Single-Line Drive-Sense Circuits for Transducer Signal Integrity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current data communication systems face challenges in efficiently processing and interpreting signals from a variety of sensors and actuators across different applications, including industrial, healthcare, and transportation sectors, due to limitations in drive-sense circuits that can simultaneously drive and sense signals effectively.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of drive-sense circuits that can simultaneously drive and sense signals via a single line, utilizing power source circuits and power signal change detection circuits to generate representative signals of physical conditions, allowing for efficient communication and processing of data from sensors and actuation signals to actuators.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If separate drive and sense circuits are used for transducers, then signal sensing accuracy is improved, but device complexity and power consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines separate drive and sense circuits into a single integrated drive-sense circuit that can simultaneously perform both driving and sensing functions through a single interface, reducing device complexity while maintaining signal sensing accuracy through sophisticated signal processing techniques
Solution Approach 2:
The drive-sense circuit is designed to perform multiple functions (driving transducers and sensing signals) through a single circuit architecture, allowing the same hardware to adaptively switch between drive mode and sense mode based on operational requirements
2Measurement precision
If separate drive and sense lines are used for transducers, then signal integrity is improved, but power consumption and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges separate drive and sense lines into a single shared line that carries both drive signals and sense signals through time-division multiplexing, reducing power consumption and simplifying the interface while maintaining signal integrity through careful signal timing and processing
3Reliability
If multiple lines are used for drive and sense functions, then signal interference is reduced, but device complexity and power requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple separate lines into a single shared line that handles both drive and sense functions through sophisticated time-division multiplexing and signal processing techniques, reducing line complexity while maintaining reliability by preventing signal interference through careful timing and isolation
4Reliability
If multiple lines are used for drive and sense functions, then signal interference is reduced, but power requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple lines into a single shared line that carries both drive and sense signals, reducing power requirements by eliminating redundant line infrastructure while maintaining reliability through time-division multiplexing that prevents signal interference between drive and sense operations
Data Source
AI summary
An automated system includes transducers, at least one computing device, and at least one automated apparatus. The transducer(s) is/are driven and sensed using drive-sense circuit(s). A drives and senses drive and sense a transducer via a single line, generates a digital signal representative of a sensed analog feature to which the transducer is exposed, and transmits the digital signal to the computing device. The computing device receives digital signals from at least some of drive-sense circuits and process them in accordance with the automation process to produce an automated process command. The automated apparatus executes a portion of an automated process based on the automated process command.