Split-Band Sensor Interface for ToF Timing and Energy Extraction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional Time-of-Flight (ToF) systems face inefficiencies in accurately measuring both timing and energy signals due to high power consumption and the need for fast analog-to-digital converters, which limits their ability to distinguish valid signals from noise and extract material properties effectively.
Innovation Solution
A front-end architecture that utilizes high-speed time-to-digital converters for timing and low-speed analog-to-digital converters for energy, allowing for flexible channel selection and a split-band approach to optimize power consumption and accuracy, enabling simultaneous extraction of timing and energy information.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If fast analog-to-digital converters are used to accurately measure both timing and energy signals, then measurement precision is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the signal processing into two separate paths: a timing path that processes only timing information and an energy path that processes only energy information. This segmentation allows each path to use appropriately optimized converters - the timing path can use fast converters while the energy path uses slower, lower-power converters, thus reducing overall power consumption while maintaining measurement precision for both signals.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and separates the timing information from the energy information from the incoming signal. By taking out the timing measurement function and energy measurement function into separate processing channels, the system can apply different conversion strategies to each, avoiding the need for high-power fast converters to process both types of information simultaneously.
2Productivity
If a single high bandwidth channel is used to deliver both timing and amplitude information, then signal processing capability is improved, but device complexity and power consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the single high bandwidth channel into two separate processing channels: one dedicated to timing information and another dedicated to energy (amplitude) information. This segmentation reduces device complexity by allowing each channel to be optimized for its specific function rather than requiring a single overly complex high-bandwidth channel to handle both types of information.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts timing information and energy information from the incoming signal into separate processing paths. By taking out these different types of information separately, the system avoids the need for a single complex high-bandwidth channel that would be required to process both simultaneously, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining processing capability.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention is directed to electrical circuits. In a specific embodiment, a first interface circuit is coupled to a first plurality of ports for processing signals at a first frequency range, and a second interface circuit is coupled to a second plurality of ports for processing signals at a second frequency range. The first interface circuit is coupled to a timing channel circuit. The second interface circuit is coupled to an energy channel circuit. There are other embodiments as well.