FPGA Sensor Timestamping for Vehicle Time Synchronization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle sensor time synchronization in autonomous vehicles relies on multi-chip solutions, which are costly and inefficient, leading to significant load imbalances and time synchronization errors.
Innovation Solution
A single-chip solution using a field programmable gate array (FPGA) chip with load-balanced system and logic modules to write timestamp information into sensor data, improving processing efficiency and accuracy through intra-chip register access.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a multi-chip solution is used for vehicle sensor time synchronization, then the system can handle multiple sensors, but the implementation cost increases and processing efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple chip functions into a single FPGA chip, integrating the time synchronization functionality that previously required separate chips. This consolidation reduces the number of chips needed while maintaining the ability to handle multiple sensors, thereby improving processing efficiency and reducing implementation cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The FPGA chip is designed with universal functionality to handle multiple vehicle sensors simultaneously. By making the single chip multi-functional, it can perform time synchronization for various sensor types without requiring dedicated chips for each sensor, thus improving productivity while reducing device complexity.
2Measurement precision
If a multi-chip solution is used for time synchronization, then sensor coverage is expanded, but load balance deteriorates and synchronization accuracy decreases
Solution Approach 1:
By combining multiple chip operations into a single FPGA chip, the patent eliminates the load imbalance that occurs when distributing sensors across multiple chips. The unified architecture ensures equal access and processing for all sensors, improving load balance while maintaining timestamp accuracy through centralized control.
Solution Approach 2:
The FPGA chip acts as an intermediary that centralizes the time synchronization process. It mediates between multiple sensors and the system clock, ensuring that all sensors receive synchronized timestamps with equal precision. This intermediary role eliminates the synchronization errors that arise from multi-chip coordination delays.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple chips are used to connect to sensors, then sensor capacity increases, but implementation cost and system overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The FPGA chip is designed with universal interfaces and multi-functional capabilities that allow it to connect to and synchronize multiple types of vehicle sensors simultaneously. This multi-functionality replaces the need for multiple specialized chips, maintaining sensor capacity while reducing the number of chips required in the system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the sensor connection and time synchronization functions that were previously distributed across multiple chips into a single integrated FPGA chip. This merging reduces system overhead and implementation cost while preserving the ability to handle multiple sensors through the chip's multiple interfaces and channels.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure provides a system and a method for vehicle sensor time synchronization, and a field programmable gate array chip, in the field of artificial intelligence, such as sensor, artificial intelligence chip, and autonomous driving. The system for vehicle sensor time synchronization includes: target vehicle sensors and a field programmable gate array chip, the target vehicle sensors include all vehicle sensors in a target vehicle that require a timestamp information to be written; the target vehicle sensors are connected to the field programmable gate array chip, and are configured to send collected sensor data to the field programmable gate array chip; the field programmable gate array chip is configured to write the timestamp information into the sensor data based on a system time of the field programmable gate array chip; wherein the field programmable gate array chip comprises: a system module and a logic module; the system module and the logic module are respectively connected to at least one of the target vehicle sensors based on a principle of load balancing, and are respectively configured to write the timestamp information into obtained sensor data based on the system time.