Synchronization mechanism for high speed sensor interface

Abstract

A sensor may determine, based on two or more synchronization signals provided by a control device, an expected time for receiving an upcoming synchronization signal. The sensor may perform a measurement of a sensor signal at a point in time such that sensor data, corresponding to the measurement of the sensor signal at the point in time, is available at a selectable time interval prior to reception of the upcoming synchronization signal.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A system, comprising:
 a sensor to:
 determine, based on two or more synchronization signals provided by a control device, an expected time for receiving an upcoming synchronization signal; and 
 perform a measurement of a sensor signal at a point in time such that sensor data, corresponding to the measurement of the sensor signal at the point in time, is available at a selectable time interval prior to the expected time for receiving the upcoming synchronization signal,
 wherein a length of the selectable time interval is controlled based on a point in time at which the upcoming synchronization signal is received. 
 
 
 
     
     
       2. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor is further to:
 perform another measurement of the sensor signal based on a synchronization signal provided by the control device; and 
 calculate sensor data corresponding to the other measurement of the sensor signal. 
 
     
     
       3. The system of  claim 1 , wherein a length of the selectable time interval is less than or equal to a length of a synchronization period defined by the two or more synchronization signals. 
     
     
       4. The system of  claim 1 , wherein a length of the selectable time interval is controlled based on a point in time at which the upcoming synchronization signal is received. 
     
     
       5. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor is further to:
 receive the upcoming synchronization signal; and 
 transmit the sensor data, corresponding to the measurement of the sensor signal at the point in time, in response to receiving the upcoming synchronization signal. 
 
     
     
       6. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor is a first sensor, the sensor signal is a first sensor signal, the sensor data is first sensor data, and the selectable time interval is a first selectable time interval,
 wherein the system further comprises a second sensor to:
 determine, based on the two or more synchronization signals provided by the control device, the expected time for receiving the upcoming synchronization signal; and 
 perform a measurement of a second sensor signal at the point in time such that sensor data, corresponding to the measurement of the second sensor signal at the point in time, is available at a second selectable time interval. 
 
 
     
     
       7. The system of  claim 6 , wherein the second sensor is further to:
 perform another measurement of the second sensor signal based on a signal provided by the control device; and 
 calculate sensor data corresponding to the other measurement of the second sensor signal. 
 
     
     
       8. The system of  claim 6 , wherein a length of the second selectable time interval is less than or equal to a length of a synchronization period defined by the two or more synchronization signals. 
     
     
       9. The system of  claim 6 , wherein a length of the second selectable time interval is controlled based on a point in time at which the upcoming synchronization signal is received. 
     
     
       10. The system of  claim 6 , wherein a length of the second selectable time interval matches a length of the first selectable time interval. 
     
     
       11. The system of  claim 6 , wherein a read address of the first sensor matches a broadcast address associated with the first sensor and the second sensor. 
     
     
       12. The system of  claim 6 , wherein the second sensor is further to:
 receive a signal including information that identifies a read address of the second sensor; and 
 transmit the sensor data, corresponding to the measurement of the second sensor signal at the point in time, in response to receiving the signal including the information that identifies the read address of the second sensor. 
 
     
     
       13. The system of  claim 12 , wherein the read address of the second sensor is different from a broadcast address associated with the first sensor and the second sensor. 
     
     
       14. The system of  claim 6 , wherein the first sensor or the second sensor, when determining the expected time for receiving the upcoming synchronization signal, are to:
 determine the expected time based on a time difference between a time at which a first synchronization signal is received and a time at which a second synchronization signal is received,
 wherein the first synchronization signal and the second synchronization signal are included in the two or more synchronization signals. 
 
 
     
     
       15. The system of  claim 6 , wherein a synchronization signal, of the two or more synchronization signals, includes only information that identifies a broadcast address associated with the first sensor and the second sensor. 
     
     
       16. The system of  claim 6 , wherein a synchronization signal, of the two or more synchronization signals, includes information that identifies a broadcast address associated with the first sensor and the second sensor, a read/write bit, and a set of cyclic redundancy check (CRC) bits. 
     
     
       17. The system of  claim 1 , wherein a physical layer of the system includes a local interconnected network (LIN) bus, a controller area network (CAN) bus system, or a FlexRay bus. 
     
     
       18. The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a listen-only control device that is to receive the sensor data. 
     
     
       19. A sensor, comprising:
 one or more components to:
 determine an expected time for receiving an upcoming synchronization signal,
 wherein the expected time is determined based on a group of synchronization signals provided by a control device associated with the sensor; 
 
 sample a sensor signal at a point in time such that sensor data, calculated based on sampling the sensor signal at the point in time, is available at a selectable time interval prior to the sensor receiving the upcoming synchronization signal,
 wherein a length of the selectable time interval is controlled based on a point in time at which the upcoming synchronization signal is received; 
 
 calculate the sensor data based on sampling the sensor signal at the point in time; and 
 provide the sensor data after receiving the upcoming synchronization signal. 
 
 
     
     
       20. A control device, comprising:
 one or more components to:
 provide a group of synchronization signals to a set of sensors, wherein the group of synchronization signals defines a sampling pattern for identifying an expected time associated with another synchronization signal; 
 provide the other synchronization signal; and 
 receive first sensor data from a sensor, of the set of sensors, after providing the other synchronization signal, 
 wherein, based on the sampling pattern, the first sensor data is available at the first sensor before the other synchronization signal is received by the first sensor, 
 provide a further signal; and 
 receive second sensor data from a second sensor, of the set of sensors, after providing the further signal, 
 wherein at least one of: 
 a read address of the first sensor matches a broadcast address associated with the first sensor and the second sensor, or 
 a read address of the second sensor is different from a broadcast address associated with the first sensor and the second sensor. 
 
 
     
     
       21. The control device of  claim 20 , wherein the sensor is a first sensor and the sensor data is first sensor data,
 wherein the one or more components are further to:
 provide another signal; and 
 receive second sensor data from a second sensor, of the set of sensors, after providing the signal,
 wherein a sampling time, associated with the second sensor data, matches a sampling time associated with the first sensor data, and 
 wherein the first sensor data and the second sensor data are received at different times. a sampling time, associated with the second sensor data, matches a sampling time associated with the first sensor data, and wherein the first sensor data and the second sensor data are received at different times. 
 
 
 
     
     
       22. The control device of claim  21   20 , wherein a the read address of the first sensor matches a broadcast address associated with the first sensor and the second sensor. 
     
     
       23. The control device of claim  21   20 , wherein a the read address of the second sensor is different from a broadcast address associated with the first sensor and the second sensor. 
     
     
       24. A sensor, comprising:
 one or more components to:
 perform a measurement of a sensor signal at a point in time such that sensor data, corresponding to the measurement of the sensor signal at the point in time, is available; 
 receive a synchronization signal,
 wherein the synchronization signal is formatted to include a start bit, information bits, and a stop bit; and 
 
 provide information based on the sensor data after receiving the synchronization signal,
 wherein the information bits include a read/write bit. 
 
   
     
     
       25. The sensor of  claim 24 , wherein the information bits include a group of address bits that identify an address. 
     
     
       26. The sensor of  claim 25 , wherein the address is a broadcast address associated with a set of sensors. 
     
     
       27. The sensor of  claim 25 , wherein the address is associated with a particular sensor of a set of sensors. 
     
     
       28. The sensor of  claim 24 , wherein the information bits further include a set of cyclic redundancy check (CRC) bits. 
     
     
       29. The sensor of  claim 24 , wherein the information bits further include a group of address bits. 
     
     
       30. A system, comprising:
 a sensor to:
 determine, based on two or more synchronization signals provided by a control device, an expected time for receiving an upcoming synchronization signal; and 
 perform a measurement of a sensor signal at a point in time such that sensor data, corresponding to the measurement of the sensor signal at the point in time, is available at a selectable time interval based on the expected time for receiving the upcoming synchronization signal,
 wherein a length of the selectable time interval is controlled based on a point in time at which the upcoming synchronization signal is received. 
 
   
     
     
       31. The system of  claim 30 , wherein the sensor is further to:
 perform another measurement of the sensor signal based on a synchronization signal provided by the control device; and   calculate sensor data corresponding to the other measurement of the sensor signal.   
     
     
       32. The system of  claim 30 , wherein a length of the selectable time interval is less than or equal to a length of a synchronization period defined by the two or more synchronization signals. 
     
     
       33. The system of  claim 30 , wherein the sensor is further to:
 receive the upcoming synchronization signal; and   transmit the sensor data, corresponding to the measurement of the sensor signal at the point in time, in response to receiving the upcoming synchronization signal.   
     
     
       34. The system of  claim 30 , wherein the sensor is a first sensor, the sensor signal is a first sensor signal, the sensor data is first sensor data, and the selectable time interval is a first selectable time interval,
 wherein the system further comprises a second sensor to:
 determine, based on the two or more synchronization signals provided by the control device, the expected time for receiving the upcoming synchronization signal; and 
 perform a measurement of a second sensor signal at the point in time such that sensor data, corresponding to the measurement of the second sensor signal at the point in time, is available at a second selectable time interval. 
   
     
     
       35. The system of  claim 34 , wherein the second sensor is further to:
 perform another measurement of the second sensor signal based on a signal provided by the control device; and   calculate sensor data corresponding to the other measurement of the second sensor signal.   
     
     
       36. The system of  claim 34 , wherein a length of the second selectable time interval is less than or equal to a length of a synchronization period defined by the two or more synchronization signals. 
     
     
       37. The system of  claim 34 , wherein a length of the second selectable time interval is controlled based on a point in time at which the upcoming synchronization signal is received. 
     
     
       38. The system of  claim 34 , wherein a length of the second selectable time interval matches a length of the first selectable time interval. 
     
     
       39. The system of  claim 34 , wherein a read address of the first sensor matches a broadcast address associated with the first sensor and the second sensor.