Single-Line Drive-Sense Circuits for Sensor Calibration Reliability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current data communication systems face challenges in efficiently processing and interpreting signals from a variety of sensors across different applications, including industrial, healthcare, and transportation sectors, due to the complexity of sensor types and the need for simultaneous driving and sensing capabilities.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of drive-sense circuits that can simultaneously drive and sense signals via a single line, enabling effective communication and processing of sensor data across diverse applications by integrating with computing devices and actuators, and utilizing a power signal change detection circuit to interpret changes in sensor electrical characteristics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate drive and sense circuits are used for sensors, then signal driving and sensing can be performed independently, but device complexity and power consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines drive and sense circuits into a single integrated circuit that can simultaneously perform both functions. The circuit includes a drive stage for providing drive signals to the sensor and a sense stage for detecting sensor output signals, both within the same integrated structure. This merging reduces device complexity while maintaining reliable signal processing through dedicated functional blocks.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated circuit is designed to perform multiple functions: driving the sensor, sensing the sensor output, and providing calibration capabilities. The circuit can operate in different modes (normal operation and calibration mode) and handles both analog and digital signals, making it a universal solution for various sensor types and applications.
2Stability of the object's composition
If multiple electrical connections are provided for sensor circuit, then power and signal reference are stable, but connection complexity and power consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The circuit combines multiple electrical functions into a single integrated structure with shared power and reference connections. The drive and sense stages share common voltage references and power supply connections, reducing the number of separate electrical connections needed while maintaining stable electrical composition through careful circuit design and virtual ground techniques.
3Ease of operation
If calibration signals are injected through sensor connection lines, then calibration can be performed without additional connections, but signal interference may occur
Solution Approach 1:
The calibration process uses periodic switching between normal sensor operation mode and calibration mode. During calibration, known test signals are injected through the sensor connection lines at specific time intervals. The circuit includes switching mechanisms that enable periodic injection of calibration signals while minimizing interference with normal sensor signals through time-division multiplexing and synchronous detection techniques.
Solution Approach 2:
The circuit employs feedback mechanisms to detect and compensate for signal interference during calibration. The sense stage continuously monitors the sensor connection lines and uses feedback loops to distinguish between actual sensor signals and injected calibration signals, reducing harmful interference effects through active cancellation and signal separation techniques.
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.