Gray-Coded Ultrasound Signal Bus to Reduce Switching Noise
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional ultrasound processing systems face issues with noise interference and power supply fluctuations due to digital switching on data buses routed over analog circuitry, which can degrade the quality of ultrasound measurements.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of gray coding in ultrasound processing units to convert standard binary-coded digital ultrasound signals to gray-coded signals, reducing the number of bits changing on the data bus and minimizing noise interference and power supply fluctuations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If standard binary-coded digital ultrasound signals are transmitted over data buses routed over analog circuitry, then digital signal transmission is achieved, but noise interference and power supply fluctuations occur due to digital switching
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies gray coding to change the parameter representation of digital signals. Instead of using standard binary coding where multiple bits can change simultaneously, gray coding ensures that only one bit changes between consecutive signal values. This parameter transformation reduces digital switching activity and its associated noise, while maintaining the integrity of signal transmission over data buses routed over analog circuitry.
2Loss of information
If multiple bits change on the data bus during digital switching, then complete digital information is transmitted, but power supply current draw and capacitive coupling noise increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the digital signal encoding parameter from standard binary to gray code. This change ensures that consecutive signal transitions involve only a single bit change, thereby reducing the number of simultaneous switching events. This parameter transformation directly reduces power supply current draw and minimizes capacitive coupling noise while preserving complete digital information transmission.
3Device complexity
If data buses are routed over analog circuitry to save space, then device integration is improved, but digital switching noise interferes with analog signals
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the encoding parameter of digital signals to gray code, which reduces the frequency and magnitude of bit transitions. This parameter transformation decreases digital switching activity on data buses that are physically routed over analog circuitry, thereby reducing capacitive coupling noise and electromagnetic interference while maintaining space-efficient integration.
Data Source
AI summary
Aspects of the technology described herein related to an ultrasound processing unit (UPU) including gray-coding circuitry configured to convert standard binary-coded digital ultrasound signals to gray-coded digital ultrasound signals and gray-decoding circuitry coupled to the gray-coding circuitry and configured to convert the gray-coded digital ultrasound signals to standard binary-coded digital ultrasound signals. The UPU may include an analog portion, a digital portion, and a data bus configured to route the gray-coded digital ultrasound signals from the analog portion to the digital portion subsequent to converting the standard binary-coded digital ultrasound signals to the gray-coded digital ultrasound signals. The analog portion may include multiple analog front-ends (AFEs), the gray-coding circuitry, and an analog-to-digital converter. The digital portion may include the gray-decoding circuitry. A data bus from one AFE may pass over another AFE.