LIDAR ADC Threshold Bypass for Lower Power Signal Conversion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) in LIDAR systems are complex and power-consuming, as they require full conversion of all analog values, even when the signal is above a certain threshold, which is not necessary for distinguishing signal from noise.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a non-linear analog-to-digital conversion method where ADCs only proceed with conversion for analog values below a threshold, assigning a predefined digital value for values above the threshold, reducing power consumption and design complexity by skipping resource-intensive conversion for signal readings indicative of object presence.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional ADCs perform full analog-to-digital conversion for all analog values, then accurate signal conversion is achieved, but power consumption and design complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the ADC operation into two distinct paths: a simplified path for high-amplitude signals (above threshold) that directly outputs a predefined digital value, and a full conversion path for low-amplitude signals (below threshold) that uses the complete ADC. This segmentation allows the system to achieve accurate conversion only when necessary, reducing overall complexity while maintaining measurement precision for relevant signals.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial action by performing complete ADC conversion only partially - specifically, only for analog values below the threshold. For values above the threshold, the system performs no conversion at all, directly assigning a predefined digital value. This partial application of the conversion process eliminates unnecessary complexity while preserving accuracy for the critical signal range.
2Measurement precision
If conventional ADCs perform full analog-to-digital conversion for all analog values, then complete signal processing is achieved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the signal processing workflow into two energy-consuming paths: a low-power path for high-amplitude signals that skips ADC conversion entirely and directly outputs a predefined value, and a higher-power path for low-amplitude signals that performs full conversion. This segmentation ensures that energy-intensive conversion operations are performed only when absolutely necessary for accurate measurement.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs ADC conversion partially - only for the subset of analog values below the threshold that require accurate conversion. By performing no conversion (zero action) for values above the threshold, the system dramatically reduces average power consumption while maintaining measurement precision for the critical low-amplitude signal range.
3Loss of information
If ADCs process all analog values through full conversion, then no signal information is lost, but processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the processing workflow into two time paths: an instant path for high-amplitude signals that directly outputs a predefined digital value without conversion, and a conversion path for low-amplitude signals that performs full ADC conversion. This segmentation eliminates unnecessary conversion steps for obvious signals, dramatically reducing average processing time while retaining all critical information in the low-amplitude range.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs conversion partially - only for analog values below the threshold that contain meaningful signal information requiring accurate representation. By performing no conversion for values above the threshold, the system eliminates wasted processing time while ensuring that all information-critical signals receive complete conversion attention.
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of the present disclosure propose analog-to-digital conversion (ADC) systems particularly suitable for Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) implementations. An exemplary proposed ADC system is configured to determine whether an absolute value of an analog value is greater than a threshold, and, upon positive determination, assign a predetermined digital value as a digital value corresponding to the analog value, without proceeding with the analog-to-digital conversion of the analog value. Because the ADC system only proceeds with the analog-to-digital conversion, using an ADC, when the input analog value is smaller than the threshold, and otherwise the input analog value is simply assigned some predefined digital value, design complexity and power consumption of the system may be significantly reduced, compared to conventional ADCs used in LIDAR applications.