Laser Radar Signal Path Selection for ADC Saturation Avoidance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Laser radar devices face reduced measurement accuracy due to signal saturation when received light signals exceed the input range of AD converters, leading to loss of waveform information, especially when dealing with varying signal intensities.
Innovation Solution
A laser radar device configuration that includes a branching unit to generate branch signals with different intensities, a selection unit to choose the path with the highest gain within the input range, and a control unit to optimize signal gain without feedback control, ensuring accurate AD conversion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the laser radar device uses a single AD converter with fixed input range, then the device structure remains simple, but measurement accuracy deteriorates when received light signals exceed the input range causing signal saturation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the single AD conversion path into multiple parallel paths, each with different gain settings. The received light signal is branched into multiple copies, and each copy is amplified by a different gain amount before being input to separate AD converters. This segmentation allows the system to handle varying signal intensities by selecting the appropriate gain path, thereby improving measurement accuracy without requiring a single complex adaptive system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the gain parameter of the signal paths to adapt to different signal intensities. By providing multiple paths with predetermined different gain values (e.g., 1x, 2x, 4x), the system can select the most appropriate gain level for the current signal strength. This parameter variation allows the AD converter to operate within its optimal input range regardless of the original signal intensity, improving measurement accuracy while maintaining relatively simple device structure.
2Measurement precision
If the device uses multiple individual paths with different gains, then measurement accuracy for varying signal intensities improves, but the device complexity increases due to multiple paths and selection mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-configuring multiple signal paths with predetermined gain values before the signal processing begins. The branching unit creates multiple copies of the received light signal, and each path is pre-amplified with a specific gain level. This preliminary preparation eliminates the need for real-time gain adjustment during signal processing, reducing control complexity while maintaining high measurement accuracy across different signal intensities.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a selection unit as an intermediary component that automatically chooses the most appropriate signal path based on the input signal characteristics. This intermediary handles the complexity of path selection, allowing the rest of the system to operate with simple, fixed-gain paths. The selection unit acts as a mediator between the multiple parallel paths and the subsequent processing stages, managing the device complexity while enabling accurate measurement across varying signal intensities.
3Measurement precision
If feedback control is used to optimize signal gain, then measurement accuracy improves, but data handling complexity and processing time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates the need for feedback control by performing preliminary action - pre-configuring multiple paths with different gain levels before signal processing. The selection unit chooses the appropriate path based on preliminary assessment of the signal characteristics, rather than requiring iterative feedback adjustment during processing. This approach significantly reduces processing time while maintaining measurement accuracy, as the optimal gain path is selected in advance rather than determined through time-consuming feedback loops.
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 configuration optimizes signal gain without feedback control, allowing for accurate AD conversion and reducing data handling, while preventing miscode generation and enhancing measurement accuracy across varying signal intensities.
Implementation Method 1
a light receiving unit (3) that receives an optical signal arriving from the search region
Data Source
AI summary
A light receiving unit receives a pulsed optical signal arriving from a search region. A branching unit generates, from a received light signal, a plurality of branch signals having signal intensities proportional to a signal intensity of the received light signal and different from one another. A conversion unit converts, from analog to digital, a signal fed via the individual path selected by a selection unit, and in accordance with a result of the conversion, a processing unit generates information regarding an object reflecting the optical signal. A control unit causes the selection unit to select one of the individual paths for which a determination unit determines that a magnitude of the fed signal is within an input range of the conversion unit and which provides the highest gain.