Seiko epson corporation (20240110960). SENSOR MODULE simplified abstract
Contents
SENSOR MODULE
Organization Name
Inventor(s)
Kenta Sato of Shiojiri-shi (JP)
Masayoshi Todorokihara of Suwa-shi (JP)
SENSOR MODULE - A simplified explanation of the abstract
This abstract first appeared for US patent application 20240110960 titled 'SENSOR MODULE
Simplified Explanation
The sensor module described in the patent application is designed to synchronize the measurement target signal from a physical quantity sensor with a reference periodic signal. It generates time digital values based on the phase difference between the two signals and combines them with count values to produce output values. The quantization error of the output values is fed back to improve accuracy, especially when the physical quantity changes at a high frequency.
- Explanation of the patent:
- Count unit generates count values of time events from sensor and reference signals. - Time digital value generation unit calculates time digital values based on phase difference. - Combined output value generation unit combines time digital values and count values to generate output values. - Feedback mechanism improves accuracy by adjusting for quantization error.
- Potential applications of this technology:
- Industrial automation - Environmental monitoring - Medical devices
- Problems solved by this technology:
- Synchronization of sensor signals - Accuracy in measuring high-frequency physical quantities
- Benefits of this technology:
- Improved accuracy - Real-time data processing - Enhanced reliability in measurements
- Potential commercial applications of this technology:
- Sensor manufacturing companies - IoT device manufacturers - Research institutions
- Possible prior art:
- Similar sensor synchronization methods in industrial applications - Feedback mechanisms in data processing systems
- Unanswered Questions:
- How does the feedback mechanism impact the overall performance of the sensor module?
- Unanswered Questions:
The feedback mechanism helps improve accuracy by adjusting for quantization error, but it may introduce latency in the output values. Further research is needed to determine the trade-offs between accuracy and real-time processing speed.
- What are the limitations of this technology in terms of frequency range for accurate measurements?
The patent application mentions that the technology is effective when the frequency of physical quantity changes is lower than eight times the average period of output value generation. It is unclear how the system performs at higher frequencies and whether there are any practical limitations in measuring extremely fast-changing physical quantities.
Original Abstract Submitted
a sensor module includes: a count unit configured to generate first to n-th count values of a time event of one of a measurement target signal output from a physical quantity sensor and a reference periodic signal output from a reference periodic signal generation unit in synchronization with the other; a time digital value generation unit configured to generate first to n-th time digital values based on a phase difference between the measurement target signal and the reference periodic signal; and a combined output value generation unit configured to generate an i-th combined output value based on the i-th time digital value and the i-th count value. a quantization error of the j-th combined output value is fed back to generation of the (j+1)-th combined output value, and a period of a change in the physical quantity when a frequency, at which the physical quantity changes, is a maximum frequency is longer than eight times an average period in which first to n-th combined output values are generated.
