Lidar Transceiver Time Multiplexing for Shared ADC Processing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Lidar sensor systems face challenges in efficiently sharing limited hardware resources, such as analog-to-digital converters (ADCs), and require innovative solutions for designing photonic integrated circuits that can effectively manage these resources among multiple circuit modules.
Innovation Solution
A lidar sensor system is designed with a processor that alternately turns on a photonics module and a transceiver module, allowing for the efficient sharing of ADCs among multiple transceivers by temporally multiplexing optical signals and local oscillator signals, enabling simultaneous processing of multiple optical signals and reducing hardware requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multiple transceivers are used to process multiple optical signals simultaneously, then the processing capability and productivity of the lidar system is improved, but the quantity of hardware resources (ADCs) increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements time-division multiplexing where a single ADC is periodically allocated to different transceivers in alternating time slots. Each transceiver transmits optical signals during its assigned time slot, and the ADC processes returned signals from that specific transceiver during the corresponding time period. This periodic allocation allows one ADC to serve multiple transceivers sequentially, resolving the contradiction between processing capability and hardware quantity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically switches the ADC's operational state between serving different transceivers based on time-division multiplexing control. The ADC alternates between processing signals from different transceivers in real-time, enabling a single hardware resource to adaptively handle multiple signal streams without requiring simultaneous dedicated ADCs for each transceiver.
2Device complexity
If hardware resources are shared among multiple transceivers, then the device complexity is reduced, but the difficulty of detecting and measuring signals increases due to signal interference
Solution Approach 1:
By implementing periodic time-division multiplexing, the patent ensures that only one transceiver transmits and one ADC processes signals at any given time slot. This periodic isolation eliminates signal interference between transceivers, allowing a single ADC to accurately detect and measure returned optical signals without the complexity of handling simultaneous multi-source interference.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a control mechanism that acts as an intermediary to coordinate the operation of multiple transceivers and the single ADC. This control system manages time-slot allocation and ensures proper signal routing, mediating between the multiple transceivers and the shared ADC to prevent signal conflicts and maintain detection accuracy.
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 approach allows for the efficient use of limited hardware resources, enhancing the capability of lidar systems to process multiple optical signals simultaneously, thereby improving the system's performance and scalability without increasing hardware complexity.
Implementation Method 1
a laser source configured to generate a beam
Implementation Method 2
receive a returned optical signal that is reflected from an object in the environment
Implementation Method 3
pair the returned optical signal with the LO signal to generate an electrical signal
Data Source
AI summary
A light detection and ranging (lidar) system may include a transceiver, a first device including a laser source configured to generate a beam, and one or more optical components, a second device including one or more analog-to-digital converters (ADCs), and a processor configured to alternately turn on the first device and turn on the transceiver. The first device may be configured to generate, based on the beam, an optical signal associated with a local oscillator (LO) signal. The transceiver may be configured to transmit the optical signal to an environment, in response to transmitting the optical signal, receive a returned optical signal that is reflected from an object in the environment, and pair the returned optical signal with the LO signal to generate an electrical signal. The second device may be configured to generate, based on the electrical signal, a digital signal.