Industrial Communication Unit Clock Synchronization Without Fill Bits
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Solution Overview
Problem
Industrial automation communication units face challenges in achieving high data transfer rates while maintaining low energy consumption, often requiring fill bits or clock rate adjustments that increase energy usage and complexity.
Innovation Solution
A communication unit that synchronizes its output clock with the input clock by determining clock information based on an internal reference clock and input symbol clock, allowing it to maintain a constant data transmission rate without adapting its internal clock, thereby reducing power consumption and eliminating the need for fill bits.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the communication unit adapts its internal clock signal to match the input symbol clock rate, then the data transmission rate can be maintained, but the energy consumption increases and the internal clock cannot operate independently at a lower rate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent separates the internal clock operation from the output symbol clock generation. The internal clock operates independently at a lower rate for core processing, while the output symbol clock is generated separately to match the input rate, allowing high-speed data transmission without requiring the entire internal clock system to operate at high speed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dynamic adjustment of the output symbol clock rate based on the detected input symbol clock characteristics, while the internal clock maintains a fixed lower rate. This dynamic approach allows the system to adapt to different input rates without permanently operating the internal clock at high speeds.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the communication unit uses fill bits to compensate for clock rate differences, then the clock rate mismatch can be handled, but the data transmission efficiency decreases and complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a feedback mechanism where the communication unit detects the input symbol clock rate and uses this information to adjust its output symbol clock rate accordingly. This feedback loop eliminates the need for fill bits by dynamically matching the output clock to the input clock, maintaining data transmission efficiency while ensuring compatibility.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the communication unit operates with a high internal clock rate to accommodate variable input rates, then it can handle different clock rates, but the power consumption increases permanently
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the clocking function into two separate domains: a low-speed internal clock domain for core processing and a high-speed output symbol clock domain for data transmission. This segmentation allows the internal clock to operate at a low, energy-efficient rate while still supporting high-rate data transmission through the separately generated output symbol clock.
Data Source
AI summary
A communication unit (S1, S2) for industrial automation for use in a communication system (10) of series-connected communication units (M, S1, S2). The communication unit includes a first input (E1) and a first output (A1) and being configured to receive, via the input (E1), an input serial data stream having payload data and to output, via the output (A1), an output serial data stream (ADS) having payload data. The communication unit (S1, S2) is configured to determine clock information (TI) on the basis of an internal reference clock signal of the communication unit (S1, S2) and an input symbol clock of the input data stream and, using the clock information (TI), to provide the output data stream (ADS) with an output symbol clock whose clock rate is equal to the clock rate of the input symbol clock.