Temporal Multiplexing for High-Resolution Particle Flux Measurement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for measuring time-varying particle fluxes at high sampling rates suffer from precision decline, jitter errors, and gain and offset errors due to the use of multiple interleaved ADCs, which limits the ability to resolve changes in particle flux over short temporal intervals.
Innovation Solution
A multiplex method involving N-fold temporal multiplexing of particle flux using electronic and optical components, along with algorithms, to improve signal-to-noise ratio and reduce errors, utilizing techniques like Hadamard and Fourier multiplexing, and high efficiency multiplexing (HEMS) to split and integrate particle flux signals across multiple paths for enhanced precision and accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If multiple interleaved ADCs are used to achieve high sampling rates, then the maximum sampling rate increases, but precision and accuracy deteriorate due to jitter and gain/offset errors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the high-speed sampling task into multiple parallel ADC channels that operate at lower individual rates. Each ADC handles a specific time slot or portion of the signal, allowing the system to achieve high overall sampling rates while each individual ADC maintains high precision. This segmentation eliminates jitter and gain/offset errors that would affect a single high-speed ADC.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs periodic switching between multiple ADC channels in a time-interleaved manner. Each ADC is activated periodically to process specific portions of the input signal, allowing the system to achieve sampling rates higher than any single ADC could provide while maintaining the precision benefits of lower-rate conversion in each channel.
2Loss of time
If multiple interleaved ADCs are used to increase sampling rate, then temporal resolution improves, but error from timing jitter increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates multiple copies of the ADC functionality operating in parallel, where each copy handles a specific time interval. By having redundant ADC channels that operate simultaneously at lower rates, the system achieves fine temporal resolution without relying on precise timing synchronization, thereby eliminating jitter errors.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the outputs of multiple parallel ADC channels through digital signal processing to reconstruct the complete high-resolution time-series data. By combining the results from multiple lower-rate ADCs that operate in parallel, the system achieves the temporal resolution of a high-speed ADC without the timing jitter problems.
3Productivity
If multiple interleaved ADCs are used to achieve high sampling rates, then data rate increases, but gain and offset errors between channels increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements calibration and correction mechanisms that use feedback from known reference signals to detect and compensate for gain and offset variations between parallel ADC channels. By continuously monitoring and adjusting for channel-specific errors, the system maintains high accuracy across all channels while operating at high data rates.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies digital signal processing techniques that adjust the gain and offset parameters of each ADC channel based on calibration data. By dynamically correcting these parameters in the digital domain, the system eliminates inter-channel variability and maintains high measurement accuracy across all parallel channels.
Data Source
AI summary
A method is provided for measuring time varying particle fluxes with improved temporal resolution and signal to noise ratio. The particles can be photons, neutrons, electrons or electrically charged particles. The method includes a set of electronic and/or optical components and a set of algorithms that implement N-fold temporal multiplexing of the input flux. The system can be used to measure other types of flux by using a transducer to convert the flux into a compatible form. The system can include a transducer such as a scintillator that operates to convert particle flux incident into a photon flux proportional to the amplitude of particle flux. The invention can be used with multiplexing methods known to those skilled in the art, for example Hadamard and Fourier methods.