Wireless Trigger Signal Pulse Width Encoding for Data Synchronization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing data measurement systems struggle to reliably synchronize measurement data sets obtained from multiple measurement apparatuses on a time-series basis, due to temporary radio disturbances or errors in receiving trigger signals.
Innovation Solution
A data measurement system that includes a plurality of measurement apparatuses, a data processing apparatus, and a transmitter that wirelessly transmits a trigger signal with multiple pulses of varying widths. The data processing apparatus aligns the start and end timings of the measurement data sets based on the received pulses, ensuring synchronization even if not all pulses are received correctly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single trigger signal is transmitted wirelessly to synchronize measurement apparatuses, then the system operation is simple, but the synchronization reliability deteriorates due to temporary radio disturbances
Solution Approach 1:
The trigger signal is segmented into multiple pulses (first pulse, second pulse, third pulse) with different pulse widths instead of using a single trigger signal. This segmentation allows the measurement apparatus to identify the trigger signal even if some pulses are lost or distorted during transmission, thereby improving synchronization reliability while maintaining relatively simple system operation
Solution Approach 2:
The trigger signal uses variable pulse widths as a distinguishing parameter (first pulse: first width, second pulse: second width, third pulse: third width) to enable reliable identification. By changing the pulse width parameter across multiple pulses, the system can detect the trigger signal pattern and achieve reliable synchronization despite radio disturbances
2Reliability
If multiple pulses with different widths are transmitted to improve synchronization reliability, then the synchronization reliability improves, but the trigger signal structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses periodic pulse transmission with a defined pattern (first pulse, second pulse, third pulse in sequence) where each pulse has a specific width. This periodic structure with varying parameters creates a recognizable signal pattern that improves reliability while keeping the complexity manageable through regular repetition of the pulse sequence
Solution Approach 2:
The system transmits more pulses than strictly necessary (three pulses instead of one or two) to ensure reliable detection. This excessive action provides redundancy that improves synchronization reliability, and the complexity is managed by using a simple sequential transmission pattern rather than complex modulation schemes
Data Source
AI summary
The trigger signal includes a first group of pulses—indicating start timing and a second group of pulses indicating end timing of data processing. The data processing apparatus processes measurement data sets measured during a period between the start timing and the end timing by temporally align the measurement data sets with each other. Each of the first group of pulses and the second group of pulses includes a first pulse and a second pulse different in pulse width from each other. The start timing is timing distant by a first time period from the first pulse or timing distant by a second time period from the second pulse in the first group of pulses, and the end timing is timing distant by the first time period from the first pulse or timing distant by the second time period from the second pulse in the second group of pulses.