Analog Memory Decoupling Sampling and Output Rates
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing receiver systems in RADAR and LiDAR technologies face challenges in managing high sampling rates, leading to increased costs, size, power consumption, and complexity due to the need for high-bandwidth components and high-performance digital signal processors.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of analog memory devices that sample and store analog signals during specific time windows, allowing for a higher sampling rate than the output rate, enabling reduced component requirements by decoupling the sampling and output phases in terms of rate, order, and timing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If high sampling rate is used to capture analog signals, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the sampling window into multiple non-overlapping time windows and assigns different analog memory devices to different time windows. This segmentation allows the system to achieve high effective sampling rate without requiring all memory devices to operate at high speeds simultaneously, thus reducing device complexity while maintaining measurement precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs sampling action in advance by capturing analog signals in different time windows before processing. The analog memory devices store the sampled signals during their respective time windows, preparing the data for later processing at a lower output rate, which reduces the complexity of downstream components.
2Measurement precision
If high sampling rate is used to capture analog signals, then measurement precision is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the sampling task across multiple memory devices operating in different time windows, each device can operate at a lower individual rate, reducing power consumption while maintaining the overall high sampling capability of the system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements periodic sampling where each analog memory device operates during its assigned time window within a larger sampling window. This periodic operation allows devices to be inactive during other time windows, significantly reducing average power consumption compared to continuous high-rate operation.
3Measurement precision
If high sampling rate is used to capture analog signals, then measurement precision is improved, but cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the high sampling rate requirement into multiple lower-rate memory devices operating in parallel across different time windows. This approach uses off-the-shelf components with relaxed specifications, reducing individual component costs and overall system cost while maintaining the effective high sampling rate capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operational parameters of the memory devices by assigning different time windows to different devices. This parameter change allows the use of lower-performance, lower-cost memory devices that can operate at reduced speeds, thereby reducing overall system cost while achieving the desired measurement precision through the multi-device arrangement.
4Measurement precision
If high sampling rate is used to capture analog signals, then measurement precision is improved, but area increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the sampling function across multiple smaller memory devices that operate in different time windows. Each device requires less area than a single high-speed device would require, and the total area is reduced because the devices can be smaller and potentially integrated more efficiently on the chip.
Data Source
AI summary
A device may include a first analog memory device to sample an analog input during a first time window of a sampling window, store a first analog signal based on sampling the analog input, and provide a first analog output after storing the first analog signal. The device may include a second analog memory device to sample the analog input during a second time window of the sampling window, store a second analog signal based on sampling the analog input, and provide a second analog output after storing the second analog signal. An output rate may be different from a sampling rate associated with sampling the analog input. An output order may be different from a sampling order associated with sampling the analog input. A time at which a read-out phase is performed, may be significantly different from a time at which a write phase is performed.