Receiver Circuit Timing-Interval Decoding for Higher Signal Throughput
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing data transmission protocols in fields like automotive systems face challenges in achieving a balance between robustness against distortions, simplicity of implementation, and high throughput, particularly in high-volume, low-cost applications where components like sensors and control units need to communicate effectively under tough conditions.
Innovation Solution
A receiver and sender circuit configuration that utilizes time intervals between signal transitions to transmit additional data, allowing for increased throughput while maintaining robustness and simplicity, by determining time periods and amplitudes to encode and decode data, potentially violating legacy protocols for enhanced compatibility and bandwidth.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a simple digital transmission protocol is used, then implementation simplicity and cost-effectiveness are improved, but data throughput is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dimensionality change by utilizing the time dimension within existing signal transitions. Specifically, it measures time intervals between signal edges (rising/falling transitions) to encode additional data bits. This allows the system to transmit more information without adding more communication channels or complex modulation schemes, thereby increasing throughput while maintaining protocol simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter being measured from simple transition detection to precise time interval measurement between transitions. By measuring the duration between rising and falling edges (or vice versa), the system extracts additional information from the same signal transitions, effectively increasing data throughput without complicating the transmission protocol or requiring additional hardware complexity.
2Productivity
If sophisticated transmission schemes are employed, then data throughput is improved, but implementation complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial action by selectively measuring time intervals only for certain signal transitions that carry additional information. Not all transitions are used for data extraction—only those where the time interval encoding is applicable. This selective approach increases throughput without requiring the entire transmission system to be redesigned with complex schemes, thereby avoiding excessive implementation complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces time interval measurement as an intermediary mechanism between the simple signal transitions and the data extraction process. Instead of directly interpreting signal levels, the system uses time duration as an intermediate parameter to encode and decode additional data bits. This intermediary approach allows sophisticated data transmission capabilities to emerge from simple underlying signal transitions, bridging the gap between simplicity and throughput.
3Productivity
If time intervals are used to transmit additional data, then data throughput is improved, but robustness against distortions may be affected
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies beforehand cushioning by establishing minimum and maximum time interval thresholds for valid signal transitions. These pre-defined boundaries create a tolerance margin that cushions against timing variations and signal distortions. By ensuring that measured time intervals fall within these predetermined ranges, the system maintains robustness against distortions while still extracting additional data from the time dimension.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback by validating measured time intervals against expected ranges before accepting the encoded data. If the time interval falls outside acceptable boundaries, the system can request retransmission or use error correction mechanisms. This feedback loop ensures that distortion-induced timing variations do not compromise data integrity, thereby maintaining robustness while enabling enhanced throughput through time interval encoding.
Data Source
AI summary
A receiver includes a receiver circuit to receive a first transition in a first direction, a second transition in a second, different direction after the first transition and a third transition in the first transition after the second transition of a signal. A first time period between the first and third transitions is indicative of a datum to be received. The receiver circuit is also configured to determine a second time period between the first transition and a second transition and to determine an additional datum to be received based at least on the determined second time period between the first and second transitions. Using the determined second time period allows for more information to be received in a reliable manner.