High-Speed Serial Receiver Time Interval Measurement
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Designing customized circuitry for accurate time measurement at nanosecond or picosecond levels is time-consuming and difficult, necessitating a more efficient approach.
Innovation Solution
A circuit utilizing high-speed serial receivers with sampling and deserialization capabilities, coupled with an arithmetic circuit, to measure time intervals between events by generating sample bits and converting them into parallel data words, allowing for quick and accurate time interval measurement with minimal customized circuitry.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If customized circuitry is used for accurate time measurement, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and design time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by using a high-speed serial receiver, originally designed for data communication, to perform time interval measurement. This multi-functional approach allows the same circuit to serve both its primary communication purpose and the secondary measurement function, eliminating the need for separate customized measurement circuitry while maintaining nanosecond or picosecond precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses the sampling circuit's existing functionality to create a copy of the time interval information in the form of sample bits. By capturing the temporal relationship between events through sampling and representing it as digital data, the system measures time without requiring specialized measurement hardware, thus reducing device complexity while preserving measurement precision.
2Measurement precision
If customized circuitry is used for accurate time measurement, then measurement precision is improved, but design time increases
Solution Approach 1:
By making the high-speed serial receiver multi-functional, the patent eliminates the need for separate customized measurement circuit design. The same receiver infrastructure serves both data communication and time measurement, significantly reducing design time while maintaining nanosecond or picosecond precision through the existing sampling and deserialization capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies self-service by using the high-speed serial receiver's own sampling circuit to perform time measurement. The receiver's inherent ability to sample incoming signals at precise intervals is leveraged to measure time intervals between events, eliminating the need for external measurement equipment or additional design effort while achieving high precision.
3Device complexity
If high-speed serial receiver is used for time measurement, then device complexity is reduced, but measurement precision may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses copying to preserve precise time information by capturing event timestamps in the form of sample bits during the sampling process. These bits are then deserialized and processed to extract the time interval, effectively copying the temporal relationship without requiring specialized measurement circuitry. This maintains nanosecond or picosecond precision while using standard high-speed serial receiver components.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies parameter changes by utilizing the high-speed serial receiver's existing sampling rate and clock frequency parameters to achieve precise time measurement. By leveraging the receiver's inherent timing characteristics and processing the sampled data through deserialization and arithmetic operations, the system maintains measurement precision at nanosecond or picosecond levels without requiring additional specialized hardware.
4Ease of manufacture
If standard PLD resources are used instead of customized circuitry, then ease of manufacture is improved, but measurement precision may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by using standard PLD resources, specifically the high-speed serial receiver, to perform both data communication and time measurement functions. This approach improves ease of manufacture by utilizing existing standardized components rather than requiring customized circuitry, while the sampling and deserialization processes maintain measurement precision at nanosecond or picosecond levels.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses copying to capture precise time interval information through the sampling circuit's output bits. By representing the temporal relationship between events as digital sample data that can be processed through standard PLD logic, the system achieves high precision measurement using conventional manufacturable components without requiring specialized customized circuitry.
Data Source
AI summary
A circuit measures a time interval between a first event and a second event. One or more activity inputs receive a respective signal indicating the first and second events. For each activity input, a respective high-speed serial receiver includes a sampling circuit and a deserializer. The sampling circuit generates sample bits from sampling the respective signal at active edges of a clock signal. The deserializer converts the sample bits into a sequence of parallel data words. The sample bits undergo a first change in response to the first event and a second change in response to the second event. An arithmetic circuit receives the sequence of parallel data words from the respective high-speed serial receiver. The arithmetic circuit determines a number of the sample bits between the first and second changes in the sequence of parallel data words. The number measures the time interval between the first and second events.