Satellite ADC Monitoring with Local Voltage Reference Routing
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Solution Overview
Problem
As programmable logic devices increase in size and complexity, accurately monitoring operating conditions such as temperature and voltage across the device becomes challenging due to noise susceptibility and the need for expensive metal-layer routing resources, which also limits scalability.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a monitoring system with satellite monitors distributed across the device, each equipped with a local voltage source and ADC, using a temperature-independent reference voltage from a root monitor to convert analog signals into digital data locally, eliminating the need for extensive metal-layer routing and enhancing scalability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If analog signals from sensors are routed to a central monitor for conversion, then monitoring accuracy can be maintained, but signal degradation increases and routing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the monitoring system into multiple satellite monitors distributed across the device, each equipped with its own ADC. This segmentation allows analog signals to be converted to digital form locally at each satellite monitor, eliminating the need to route analog signals over long distances to a central monitor, thus reducing signal degradation while maintaining monitoring accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces satellite monitors as intermediary components between sensors and the central root monitor. These satellite monitors perform local ADC conversion, acting as intermediaries that transform analog signals to digital form before transmission, thereby eliminating the harmful effect of analog signal degradation during routing while preserving measurement precision.
2Productivity
If satellite monitors are distributed across the device, then the number of sensors that can be monitored increases, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs satellite monitors with universal functionality, where each satellite monitor contains a complete ADC subsystem capable of handling multiple sensor types (temperature, voltage, etc.). This multi-functionality allows a single satellite monitor to service multiple sensors, increasing the total number of monitorable sensors without proportionally increasing system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-configuring satellite monitors with integrated ADCs and calibration circuits before deployment. This preliminary preparation allows the system to scale to monitor more sensors without requiring complex real-time configuration or calibration mechanisms, thereby increasing productivity while controlling complexity.
3Ease of manufacture
If local voltage sources are used in satellite monitors, then routing resources are reduced, but voltage reference accuracy may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service by equipping each satellite monitor with its own local voltage source and ADC. This allows each satellite monitor to independently generate and calibrate its voltage reference without relying on centralized voltage distribution infrastructure, thereby reducing routing resource requirements while maintaining voltage reference accuracy through local calibration against known reference values.
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 reduces costs, minimizes signal degradation, and increases the number of sensors that can be simultaneously monitored by performing analog-to-digital conversions locally and routing digital data to a central root monitor, thereby improving the accuracy and efficiency of thermal and voltage monitoring.
Implementation Method 1
The root monitor may include a bandgap voltage generator configured to generate a temperature-independent reference voltage
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for monitoring a number of operating conditions of a programmable device are disclosed. In some implementations, the system may include a root monitor including circuitry configured to generate a reference voltage, a plurality of sensors and satellite monitors distributed across the programmable device, and a network-on-chip (NoC) interconnect system coupled to the root monitor and to each of the plurality of satellite monitors. Each of the satellite monitors may be in a vicinity of and coupled to a corresponding one of the plurality of sensors via a local interconnect.