TDC Time Measurement with Multi-Delay Quantization Smoothing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Time measurement devices using the TDC scheme face challenges in setting a regular quantization interval, leading to variations that affect the accuracy of time measurement, as the real time and quantization interval often fail to correspond properly.
Innovation Solution
A time measurement device that includes a first and second signal generation unit, a digital conversion unit, a time delay unit, and a time calculation unit, where at least one signal is delayed by multiple preset delay times to smooth the variation in quantization interval, allowing for accurate time calculation from multiple digital signals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a TDC scheme is used for time measurement, then the measurement range is long and the cost is low, but the quantization interval varies and measurement accuracy deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The measurement process is segmented into multiple measurements with different quantization intervals. The time measurement device performs plurality of time measurements using different quantization intervals and synthesizes these results to achieve high accuracy while maintaining the advantages of TDC scheme.
Solution Approach 2:
The device performs periodic time measurements with varying quantization intervals. By repeatedly measuring the same time interval multiple times with different quantization settings and synthesizing the results, the system achieves both cost-effectiveness and high measurement accuracy.
2Length of stationary object
If a TDC scheme is used for time measurement, then the measurement range is long, but the quantization interval varies and measurement accuracy deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The measurement process is segmented into multiple measurements with different quantization intervals. The time measurement device performs plurality of time measurements using different quantization intervals and synthesizes these results to achieve high accuracy while maintaining the advantages of TDC scheme.
Solution Approach 2:
The device changes the quantization interval parameter across multiple measurements. By varying the quantization interval and synthesizing results from multiple measurements taken with different interval settings, the system achieves high accuracy across a long measurement range.
Data Source
AI summary
A time measurement device for calculating a time from an input of a first trigger signal to an input of a second trigger signal as a measured time includes a start gate configured to generate a start signal, a stop gate configured to generate a stop signal, a TDC circuit configured to generate a digital code corresponding to the time from an input of a start signal to an input of a stop signal, a delay circuit configured to delay an input of at least one of the start signal and the stop signal to the TDC circuit by a predetermined delay time, and a control unit configured to calculate a measured time on the basis of a plurality of digital codes generated by the TDC circuit, wherein the time delay unit selects at least two delay times.