Circular Buffer for High Frame-Rate Radar Data Access

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for accessing high frame-rate radar data require additional memory and processing resources, as multiple applications need to manage and search for specific data in separate memory locations, leading to increased memory demands and processor usage.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a circular buffer as a common memory location for radar data and a data manager to monitor and manage data requests from multiple applications, allowing efficient access to the requested data frames before they are overwritten, reducing memory and processor resource requirements.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If multiple applications access radar data using time-sharing techniques or dedicated sensors, then each application can obtain the required radar data, but memory requirements and processor resource usage increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata access reliabilityVSAvoidmemory requirements
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple application data requests into a single circular buffer, allowing multiple applications to share the same memory location for radar data storage. This eliminates the need for separate memory allocations for each application, directly reducing overall memory requirements while maintaining data access reliability through coordinated access management.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The circular buffer is designed as a universal data storage structure that serves multiple applications simultaneously. Instead of dedicating separate memory resources to each application, a single multi-functional buffer handles data storage for all applications, optimizing memory utilization and reducing total memory requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Reliability

If multiple applications access radar data using time-sharing techniques or dedicated sensors, then each application can obtain the required radar data, but processor resource usage increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata access reliabilityVSAvoidprocessor resource usage
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a data manager as an intermediary component that coordinates data requests from multiple applications. This mediator manages the circular buffer access, determines which applications need data, and handles data distribution, thereby reducing the processing overhead that would otherwise be required for complex time-sharing management and dedicated sensor coordination.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements a uniform data access mechanism where all applications interact with the same circular buffer through standardized procedures. This homogeneous approach simplifies processor management compared to handling multiple different access methods for time-sharing and dedicated sensors, reducing processor resource usage through consistent data management workflows.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #33Homogeneity

3Quantity of substance

If a circular buffer is used as a common memory location, then memory requirements are reduced, but data access complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvememory requirementsVSAvoiddata access complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The data manager serves as an intermediary that abstracts the complexity of circular buffer management from individual applications. It handles buffer monitoring, data frame correspondence determination, and coordinate generation, thereby maintaining simple access interfaces for applications while managing the inherent complexity of the shared buffer system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements self-service mechanisms where the data manager automatically monitors the circular buffer, determines data frame correspondence, and generates coordinates without requiring complex application-level intervention. This automation reduces the apparent complexity for applications while maintaining efficient memory utilization.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

4Ease of operation

If real-time radar data access is required for user interface applications, then user interaction responsiveness is improved, but processor resource usage increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuser interface responsivenessVSAvoidprocessor resource usage
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by continuously maintaining the circular buffer with the most recent radar data frames ready for immediate access. This pre-positioning of data eliminates the need for complex real-time data retrieval operations, allowing user interface applications to access current radar data with minimal processing overhead while maintaining responsiveness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The data manager acts as an intermediary that optimizes real-time data access by pre-determining which data frames correspond to current radar returns and generating ready-to-use coordinates. This mediation allows user interface applications to obtain real-time data efficiently without bearing the full processor resource cost of real-time data processing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS10921866B2Access to high frame-rate radar data via a circular buffer
Publication Date: 2021.02.16 GOOGLE LLC
  • US10921866B2 patent drawing
  • US10921866B2 patent drawing
  • US10921866B2 patent drawing

AI summary

Techniques and devices for access to high frame-rate radar data via a circular buffer are described. In some implementations, a radar sensor collects radar data regarding objects detected by a radar field and stores the data to a circular buffer. A data manager monitors the circular buffer and processes data requests from multiple applications. Through use of the described techniques and devices, the multiple applications can efficiently access the requested radar frame data from the circular buffer, reducing both memory requirements and processor resource usage associated with providing the requested data.