Multi-Device Synchronization via Hardware Triggering and Frequency Adjustment
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Multi-device systems, such as those used in live streaming and videoconferencing, face challenges with accurate time synchronization across multiple devices, leading to bandwidth issues and limitations in the number of devices that can be effectively used, as well as a lack of scalable solutions for personal computer interaction and real-time camera control.
Innovation Solution
A multi-device system that employs hardware triggering and global timestamping for micro-second precision synchronization, utilizing a PCIe interface and synchronization circuitry to adjust trigger frequencies and synchronize devices efficiently, enabling high-resolution streaming and immersive visual experiences.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple devices are used in a multi-device system, then the functionality and visual experience are enhanced, but time synchronization accuracy deteriorates leading to bandwidth issues and device limitations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a synchronization circuit as an intermediary device that receives trigger signals from a master device and distributes synchronized triggers to multiple slave devices. This mediator resolves the time synchronization accuracy problem by providing a centralized coordination point that ensures all devices operate in unison, enabling the system to support more devices without sacrificing synchronization precision
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements adjustable trigger frequencies that can be dynamically modified based on system requirements. By changing the timing parameters of device activation, the system can optimize performance for different numbers of devices while maintaining synchronization accuracy. The ability to adjust frequency parameters allows the system to adapt to varying device counts without degrading time synchronization
2Manufacturing precision
If trigger frequency is increased for higher resolution streaming, then data transfer quality is improved, but bandwidth consumption increases causing system limitations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic trigger frequency adjustment where the system can adaptively change the timing of device operations based on current bandwidth availability and resolution requirements. This dynamic approach allows the system to optimize between streaming quality and bandwidth consumption in real-time, enabling high-resolution streaming when bandwidth is available while reducing frequency to conserve bandwidth when resources are constrained
Solution Approach 2:
The synchronization circuit pre-coordinates trigger signals to multiple devices before data transfer begins. By establishing synchronized timing in advance, the system can efficiently batch data transfers and optimize bandwidth utilization, allowing high-resolution streaming without proportionally increasing overall bandwidth consumption through coordinated multi-device operation
3Measurement precision
If hardware triggering is implemented for micro-second precision synchronization, then time synchronization accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The synchronization circuit serves as a specialized intermediary that handles the complexity of hardware triggering and micro-second precision timing. By offloading this complex functionality to a dedicated synchronization component rather than implementing it across all devices, the system achieves high time synchronization accuracy while keeping individual device complexity manageable through centralized coordination
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, apparatus, systems, and articles of manufacture are disclosed that synchronize multiple devices. An example apparatus includes memory, instructions, and processor circuitry to execute the instructions to at least obtain first images using a first trigger frequency and second images using a second trigger frequency, the second trigger frequency different from the first trigger frequency, identify a first number of time units between a first time corresponding to a first one of the first images and a second time corresponding to a first one of the second images, the first number of time units defining a first time window, and in response to the first time window exceeding a threshold, adjust the second trigger frequency based on the number of time units such that a subsequent time window satisfies the threshold.