Dual-Processor System for Low-Latency Video Capture
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Solution Overview
Problem
Outdoor surveillance equipment powered by batteries faces significant power consumption issues due to prolonged standby times, leading to shortened battery life and potential missed critical images due to latency in video capturing.
Innovation Solution
A dual-processor system with a first processor operating under a Linux OS and a second processor under a real-time OS (RTOS) with shorter interrupt and thread switching latencies, allowing the system to quickly establish the RTOS for immediate task execution while the Linux OS is still initializing, minimizing standby time and power consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If the surveillance system keeps staying in a standby state to prevent missing critical images, then the response speed for video capturing is improved, but the power consumption increases and battery utilization time shortens
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the processor functionality into two separate processors: a first processor that maintains a lightweight first operating system for basic standby functions, and a second processor that runs a second operating system specifically optimized for rapid video capturing responses. This segmentation allows each processor to be optimized for its specific function, reducing overall power consumption while maintaining fast response capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The second operating system is pre-configured and maintained in a ready state on the second processor, with necessary drivers and configurations pre-loaded. When video capturing is needed, the system can immediately activate the second processor and second OS without undergoing a full boot process, thereby achieving fast response while minimizing the time the system needs to remain in a high-power standby state.
2Reliability
If the surveillance system starts video capturing immediately when a change arises in the ambient environment, then the likelihood of missing critical images is reduced, but the boot process causes latency
Solution Approach 1:
The second operating system is prepared in advance on the second processor with all necessary configurations, drivers, and runtime environments pre-configured. This preliminary preparation eliminates the need for a full boot process when video capturing is triggered, allowing the system to immediately activate the second processor and begin capturing critical images without latency.
Solution Approach 2:
The system maintains a copy of the second operating system configuration and necessary runtime files in a ready state on the second processor. This copied, pre-configured version can be activated instantly without going through the complete initialization and boot sequence that would otherwise be required, thereby eliminating boot process latency while ensuring the system is fully capable of capturing critical images.
3Device complexity
If the system uses a single processor with a full-featured operating system to handle both standby and video capturing, then the system functionality is simplified, but the power consumption increases and response time worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the processing responsibilities into two distinct processors: the first processor handles standby and basic monitoring functions with a lightweight first operating system, while the second processor is dedicated to video capturing with a second operating system optimized for that function. This segmentation reduces power consumption by allowing the first processor to remain in a lower-power state during standby, while maintaining the capability for rapid video capturing when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The second operating system is pre-configured and maintained in a ready state on the second processor, with all necessary drivers, configurations, and runtime environments prepared in advance. This preliminary action eliminates the need for the second processor to undergo a full boot process when video capturing is triggered, thereby reducing both power consumption and response time compared to a single-processor system that would need to fully initialize the operating system each time.
Data Source
AI summary
A dual-processor system includes a power supply, a temporary memory, a non-volatile memory and two processors. The non-volatile memory stores an initialization program code, a first configuration file corresponding to a first operating system, and a second configuration file corresponding to a second operating system. Compared to the first operating system, the second operating system has a shorter interrupt latency and a shorter thread switching latency. After the power supply starts to supply power, the first processor executes the initialization program code to perform operations of initializing the temporary memory, loading the second configuration file into the temporary memory, notifying the second processor to fetch the second configuration file from the temporary buffer, loading the first configuration rile into the temporary memory and establishing the first operating system according to the first configuration file.