Object Detection Distance Sensing with Time-Delayed Sampling
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Solution Overview
Problem
The accuracy of distance measurement in object detection devices is affected by the sampling rate of the analog-to-digital converter (ADC), leading to inconsistent and inaccurate distance measurements due to stepwise changes in measured values.
Innovation Solution
The device employs a splitter to divide the received signal into multiple sub-signals, with some signals being time-delayed before conversion by the ADC, allowing for cross-correlation analysis to determine accurate distance measurements using a processor that calculates distances based on maximum sampling points and averages them for improved precision.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the sampling rate of the ADC is increased to improve distance measurement accuracy, then the measurement precision improves, but the device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The received signal is divided into multiple sub-signals with different time delays using a splitter and time-delay lines. Each sub-signal is sampled at a lower rate, but the combination of multiple sub-samples effectively achieves high-resolution distance measurement without requiring a high sampling rate ADC.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transforms the problem from a single-dimensional high sampling rate requirement to a multi-dimensional approach using multiple time-delayed signal paths. By adding the time delay dimension, the system achieves equivalent measurement precision without increasing the sampling rate dimension.
2Measurement precision
If a high sampling rate ADC is used to reduce measurement errors, then the measurement precision improves, but the loss of energy increases
Solution Approach 1:
The signal processing task is segmented across multiple low-speed ADC channels instead of using a single high-speed ADC. This segmentation allows each ADC to operate at lower power while collectively achieving the same measurement precision as a high-power high-speed ADC.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the sampling rate parameter from high to low by compensating with time-delayed signal paths. This parameter change reduces the energy consumption of the ADC while maintaining measurement accuracy through the multi-path time-delay architecture.
3Device complexity
If the sampling rate is reduced to lower device complexity, then the device complexity decreases, but the measurement precision deteriorates due to stepwise changes
Solution Approach 1:
The measurement process is segmented into multiple time-delayed samples that are combined to reconstruct the signal with higher effective resolution. This segmentation allows low-speed sampling to achieve high-precision measurement by distributing the sampling task across multiple time-shifted channels.
Solution Approach 2:
Time-delay lines act as intermediaries that introduce controlled time shifts between signal paths. These intermediaries enable the system to capture signal information at different time points, effectively increasing the measurement resolution without requiring a high sampling rate ADC.
4Measurement precision
If multiple time-delayed sub-signals are processed to improve distance accuracy, then the measurement precision improves, but the device complexity increases due to additional signal lines and delay elements
Solution Approach 1:
The signal processing architecture is segmented into multiple independent but synchronized paths, each handling a time-delayed version of the received signal. This segmentation distributes the processing complexity across parallel simple channels rather than requiring a single complex high-speed processing channel.
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 method enhances the accuracy of distance measurements by reducing errors and providing clearer 3D imaging, even with lower sampling rates, thus improving the performance of object detection devices.
Implementation Method 1
a detector configured to detect light reflected from an object and output an electrical signal in an analog domain corresponding to the light
Implementation Method 2
the object detection device may calculate the distance to the object by measuring a time until an optical signal emitted from a light source is reflected by the object and then returns to the object detection device
Data Source
AI summary
An object detection device and an operating method thereof are provided. The object detection device detects light and outputs a received signal, which is an electrical signal, time-delays a part of the received signal with respect to a rest of the received signal, converts the rest of the received signal into a digital signal, converts the time-delayed part of the received signal into one or more time-delayed digital signals, and determines a distance to an object based on the digital signal and the one or more time-delayed digital signals.