Optical Detection ADC Data Reduction for Echo Feature Extraction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Optical detection systems face challenges in data reduction and bandwidth limitations when processing full-resolution, full-data-rate records from analog-to-digital converter (ADC) circuits, leading to significant power consumption and reduced resolution due to the need for high-capacity data links, with a substantial portion of the data being unnecessary background noise or interference.
Innovation Solution
Integrating signal processor circuitry with ADC circuitry to identify features of interest within the optical detection system, reducing the data transferred to downstream processing by preserving only relevant samples and dropping unnecessary ones, thereby simplifying the signal processing chain and reducing power consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If full-resolution, full-data-rate records are transferred from ADC circuitry to processing circuitry, then measurement precision and signal fidelity are maintained, but data link bandwidth requirements and power consumption increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes unnecessary data from the full-resolution record before transmission. Signal processing circuitry identifies and eliminates portions of the signal that do not contain useful information (such as baseline regions without echoes), transferring only the essential data to downstream processing circuitry. This extraction principle directly reduces data volume and power consumption while preserving measurement precision for the relevant signal portions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes data representation parameters by transitioning from full-resolution, full-data-rate records to abbreviated representations. This involves modifying the data format, sampling rate, or amplitude resolution for portions of the signal that do not require full fidelity, thereby reducing the data link bandwidth and power consumption while maintaining adequate measurement precision for echo detection and range estimation.
2Measurement precision
If high-sample-rate ADC circuits are used to achieve high range resolution, then measurement precision improves, but data link bandwidth requirements and system complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential signal features needed for range resolution from the high-sample-rate ADC output. By identifying echo regions and extracting only those portions of the high-resolution data, the system maintains measurement precision while reducing the complexity of downstream processing and data link requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial action by using high-sample-rate ADC circuits only when and where necessary to achieve the required range resolution, rather than uniformly across the entire signal. Abbreviated representations are used for signal portions where full resolution is not critical, thereby reducing overall system complexity while maintaining measurement precision for the essential measurement parameters.
3Measurement precision
If data link capacity is increased to support full-bandwidth, full-resolution records, then measurement precision is maintained, but power consumption and physical area increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes unnecessary data from the full-resolution record before transmission over the data link. By extracting and eliminating redundant or non-essential signal portions, the system maintains measurement precision for the relevant data while significantly reducing the data link capacity requirements and associated physical area.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the data transmission parameters by using abbreviated representations with reduced bandwidth requirements. This allows the system to maintain adequate measurement precision while using smaller, more power-efficient data link infrastructure, thereby reducing the physical area required for high-capacity data transmission components.
4Loss of information
If full data records are transferred to processing circuitry, then complete signal information is available for analysis, but unnecessary background noise and interference increase processing load
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes unnecessary background noise and interference from the full data record before transmission. By identifying signal regions of interest (such as echo returns) and extracting only those portions, the system maintains complete signal information for analysis while eliminating redundant data that would increase processing load and reduce productivity.
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 enhances data throughput efficiency, reduces power consumption, and supports higher-performance ADC circuitry or detector element counts by providing an abbreviated representation of the optical signal, maintaining conversion rate or resolution, while suppressing irrelevant data.
Implementation Method 1
receiving an electrical signal from a photodetector
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3A
Figure 3B~3C
AI summary
In an optical detection system, features of interest can be identified from ADC circuitry data prior to inter-circuit communication with downstream object or target processing circuitry. In this manner, a volume of data being transferred to such downstream processing circuitry can be reduced as compared to other approaches, simplifying the receive signal processing chain and providing power savings. First-tier signal processing circuitry to identify features of interest can be located on or within a commonly-shared integrated circuit package with ADC circuitry, and downstream processing circuitry for object processing or range estimation can be fed with a data link meeting less stringent requirements than a link between the ADC circuitry and first-tier signal processing circuitry