Master-Slave TDMA Synchronization With Triangular Analog Modulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing TDMA synchronization methods face challenges such as imprecise timestamps, high energy consumption, and throughput reduction due to digital signal processing, particularly affecting embedded slave devices with limited power capacity.
Innovation Solution
A communication method using an analog synchronization signal with a sine wave amplitude adjustment portion and triangular-shaped modulation to determine a reference instant, allowing precise clock synchronization with reduced digital processing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If digital signal processing is used for clock synchronization, then synchronization can be achieved, but energy consumption increases and throughput is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the digital signal processing chain with an analog synchronization signal processing approach. The slave device uses an analog-to-digital converter to process the analog synchronization signal from the master device, eliminating the need for continuous digital correlation processing. This substitution significantly reduces power consumption while maintaining synchronization accuracy, as the analog processing can be performed with lower energy consumption components.
Solution Approach 2:
The synchronization method uses periodic analog synchronization signals transmitted at regular intervals within the TDMA frame structure. The slave device synchronizes its clock by detecting the periodic analog signals from the master device, using the known periodic structure to maintain synchronization without requiring continuous high-power digital processing. This periodic approach allows the digital processing chain to be dormant between synchronization events.
2Measurement precision
If digital signal correlation is used for synchronization, then clock synchronization can be achieved, but bandwidth is reduced due to dedicated space requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent substitutes digital signal correlation methods with analog synchronization signal processing. By using an analog-to-digital converter to process the analog synchronization signal instead of performing digital correlation on digital data packets, the system eliminates the need for dedicated bandwidth allocation for synchronization data. This increases the available bandwidth for actual data transmission while maintaining synchronization accuracy.
3Measurement precision
If timestamp-based synchronization is used, then basic synchronization can be achieved, but microsecond accuracy is not sufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces timestamp-based digital synchronization with analog synchronization signal processing. The analog synchronization signal contains precise timing information in its analog waveform characteristics, which can be detected with microsecond or sub-microsecond accuracy using simple analog-to-digital conversion and threshold detection, avoiding the need for complex timestamp comparison algorithms while achieving the required precision.
Data Source
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AI summary
Disclosed is a method for communication, according to a TDMA protocol, between a master device and at least one slave device, during which a plurality of frames are transmitted between the master device and the slave device, each frame being partitioned into a plurality of time intervals, at least one time interval comprising an analogue synchronisation signal (S) comprising an amplitude regulation portion (SI) in the form of a sine wave having a constant amplitude over a number of predetermined pulses, and an optimised synchronisation portion (S2) in the form of a triangular amplitude modulation of the sine wave so as to determine a reference time (TOP).