Multi-chip synchronization in sensor applications
A system may include a plurality of actively-driven inductive sensors and a plurality of control circuits, each control circuit of the plurality of control circuits configured to control operation of a respective set of the actively-driven inductive sensors, each control circuit of the plurality of control circuits communicatively coupled to the other control circuits via a connection configured to distribute synchronization information among the plurality of control circuits. Each of the plurality of control circuits may further be configured to configure a schedule for controlling time-division multiplexed operation of its respective set of actively-driven inductive sensors and control time-division multiplexed operation of its respective set of actively-driven inductive sensors based on the schedule and the synchronization information in order to minimize interference among the plurality of actively-driven inductive sensors.
1. A system comprising:
a plurality of actively-driven inductive sensors;
a plurality of control circuits, each control circuit of the plurality of control circuits configured to control operation of a respective set of the actively-driven inductive sensors, each control circuit of the plurality of control circuits communicatively coupled to the other control circuits via a connection configured to distribute synchronization information among the plurality of control circuits, and each of the plurality of control circuits configured to:
configure a schedule for controlling time-division multiplexed operation of its respective set of actively-driven inductive sensors; and
control time-division multiplexed operation of its respective set of actively-driven inductive sensors based on the schedule and the synchronization information in order to minimize interference among the plurality of actively-driven inductive sensors.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of actively-driven inductive sensors comprises resistive-inductive-capacitive sensors.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein one of the plurality of control circuits is configured to drive the synchronization information onto the connection.
4. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a timing source external to the plurality of control circuits and configured to drive the synchronization information onto the connection.
5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the timing source external to the plurality of control circuits is provided by a controller of a host device comprising the plurality of actively-driven inductive sensors and the plurality of control circuits.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of control circuits is configured to minimize interference among the plurality of actively-driven inductive sensors by ensuring that no more than one of the plurality of actively-driven inductive sensors is active at a given time.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the synchronization information includes a symbol for aligning respective counters of the plurality of control circuits.
8. A method comprising, in a system comprising a plurality of actively-driven inductive sensors and a plurality of control circuits, each control circuit of the plurality of control circuits configured to control operation of a respective set of the actively-driven inductive sensors, each control circuit of the plurality of control circuits communicatively coupled to the other control circuits via a connection configured to distribute synchronization information among the plurality of control circuits:
configuring, by each control circuit of the plurality of control circuits, a schedule for controlling time-division multiplexed operation of its respective set of actively-driven inductive sensors; and
controlling, by each control circuit of the plurality of control circuits, time-division multiplexed operation of its respective set of actively-driven inductive sensors based on the schedule and the synchronization information in order to minimize interference among the plurality of actively-driven inductive sensors.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of actively-driven inductive sensors comprises resistive-inductive-capacitive sensors.
10. The method of claim 8 , further comprising driving, by one of the plurality of control circuits is, the synchronization information onto the connection.
11. The method of claim 8 , further comprising driving, by a timing source external to the plurality of control circuits, the synchronization information onto the connection.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the timing source external to the plurality of control circuits is provided by a controller of a host device comprising the plurality of actively-driven inductive sensors and the plurality of control circuits.
13. The method of claim 8 , further comprising minimizing, by the plurality of control circuits, interference among the plurality of actively-driven inductive sensors by ensuring that no more than one of the plurality of actively-driven inductive sensors is active at a given time.
14. The method of claim 8 , wherein the synchronization information includes a symbol for aligning respective counters of the plurality of control circuits.
15. A host device comprising:
an enclosure;
a plurality of actively-driven inductive sensors integral to the enclosure;
a plurality of control circuits integral to the enclosure, each control circuit of the plurality of control circuits configured to control operation of a respective set of the actively-driven inductive sensors, each control circuit of the plurality of control circuits communicatively coupled to the other control circuits via a connection configured to distribute synchronization information among the plurality of control circuits, and each of the plurality of control circuits configured to:
configure a schedule for controlling time-division multiplexed operation of its respective set of actively-driven inductive sensors; and
control time-division multiplexed operation of its respective set of actively-driven inductive sensors based on the schedule and the synchronization information in order to minimize interference among the plurality of actively-driven inductive sensors.
16. The host device of claim 15 , wherein the plurality of actively-driven inductive sensors comprises resistive-inductive-capacitive sensors.
17. The host device of claim 15 , wherein one of the plurality of control circuits is configured to drive the synchronization information onto the connection.
18. The host device of claim 15 , further comprising a timing source external to the plurality of control circuits and configured to drive the synchronization information onto the connection.
19. The host device of claim 18 , wherein the timing source external to the plurality of control circuits is provided by a controller of a host device comprising the plurality of actively-driven inductive sensors and the plurality of control circuits.
20. The host device of claim 15 , wherein the plurality of control circuits is configured to minimize interference among the plurality of actively-driven inductive sensors by ensuring that no more than one of the plurality of actively-driven inductive sensors is active at a given time.
21. The host device of claim 15 , wherein the synchronization information includes a symbol for aligning respective counters of the plurality of control circuits.