ADC Single-Event Detection With On-Chip Threshold Monitoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) in electronic circuits are susceptible to radiation events like Single-Event Effects (SEEs), making it difficult to detect and classify these events in real-time, which hampers effective mitigation strategies.
Innovation Solution
An electronic device with an ADC and an event detection engine co-located on the same integrated circuit, allowing for real-time processing of ADC signal data to detect radiation events by comparing digital signal magnitudes with thresholds, thereby enabling transparent monitoring and immediate mitigation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If ADC signal data is processed using off-chip processing (e.g., via FPGA), then detection capability is improved, but device complexity and power consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the event detection functionality directly into the ADC chip by integrating an event detection engine on the same integrated circuit as the ADC. This eliminates the need for separate off-chip processing hardware like FPGAs, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining detection capability. The engine receives digital signals directly from the ADC and performs threshold comparisons to detect radiation events.
Solution Approach 2:
The ADC system performs its own event detection through the integrated event detection engine, which autonomously monitors ADC output signals for radiation-induced errors. The engine independently compares digital signal magnitudes against thresholds and generates error signals without requiring external processing resources, enabling the system to self-diagnose radiation events.
2Measurement precision
If off-chip processing is used for ADC signal data, then detection accuracy is improved, but observation time decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The integrated event detection engine enables continuous real-time monitoring of ADC output signals without interruption. The engine processes signals as they are generated by the ADC, maintaining a full observation window without the data transfer interruptions inherent in off-chip processing architectures. This continuous operation maximizes the observation window while preserving detection accuracy through immediate threshold-based error identification.
3Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If off-chip processing is used, then event detection capability is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
By combining the event detection engine with the ADC on a single integrated circuit, the patent eliminates the need for separate powered processing hardware. The engine utilizes the existing ADC output signals and operates within the ADC's power domain, avoiding the additional power consumption that would result from activating external FPGAs or other off-chip processing devices.
4Reliability
If real-time detection is implemented, then mitigation effectiveness is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The event detection engine provides real-time feedback by continuously monitoring ADC output signals and immediately generating error signals when radiation events are detected. This feedback mechanism enables prompt mitigation actions without introducing complex external control systems, as the integrated engine directly interfaces with the ADC and can trigger mitigation protocols within the same chip.
Data Source
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AI summary
Examples are disclosed that relate to detection of single event effects on an analog-to-digital converter. In one example, an electronic device includes an analog-to-digital converter and an event detection engine co-located on the same integrated circuit. The analog-to-digital converter is configured to receive an analog signal and output a set of digital signals representative of the analog signal. The event detection engine is configured to receive the set of digital signals from the analog-to-digital converter, and for each digital signal of the set of digital signals, compare a magnitude of the digital signal with a threshold, and output an error signal indicating a single-event error of the analog-to-digital converter based at least on the magnitude of the digital signal exceeding the threshold.