System Timing Module Synchronizes Multi-Device Triggers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing instrumentation systems face challenges in synchronizing the triggering of multiple devices across different sample clock frequencies, leading to potential metastability issues and failure to combine triggers effectively, especially when devices have separate trigger conditions or operate on non-integer multiples of a common reference clock.
Innovation Solution
A system and method utilizing a system timing module that aligns devices with a common sample clock and virtual clock, determines delays to correct for transmission time differences, and employs flip-flops and phase locked loops to ensure synchronized trigger signals, avoiding metastability by adjusting delays and phase adjustments to synchronize pulses within a common clock cycle.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If devices operate on different sample clock frequencies, then each device can independently process data at its optimal rate, but triggering synchronization becomes difficult and metastability issues arise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the triggering process into two independent phases: (1) each device independently processes data at its own sample clock frequency, and (2) a separate triggering mechanism uses a common reference clock to coordinate trigger signals across all devices. This segmentation allows devices to operate independently while ensuring reliable trigger synchronization through the common reference clock mechanism.
2Adaptability or versatility
If trigger signals are transmitted through multiple devices with different transmission times, then system flexibility is improved, but simultaneity of triggering cannot be ensured
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a common reference clock as an intermediary that all devices use to generate their sample clocks. This intermediary ensures that despite varying transmission times through different devices, all triggers are based on a common timing reference, thereby ensuring simultaneity of triggering while maintaining system flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of clock frequency relationship by requiring that sample clock frequencies be integer multiples of a common reference clock frequency. This parameter change enables precise timing control and ensures that trigger signals can be synchronized across all devices despite different transmission paths and times.
3Adaptability or versatility
If devices use separate trigger conditions, then each device can be optimized for its specific function, but combining triggers becomes complex and unreliable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal triggering mechanism where all devices, regardless of their specific functions or trigger conditions, use the same common reference clock to generate synchronized trigger signals. This universal approach allows each device to be optimized for its specific function while simplifying trigger combination through the unified timing reference.
Data Source
AI summary
System and method for synchronizing multiple devices coupled to a system timing module (STM) via respective first transmission media, wherein two or more of the respective first transmission media have different respective transmission times. The STM and devices share a common clock, in phase and with respect to a common reference. Each device is configured to transmit respective signals to the STM within a common clock cycle. Respective delays corresponding to the devices are determined based on the respective transmission times, where the respective delays are applicable to respective signals received from the devices to synchronize received corresponding pulses in the signals to within a common clock cycle. The respective delays are applied to respective signals received from the plurality of devices to synchronize received corresponding pulses in the signals to within the common clock cycle, after which the STM is operable to trigger the devices as a single device.