Method and apparatus for reducing sensor power dissipation
AssigneeMassachusetts Institute of Technology
InventorsPhillip Stanley-Marbell, Martin C. Rinard
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A sensor produces the sensor data for a sensor data consumer. A facility receives a sensor profile of the sensor indicating a relationship between a sensor parameter operating range and a deviation of the sensor data as a result of scaling one or more sensor parameters. The facility receives a tolerance profile of the sensor data consumer indicating a tolerable degree of deviation of the sensor data and scales a parameter of the sensor according to the tolerance profile. The scaling reduces a power dissipation level of the sensor.
Claims17
A system for providing sensor data to a sensor data consumer comprising:
- a sensor configured to produce the sensor data;
- and
- a facility comprising a processor and a memory configured to store non-transient instructions, which when executed by the processor performs the steps of:
- receiving a sensor profile of the sensor indicating a relationship between a sensor parameter operating range and a resulting deviation of the sensor data;
- receiving a tolerance profile of the sensor data consumer indicating a tolerable degree of deviation of the sensor data;
- and
- scaling a parameter of the sensor according to the tolerance profile,
- wherein said scaling reduces a power dissipation level of the sensor, and wherein said deviation comprises a difference between data output by the sensor with and without scaling the parameter.
A device in communication with a sensor configured to produce sensor data and provide sensor data to a sensor data consumer comprising:
- a processor and a memory configured to store non-transient instructions, which when executed by the processor performs the steps of:
- receiving a sensor profile of the sensor indicating relationship between a sensor parameter operating range and a resulting deviation of the sensor data;
- receiving a tolerance profile of the sensor data consumer indicating a tolerable degree of deviation of the sensor data;
- and
- scaling a parameter of the sensor and/or a sensor power supply according to the tolerance profile,
- wherein said scaling reduces a power dissipation level of the sensor, and wherein said deviation comprises a difference between data output by the sensor with and without scaling the parameter.
A method to be executed by a processor configured to execute non-transitory instructions stored in a memory to perform the steps of:
- accessing a sensor profile of the sensor indicating a relationship between a sensor parameter operating range and a resulting deviation of the sensor data;
- accessing a tolerance profile of a sensor data consumer indicating a tolerable degree of deviation of sensor data accessible to the sensor data consumer;
- providing the tolerance profile to a facility in communication with a sensor driver configured to control the sensor;
- and
- scaling a parameter of the sensor according to the tolerance profile to reduce a power dissipation level of the sensor,
- wherein said deviation comprises a difference between data output by the sensor with and without scaling the parameter.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.