# US 9,436,214 B2 · System and methods of reducing energy consumption by synchronizing sensors

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 9,436,214 B2
- Document ID: US9436214B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/304,699
- Filed: 2014-06-13
- Published: 2015-05-14
- Granted: 2016-09-06
- Earliest claimed: 2013-11-12
- Assignees: QUALCOMM Incorporated
- Applicants: QUALCOMM, Incorporated
- Inventors: Radu Pitigoi-Aron; Leonid Sheynblat; Carlos Manuel Puig; Justin Black; Rashmi Kulkarni
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9436214B2

## CPC

- G06F 1/12: Synchronisation of different clock signals {provided by a plurality of clock generators}
- F04B 23/023: {only the pump-part being immersed, the driving-part being outside the reservoir}
- F04B 53/10: Valves; Arrangement of valves
- F04B 53/14: Pistons, piston-rods or piston-rod connections
- F04B 53/16: Casings; Cylinders; Cylinder liners or heads; Fluid connections
- G01D 21/00: Measuring or testing not otherwise provided for
- G06F 1/08: Clock generators with changeable or programmable clock frequency
- G06F 1/14: Time supervision arrangements, e.g. real time clock
- G06F 1/3234: Power saving characterised by the action undertaken
- G06F 1/329: by task scheduling
- Y02D 10/00: Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- F04B: POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS (machines for liquids, or pumps, of rotary-piston or oscillating-piston type F04C; non-positive-displacement pumps F04D; pumping of fluid by direct contact of another fluid or by using inertia of fluid to be pumped F04F)
- G01D: MEASURING NOT SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR A SPECIFIC VARIABLE; ARRANGEMENTS FOR MEASURING TWO OR MORE VARIABLES NOT COVERED IN A SINGLE OTHER SUBCLASS; TARIFF METERING APPARATUS; MEASURING OR TESTING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- Y02D: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES [ICT], I.E. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES AIMING AT THE REDUCTION OF THEIR OWN ENERGY USE

## Abstract

Aspects of the invention are related to a method for synchronizing a first sensor clock of a first sensor. The exemplary method comprises: correcting the first sensor clock for a first time, transferring data from the first sensor, and correcting the first sensor clock for a second time, wherein a time interval between two corrections of the first sensor clock is selected such that the first sensor clock is sufficiently aligned with a processor clock of a processor over the time interval.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for synchronizing a first sensor clock of a first sensor, comprising:
correcting the first sensor clock for a first time;
transferring data from the first sensor; and
correcting the first sensor clock for a second time,
wherein a time interval between the two corrections of the first sensor clock is selected such that the first sensor clock is sufficiently aligned with a processor clock of a processor over the time interval, and wherein correcting the first sensor clock further comprises:
receiving information related to the processor clock;
deriving a clock correction factor; and
applying the clock correction factor.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the information related to the processor clock is received over a dedicated line, a Data Ready Interrupt (DRI) line, or a data connection between the processor and the first sensor.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the information related to the processor clock includes a frequency or a time period.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
correcting a second sensor clock of a second sensor for a first time;
transferring data from the second sensor; and
correcting the second sensor clock for a second time,
wherein the correction of the first sensor clock for the first time and the correction of the second sensor clock for the first time takes place simultaneously, and the correction of the first sensor clock for the second time and the correction of the second sensor clock for the second time takes place simultaneously, and wherein the time interval is a common multiple of a sampling period of the first sensor and a sampling period of the second sensor.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the first sensor clock is sufficiently aligned with the processor clock over the time interval when polling the first sensor at a polling frequency as measured by the processor clock that coincides with a specified sampling frequency of the first sensor results in every data sample of the first sensor being read exactly once over the time interval.

### Claim 6

A computing device, comprising:
a first sensor including or coupled to a first sensor clock; and
a processor including or coupled to a processor clock to:
correct the first sensor clock for a first time,
transfer data from the first sensor, and
correct the first sensor clock for a second time,
wherein a time interval between the two corrections of the first sensor clock is selected such that the first sensor clock is sufficiently aligned with the processor clock over the time interval, and wherein the correction of the first sensor clock comprises:
receiving information related to the processor clock;
deriving a clock correction factor; and
applying the clock correction factor.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The computing device of claim 6, wherein the information related to the processor clock is received over a dedicated line, a Data Ready Interrupt (DRI) line, or a data connection between the processor and the first sensor.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The computing device of claim 6, wherein the information related to the processor clock includes a frequency or a time period.

### Claim 9 (depends on 6)

The computing device of claim 6, further comprising:
a second sensor including or coupled to a second sensor clock,
wherein the processor is further configured to:
correct the second sensor clock for a first time,
transfer data from the second sensor, and
correct the second sensor clock for a second time,
wherein the correction of the first sensor clock for the first time and the correction of the second sensor clock for the first time takes place simultaneously, and the correction of the first sensor clock for the second time and the correction of the second sensor clock for the second time takes place simultaneously, and wherein the time interval is a common multiple of a sampling period of the first sensor and a sampling period of the second sensor.

### Claim 10 (depends on 6)

The computing device of claim 6, wherein the first sensor clock is sufficiently aligned with the processor clock over the time interval when polling the first sensor at a polling frequency as measured by the processor clock that coincides with a specified sampling frequency of the first sensor results in every data sample of the first sensor being read exactly once over the time interval.

### Claim 11

A computing device, comprising:
means for correcting a first sensor clock of a first sensor for a first time;
means for transferring data from the first sensor; and
means for correcting the first sensor clock for a second time,
wherein a time interval between the two corrections of the first sensor clock is selected such that the first sensor clock is sufficiently aligned with a processor clock of a processor over the time interval, and wherein the means for correcting the first sensor clock further comprises:
means for receiving information related to the processor clock;
means for deriving a clock correction factor; and
means for applying the clock correction factor.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The computing device of claim 11, wherein the information related to the processor clock is received over a dedicated line, a Data Ready Interrupt (DRI) line, or a data connection between the processor and the first sensor.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The computing device of claim 11, wherein the information related to the processor clock includes a frequency or a time period.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The computing device of claim 11, further comprising:
means for correcting a second sensor clock of a second sensor for a first time;
means for transferring data from the second sensor; and
means for correcting the second sensor clock for a second time,
wherein the correction of the first sensor clock for the first time and the correction of the second sensor clock for the first time takes place simultaneously, and the correction of the first sensor clock for the second time and the correction of the second sensor clock for the second time takes place simultaneously, and wherein the time interval is a common multiple of a sampling period of the first sensor and a sampling period of the second sensor.

### Claim 15

A non-transitory computer-readable medium including code which, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform a method comprising:
correcting a first sensor clock of a first sensor for a first time;
transferring data from the first sensor; and
correcting the first sensor clock for a second time,
wherein a time interval between the two corrections of the first sensor clock is selected such that the first sensor clock is sufficiently aligned with a processor clock of the processor over the time interval, and wherein code for correcting the first sensor clock further comprises code for:
receiving information related to the processor clock;
deriving a clock correction factor; and
applying the clock correction factor.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the information related to the processor clock is received over a dedicated line, a Data Ready Interrupt (DRI) line, or a data connection between the processor and the first sensor.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the information related to the processor clock includes a frequency or a time period.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, further comprising code for:
correcting a second sensor clock of a second sensor for a first time;
transferring data from the second sensor; and
correcting the second sensor clock for a second time,
wherein the correction of the first sensor clock for the first time and the correction of the second sensor clock for the first time takes place simultaneously, and the correction of the first sensor clock for the second time and the correction of the second sensor clock for the second time takes place simultaneously, and wherein the time interval is a common multiple of a sampling period of the first sensor and a sampling period of the second sensor.