Microphone Data Channel Multiplexing for Diagnostic Reporting

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional digital microphones lack features for transmitting diagnostic and non-acoustic data, which is critical for safety applications like automotive sensors, where malfunction reporting is essential, and existing methods do not efficiently integrate security features for improved data transmission.

Innovation Solution

The method involves providing a data channel for transmitting acoustic data and utilizing an existing data channel to send non-acoustic data, such as diagnostic information, between a microphone and a controller, using a PDM interface, allowing for simultaneous transmission of both types of data without additional pins or wires, and during the start-up phase, non-acoustic data is transmitted before acoustic data.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If conventional digital microphones are used without additional technical features, then device complexity is reduced and manufacturing is easier, but the ability to transmit diagnostic and non-acoustic data is lost

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvediagnostic data transmissionVSAvoidmicrophone technical features

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent makes the data channel multi-functional by enabling it to transmit both acoustic data (during normal operation) and non-acoustic diagnostic data (during start-up phase or when malfunctions occur). This allows a single channel to serve multiple purposes, adding diagnostic capability without requiring separate dedicated channels for each function.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements periodic switching between different data transmission modes: during normal operation the channel transmits acoustic data, while during start-up phase or malfunction conditions it transmits non-acoustic diagnostic data. This time-division approach allows the same channel to handle different types of information at different times.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

2Loss of information

If a separate data channel is added for non-acoustic data transmission, then diagnostic data transmission capability is improved, but device complexity and resource requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenon-acoustic data transmissionVSAvoiddata channel quantity

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent makes the data channel multi-functional by enabling it to transmit both acoustic data (during normal operation) and non-acoustic diagnostic data (during start-up phase or when malfunctions occur). This allows a single channel to serve multiple purposes, adding diagnostic capability without requiring separate dedicated channels for each function.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements periodic switching between different data transmission modes: during normal operation the channel transmits acoustic data, while during start-up phase or malfunction conditions it transmits non-acoustic diagnostic data. This time-division approach allows the same channel to handle different types of information at different times.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

3Loss of information

If the data channel is used for acoustic data transmission during start-up phase, then acoustic data transmission is maintained, but non-acoustic data transmission capability is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenon-acoustic data transmissionVSAvoidacoustic data transmission delay

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent prioritizes transmitting non-acoustic diagnostic data during the start-up phase before acoustic data transmission begins. This preliminary action ensures that diagnostic information is captured early when the microphone is initializing, without interfering with subsequent acoustic data transmission during normal operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements periodic switching between different data transmission modes: during normal operation the channel transmits acoustic data, while during start-up phase or malfunction conditions it transmits non-acoustic diagnostic data. This time-division approach allows the same channel to handle different types of information at different times.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Data Source

PatentUS11659345B2Methods for transmitting non-acoustic data between a microphone and a controller

Publication Date: 2023.05.23 INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES AG

AI summary

A method includes providing a first data channel configured for a transmission of acoustic data between a first microphone and a controller, providing a second data channel configured for a transmission of acoustic data between a second microphone and the controller, and transmitting non-acoustic data generated by the first microphone via the second data channel.