Sensor Polling Unit Offloads Microprocessor
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing microprocessors face challenges in efficiently reading and processing data from multiple external sensor devices due to their design being unsuitable for handling frequent interrupt handling and manual detection of sensor data, especially with increasing sampling rates and integration of more sensors, which leads to high computational load and power consumption.
Innovation Solution
A sensor polling unit with a configuration logic block for each sensor device, a global timer, and a polling state machine that issues read commands through a standardized bi-directional data communication interface, offloading the microprocessor from direct sensor data handling and allowing for efficient data accumulation and processing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual polling of each sensor is implemented using software routines, then the microprocessor can handle sensor data, but the computational load and power consumption increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the sensor polling function from the microprocessor by implementing a dedicated sensor polling unit with its own state machine and control logic. This separate unit independently manages the polling of multiple sensors, freeing the microprocessor from this repetitive task and reducing its computational load and power consumption while maintaining full sensor data handling capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor polling unit acts as an intermediary between the sensors and the microprocessor. It includes a data buffer that accumulates sensor data and a control state machine that manages the polling sequence, serving as a mediator that handles the tedious polling operations while the microprocessor focuses on higher-level data processing.
2Productivity
If DMA controller is used for burst reading, then data transfer efficiency improves, but it is optimized for large consecutive data chunks from memory devices rather than sensor registers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a specialized polling state machine within the sensor polling unit that is specifically designed to handle the unique characteristics of sensor registers - their non-consecutive addresses, varying sizes, and specific read protocols. This localized adaptation allows efficient data transfer tailored to sensor requirements rather than forcing sensors to conform to generic DMA patterns.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor polling unit includes configurable parameters such as polling intervals, data buffer sizes, and trigger conditions that can be adjusted to match different sensor types and application requirements. This parametric flexibility enables the same hardware unit to adapt to various sensor register structures and data patterns while maintaining efficient operation.
3Quantity of substance
If more sensor devices are integrated, then sensor-based features improve, but the complexity of reading and processing data from multiple sensors increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor polling unit is segmented into multiple configuration logic blocks, each associated with a specific sensor device. Each block contains its own trigger generator and control logic, allowing independent configuration and polling of each sensor. This segmentation makes it easy to add or remove sensors without increasing overall system complexity, as each sensor is handled by its dedicated logic block.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor polling unit is designed as a universal interface that can handle multiple different types of sensors through standardized configuration registers and a common polling state machine. Rather than requiring separate handling logic for each sensor type, the universal design allows the same hardware structure to poll any number of sensors with different register layouts and protocols by simply changing configuration parameters.
4Loss of time
If higher sampling rates are used, then latency is reduced, but the computational burden on the microprocessor increases
Solution Approach 1:
The polling state machine performs preliminary actions by pre-accumulating sensor data in a dedicated buffer during high-rate polling operations. This allows the microprocessor to receive ready-to-process data batches rather than handling individual high-frequency interrupts, reducing the real-time computational burden while maintaining low latency through the continuous high-rate polling performed by the autonomous state machine.
Data Source
AI summary
A sensor polling unit for microprocessor integration comprises a configuration logic block associated with each of a plurality of external sensor devices. Each configuration logic block issues a read command for predetermined sensor data registers of the associated external sensor device via a read trigger supplied by a trigger generator. A global timer based on a microprocessor clock signal supplies a global time value to the trigger generators. A polling state machine is operatively coupled to the configuration logic blocks for receipt of respective read commands, and issues a corresponding read command to the external sensor device through a standardized bi-directional data communication interface connected to the external sensor device. The polling state machine receives register data transmitted by the external sensor device in response to the read command and transmits the received register data to a microprocessor accessible data memory area for storage.