Peripheral Configuration via Hardware Request
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current electronic devices with multiple sensors face power consumption issues due to the need for processors to sequentially access and reconfigure signal chains, leading to increased power usage and reduced battery life, especially in low-power sensing applications where different sensors require unique signal chain configurations.
Innovation Solution
A method and microcontroller system that allow initiator peripherals to request and configure target peripherals via hardware requests, minimizing CPU intervention by using pre-defined hardware memory locations and signal processing modules, enabling efficient configuration and data processing with reduced power consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the processor sequentially accesses and executes software commands to configure signal chains for multiple sensors, then each sensor can be properly configured for data processing, but power consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The target peripheral automatically configures itself by receiving a configuration selection from the initiator peripheral and autonomously selecting the appropriate configuration from hardware memory locations, eliminating the need for continuous processor intervention and software command execution
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the software-based configuration system with a hardware-based system where configuration selections are made through hardware memory locations and automatic peripheral interaction, substituting processor-executed software commands with direct hardware configuration mechanisms
2Adaptability or versatility
If separate signal chain front ends are used for each sensor, then each sensor gets dedicated configuration, but device complexity and power consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
A single target peripheral is designed to serve multiple initiator peripherals by accepting configuration selections and automatically selecting appropriate configurations from hardware memory locations, allowing one peripheral to perform multiple sensor configuration functions
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes configuration parameters through hardware memory location selections rather than physical hardware changes, allowing the same signal processing modules to be reconfigured for different sensors by selecting different configuration sets stored in hardware memory
Data Source
AI summary
A method for configuring a target peripheral via a hardware request is provided. The method includes receiving a hardware request from one of a plurality of initiator peripherals, receiving a configuration selection from the requesting initiator peripheral, and selecting a configuration from a plurality of hardware memory locations based at least in part on the configuration selection. The method also includes configuring one or more signal processing modules within the target peripheral based at least in part on the configuration, receiving a signal from an electronic device, and processing the signal from the electronic device with the one or more signal processing modules. The method further includes transmitting a processed signal from the signal processing modules to the requesting initiator peripheral.