Description:FIELD OF INVENTION
The present embodiment relates to the field of fast switching circuits for time measurement, and more particularly relates to transducer amplification through fast switching circuits for accurate time measurement.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A fast switching circuit is an electronic circuit designed to switch between states (such as on/off) very quickly. The fast switching circuits can be used in a variety of fields such as, but not limited to, digital electronics, communication systems, and power electronics.
Various types of fast switching circuits include transistor switching circuits, Schmitt trigger circuit, diode switching circuit, CMOS logic circuit and pulse circuit.
The input signals in fast switching circuits may vary depending on the specific application and circuit type. The input signals may include signals such as, but not limited to, clock signals, pulses, edge transitions, reset and start/stop signals, analog inputs, sensor inputs, and even interrupt signals.
Pulse signals may be in the form of ultrasonic wave form. Ultrasonic signals can be used in a variety of applications, such as distance measurement, object detection, and time-of-flight calculations.
However, the fast switching circuits that that ultrasonic signals have a drawback vis-à-vis noise or signal loss during transmission. There are varieties of methods available in the market to reduce the noise or signal loss. These methods include amplification of the transducer output by amplifying the driver signal. The driver signal may be increased by increasing the voltage or current to the transducer.
However, the available methods are not efficient in highly sensitive timing measurements as the firmware-based triggering/shutting of the fast switching circuits may cause delays which are miniscule in general but significant in context of the time being measured. Also, the available methods are majorly software based and are not very efficient.
Therefore, there is a need of a fast switching circuit that can measure the time in nanoseconds without any noise or signal loss. There is also a need of a hardware based solution that can react fast enough to measure the time in nanoseconds.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In an aspect, a method for transducer amplification in fast switching circuits is provided. The method ensures fast and accurate measurement of time in nanoseconds without any time delay. The method involves the following steps:
1) Identifying first pulse of an ultrasonic signal and in turn, turning ON a transducer driver. The transducer driver is turned ON in real-time.
2) Identifying last pulse of the ultrasonic signal and in turn, turning OFF the transducer driver. The transducer driver is turned OFF in real-time.
The preceding is a simplified summary to provide an understanding of some aspects of embodiments of the present invention. This summary is neither an extensive nor exhaustive overview of the present invention and its various embodiments. The summary presents selected concepts of the embodiments of the present invention in a simplified form as an introduction to the more detailed description presented below. As will be appreciated, other embodiments of the present invention are possible utilizing, alone or in combination, one or more of the features set forth above or described in detail below.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The above and still further features and advantages of embodiments of the present invention will become apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description of embodiments thereof, especially when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, and wherein:
Figure 1 illustrates a method (100) for transducer amplification in fast switching circuits, according to an embodiment herein;
Figure 2 illustrates a simplified version of the transducer amplification in fast switching circuits, according to an embodiment herein; and
Figure 3 illustrates working of the fast switching circuits, according to an embodiment herein.
To facilitate understanding, like reference numerals have been used, where possible, to designate like elements common to the figures.
DETAILED DESCRPTION
As used throughout this application, the word "may" is used in a permissive sense (i.e., meaning having the potential to), rather than the mandatory sense (i.e., meaning must). Similarly, the words “include”, “including”, and “includes” mean including but not limited to.
The phrases “at least one”, “one or more”, and “and/or” are open-ended expressions that are both conjunctive and disjunctive in operation. For example, each of the expressions “at least one of A, B and C”, “at least one of A, B, or C”, “one or more of A, B, and C”, “one or more of A, B, or C” and “A, B, and/or C” means A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, or A, B and C together.
The term “a” or “an” entity refers to one or more of that entity. As such, the terms “a” (or “an”), “one or more” and “at least one” can be used interchangeably herein. It is also to be noted that the terms “comprising”, “including”, and “having” can be used interchangeably.
As previously mentioned, there is a need of the method (100) for measuring time in nanoseconds in the fast switching circuit without any noise or signal loss. Accordingly, Figure 1 presents the method (100) for transducer amplification in fast switching circuits for fast and accurate measurement of time. The present invention provides a method (100) that is triggered ON and OFF by input signals itself. In an embodiment, the input signal is a pulse of an ultrasonic signal.
The method (100) for transducer amplification in the fast switching circuits involves the following steps:
At step 102, first pulse of the ultrasonic signal is identified, that in turn, switches ON a transducer driver. In an embodiment, the first pulse of the ultrasonic signal is identified in real-time, which in turn, switch ON the transducer driver without any time delay. In an embodiment, the transducer converts the electrical signals into ultrasonic waves.
The transducer driver has two Integrated Circuits (ICs) for controlling the transducer. The two ICs are U1 and U2. The U1 drives the transducer upward through FIRE_UP pulse. The U2 drives the transducer downward through FIRE_DWN pulse.
In an embodiment, the method (100) includes power filtering capacitors (C1, C4, C7) for smoothing out the power supply noise and stabilizing the voltage. In an embodiment, the method (100) includes current limiting resistors (R2, R7) for protecting the fast switching circuits by limiting the current.
Further, the ICs of the transducer driver has an enable pin. The U1 has an enable pin UP_EN and the U2 has the enable pin DWN_EN. The enable pins of the two ICs are connected to a comparator IC (U3). The U3 compares the voltage at -IN1 and -IN2 and generates an enable signal. The U3 will enable and disable the output of U1 and U2 according to the voltage levels at -IN1 and -IN2 in the U3.
The U3 compares the voltages at its inputs (+IN1, -IN1 for OUT1, and +IN2, -IN2 for OUT2) and generates enable signals (OUT1 and OUT2). When the negative input (-IN1 or -IN2) voltage exceeds the positive input (+IN1 or +IN2), the output becomes LOW (0V). And, when the negative input (-IN1 or -IN2) voltage is less than the voltage at the positive input (+IN1 or +IN2), the output will be 3.3 Volt.
In an embodiment, voltage divider resistors (R4, R5) set the threshold voltage for the U3.
Then, the train/series of 10 narrow pulse is converted into a single pulse of 10 µs width using a pulse width conversion circuit. The pulse width conversion circuit includes two capacitors and two diodes. The pulse width conversion circuit (C2, D1, D2, C3) converts the FIRE_UP pulses and the pulse width conversion circuit (C6, D3, D4, C5) converts the FIRE_DWN pulses.
When the first pulse from the FIRE_UP or FIRE_DWN signal arrives, it charges the corresponding capacitor (C3 or C5) through the diode (D2/D3).
The capacitor (C3 or C5) of the pulse width conversion circuit holds the charge and begins discharging slowly through discharge resistor (R3 or R6), thereby ensuring that the subsequent pulses within the 10-pulse train contribute to the same cumulative charge, forming a single, broader pulse.
The transducer is turned ON in real-time as soon as the first pulse is received.
At step 104, last pulse of the ultrasonic signal is identified that in turn, switches OFF the transducer driver. In an embodiment, the last pulse of the ultrasonic signal is identified in real-time, which in turn, switch OFF the transducer driver without any time delay.
The last pulse of the 10-pulse train is identified to discharge the capacitor, wherein the capacitor is discharged through the discharge resistor (R3 or R6) as no charge is added after the last pulse. The voltage drop is determined below the threshold to signal the end of the pulse.
The identification of the first pulse and the last pulse helps in real-time switching of the transducer, thereby ensuring fast and accurate measurement of time in nanoseconds without any time delay.
The circuit doesn't explicitly "count" the pulses but rather integrates them into a single pulse by leveraging the RC time constant and diode network. This ensures a clean signal for enabling/disabling the driver ICs without needing complex pulse-counting logic.
The foregoing discussion of the present invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to limit the present invention to the form or forms disclosed herein. In the foregoing Detailed Description, for example, various features of the present invention are grouped together in one or more embodiments, configurations, or aspects for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. The features of the embodiments, configurations, or aspects may be combined in alternate embodiments, configurations, or aspects other than those discussed above. This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention the present invention requires more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive aspects lie in less than all features of a single foregoing disclosed embodiment, configuration, or aspect. Thus, the following claims are hereby incorporated into this Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate embodiment of the present invention.
Moreover, though the description of the present invention has included description of one or more embodiments, configurations, or aspects and certain variations and modifications, other variations, combinations, and modifications are within the scope of the present invention, e.g., as may be within the skill and knowledge of those in the art, after understanding the present disclosure. It is intended to obtain rights which include alternative embodiments, configurations, or aspects to the extent permitted, including alternate, interchangeable and/or equivalent structures, functions, ranges or steps to those claimed, whether or not such alternate, interchangeable and/or equivalent structures, functions, ranges or steps are disclosed herein, and without intending to publicly dedicate any patentable subject matter.

, Claims:WE CLAIM:
1. A method (100) for transducer amplification in fast switching circuits, the method (100) comprises:
- identifying first pulse of an ultrasonic signal and in turn, turning ON a transducer driver, wherein the transducer driver is turned ON in real-time;
- identifying last pulse of the ultrasonic signal and in turn, turning OFF the transducer driver, wherein the transducer driver is turned OFF in real-time; and
- wherein,
• the method (100) ensures fast and accurate measurement of time in nanoseconds without any time delay.
2. The method (100) for transducer amplification as claimed in claim 1, wherein the identification of the first pulse of the ultrasonic signal includes:
- identifying first pulse of an ultrasonic signal to control two driver IC (Integrated Circuit) (U1, U2), wherein the two driver IC drives a transducer upward through FIRE_UP pulse at U1 and downward through FIRE_DWN at U2;
- comparing the voltage at enable pins of the two driver IC (U1, U2) to generate an enable signal by a comparator IC (U3), wherein the enable signal is low (0 Volt) when the negative input voltage exceeds the positive input voltage;
- converting a train/series of 10 narrow pulse into a single pulse of 10 µs width using a pulse width conversion circuit, wherein capacitor (C3 or C5) of the pulse width conversion circuit holds the charge and begins discharging slowly through discharge resistor (R3 or R6), thereby ensuring that the subsequent pulses within the 10-pulse train contribute to the same cumulative charge, forming a single, broader pulse; and
- turning ON the transducer driver in real-time as soon as the first pulse is received.
3. The method (100) for transducer amplification as claimed in claim 1, wherein the identification of the last pulse of the ultrasonic signal includes:
- identifying last pulse of the 10-pulse train to discharge the capacitor, wherein the capacitor is discharged through the discharge resistor (R3 or R6) as no charge is added after the last pulse;
- determining voltage drop below the threshold to signal the end of the pulse.
4. The method (100) for transducer amplification as claimed in claim 1, wherein the transducer converts electrical signals into ultrasonic waves.
5. The method (100) for transducer amplification as claimed in claim 1, wherein the train/series of 10 narrow pulse is converted into a single pulse of 10 µs width by a pulse width conversion circuit ((C2, D1, D2, C3) and (C6, D3, D4, C5)).
6. The method (100) for transducer amplification as claimed in claim 1, wherein the method (100) includes voltage divider resistors (R4, R5) for setting the threshold voltage.
7. The method (100) for transducer amplification as claimed in claim 1, wherein the method (100) includes current limiting resistors (R2, R7) for protecting the fast switching circuits by limiting the current.
8. The method (100) for transducer amplification as claimed in claim 1, wherein the method (100) includes power filtering capacitors (C1, C4, C7) to smooth out the power supply noise and stabilize the voltage.