Wearable MCU Serial Integration via Asynchronous Sensor Data Transfer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wearable devices experience high power consumption during data transfer from sensors to microcontroller units due to synchronous data transfer methods, which are exacerbated by increased data volumes and sensor integration, leading to reduced battery life.
Innovation Solution
Implementing asynchronous data transfer techniques where the microcontroller remains inactive during data transfer by using hardware components to read and write data from sensors to memory, minimizing MCU core activity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If synchronous data transfer method is used, then data transfer from sensors to microcontroller is completed, but power consumption increases and battery life decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The data transfer process is segmented into two independent phases: (1) hardware component performs data reading and writing to memory during MCU inactive state, and (2) MCU processes data after being activated by interrupt signal. This segmentation allows the MCU to remain in low-power state during data transfer, reducing overall power consumption while maintaining data transfer functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The hardware component performs preliminary data transfer actions before the MCU needs to process the data. By pre-transferring data to memory while the MCU is inactive, the system prepares data in advance, allowing the MCU to wake up and process ready-to-use data, thereby minimizing the duration of high-power state.
2Productivity
If synchronous data transfer method is used, then data is transferred from sensors to microcontroller, but data transfer time increases and processing efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
A hardware component acts as an intermediary between the sensors and the MCU. This intermediary handles the time-consuming data transfer operations independently, using direct memory access capabilities to transfer data without requiring the MCU to remain active. The MCU only needs to handle the interrupt signal and subsequent data processing, significantly reducing data transfer time and improving processing efficiency.
3Adaptability or versatility
If more sensors are integrated, then data collection capability is enhanced, but power consumption increases due to increased data volume
Solution Approach 1:
The hardware component serves itself by autonomously handling data transfer operations from multiple sensors to memory without requiring continuous MCU intervention. Each sensor's data is independently managed by the hardware component, which can parallelize transfer operations. This self-service mechanism allows the system to integrate more sensors while maintaining low power consumption, as the MCU remains inactive during these autonomous data transfer operations.
Data Source
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AI summary
Methods, systems, and devices for automated serial device integration to a microcontroller unit (MCU) of a wearable device are described. Hardware (HW) components of the MCU of the wearable device may receive an interrupt command from sensors of the wearable device via one or more buses during a time interval that processing components of the MCU are in an inactive state. The HW components may perform a read operation to read data from a preconfigured buffer address of the sensors during the time interval that the one or more processing components are in the inactive state and based on receiving the interrupt command. The HW components may then perform a write operation to write the data to a preconfigured memory address of the memory during the time interval that the one or more processing components are in the inactive state.