules; and an analog-digital converter (ADC) configured for performing analog-digital conversion according to the AD conversion request received from the control unit, in which the control unit is configured to integrate the AD conversion request according to periodicity of the AD conversion request and to transfer the integrated AD conversion request to the ADC.