Cognitive Sensor Selective ROI Activation for Power Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sensors face challenges with high power consumption and slow processing speeds as the number of sensing elements increases, leading to bottlenecks in data transmission and processing, especially when dealing with large amounts of signal data.
Innovation Solution
A cognitive sensor is developed, integrating a sensor unit, signal processing unit, and cognitive circuit unit on a single chip, which selectively drives only the sensing elements corresponding to the area of interest, generating and outputting data specific to that area, replacing irrelevant data with null or low-resolution data to reduce processing loads.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the number of sensing elements in a sensor is increased, then the sensing coverage and data quality are improved, but the power consumption and processing time increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor array is divided into multiple regions of interest (ROIs), and only the sensing elements corresponding to these ROIs are activated for signal processing. This segmentation allows the system to maintain high measurement precision in critical areas while reducing overall power consumption by keeping other sensing elements in a low-power state.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the sensor array are assigned different operational states based on their importance. The sensing elements in ROIs operate at full performance, while other elements are either deactivated or operate in a reduced-capacity mode, optimizing the balance between sensing coverage and power consumption.
2Quantity of substance
If the number of sensing elements is increased, then the amount of sensed data increases, but the data transmission speed and processing speed decrease due to bottleneck phenomena
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts and processes only the data from regions of interest, discarding or minimizing processing of data from non-critical areas. This extraction approach reduces the volume of data that needs to be transmitted and processed, thereby eliminating bottleneck phenomena and improving processing speed while maintaining the quantity of meaningful sensed data.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of processing all sensed data from every sensing element, the system performs partial processing focused only on the most important regions. This partial action approach ensures that critical data is fully processed while non-critical data receives minimal or no processing, significantly improving overall processing speed.
3Reliability
If all sensing elements are driven continuously, then complete sensing coverage is maintained, but power consumption increases and processing efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The sensing elements are activated periodically based on the need for updated data from specific regions. Instead of continuous operation, the system switches between active and low-power states in a periodic manner, maintaining sensing coverage for critical regions while reducing overall processing time and power consumption.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach reduces power consumption and processing time, minimizes data bottlenecks, and enhances sensing performance by focusing on relevant information, thereby improving the efficiency of data transmission and processing.
Implementation Method 1
a sensor unit configured to generate electric signals in response to outside stimulations
Data Source
AI summary
A cognitive sensor and a method of operating the same. The cognitive sensor includes a sensor unit, which generates electric signals in response to outside stimulations; a signal processing unit, which generates sensed data regarding the outside stimulations by processing electric signals generated by the sensor unit; a cognitive circuit unit, which specifies an area of interest in the sensed data processed by the signal processing unit; and an output unit, which outputs the sensed data generated by the signal processing unit, wherein at least a portion of the sensed data output by the output unit is sensed data regarding the area of interest.