Software-defined signal device systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12483261-B2
Application number	US-202318101675-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 26, 2023
Priority date	Dec 27, 2022
Publication date	Nov 25, 2025
Grant date	Nov 25, 2025

Abstract

Minimum processing performed at a signal device level is enabled, such that the majority of the non-domain-specific processing can be offloaded to a processing device. For example, the processing device can receive signal data from a signal device, preprocess the signal data to obtain preprocessed signal data having a data format for domain-specific processing by software executed by at least one processing unit of a processing platform, and provide the preprocessed signal data for domain-specific processing by the software executed by the at least one processing unit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A system comprising:
a processing device, operatively coupled to a memory, configured to:
receive signal data from a signal device;
preprocess the signal data to obtain preprocessed signal data having a data format for domain-specific processing by software executed by at least one processing unit of a processing platform; and
provide the preprocessed signal data for domain-specific processing by the software executed by the at least one processing unit.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the signal data comprises analog signal data, wherein the processing device comprises an analog-to-digital converter, and wherein, to preprocess the signal data, the processing device is further configured to convert the analog signal data into digital signal data.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein, to preprocess the signal data, the processing device is further configured to perform at least one of:
de-serialize the signal data; serialize the signal data; packetize the signal data; de-packetize the signal data; or assign, to the signal data, a data identifier corresponding to a location for storing the signal data within the processing platform.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein, to preprocess the signal data, the processing device is further configured to structure the signal data into the data format by performing at least one of:
padding the signal data; converting the signal data to a different format; adapting the data format for processing by the software executed by the at least one processing unit.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the system comprises a digital-over-fiber architecture that sends digitized signal data using packets.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the system comprises an analog-over-fiber architecture that translates analog signal data into another domain.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the processing platform is remote from the processing device, and wherein, to provide the preprocessed signal data for domain-specific processing by the software executed by the at least one processing unit, the processing device is configured to send the preprocessed data to the processing platform over a network connection.

8 . The system of claim 7 , wherein:
the network connection comprises at least one of: a Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN) Ethernet connection, a 5G Ultra-Reliable Low Latency Communications (URLLC) connection, or an IO-Link connection; and the processing platform is synchronized with the processing device using at least one of: Precision Time Protocol (PTP) or Synchronous Ethernet (SyncE).

9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processing unit comprises a data processing unit (DPU).

10 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the processing device is further configured to:
receive data from the processing platform; convert the data into second signal data; and provide the second signal data to the signal device for processing.

11 . A system comprising:
a signal device comprising at least one of: a physical sensor, an actuator, a receiver, or a transmitter; a processing device communicably coupled to the signal device; and a processing platform communicably coupled to the processing device; wherein the processing device, operatively coupled to a memory, is configured to:
receive signal data from the signal device;
preprocess the signal data to obtain preprocessed signal data having a data format for domain-specific processing by software executed by at least one processing unit of the processing platform; and
provide the preprocessed signal data for domain-specific processing by the software executed by the at least one processing unit.

12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the signal data comprises analog signal data, wherein the processing device comprises an analog-to-digital converter, and wherein, to preprocess the signal data, the processing device is further configured to convert the analog signal data into digital signal data.

13 . The system of claim 11 , wherein, to preprocess the signal data, the processing device is further configured to perform at least one of:
de-serialize the signal data; serialize the signal data; de-packetize the signal data; packetize the signal data; or assign, to the signal data, a data identifier corresponding to a location for storing the signal data within the processing platform.

14 . The system of claim 11 , wherein, to preprocess the signal data, the processing device is further configured to structure the signal data into the data format by performing at least one of:
padding the signal data; converting the signal data to a different format; or adapting the data format for processing by the software executed by the at least one processing unit.

15 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the system comprises:
a digital-over-fiber architecture that sends digitized signal data using packets; or an analog-over-fiber architecture that translates analog signal data into another domain.

16 . The system of claim 11 , wherein:
the processing platform is remote from the processing device; to provide the preprocessed signal data for domain-specific processing by the software executed by the at least one processing unit, the processing device is configured to send the preprocessed data to the processing platform over a network connection; the processing platform is synchronized with the system using at least one of: Precision Time Protocol (PTP) or Synchronous Ethernet (SyncE); and the network connection comprises at least one of: a Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN) Ethernet connection, a 5G Ultra-Reliable Low Latency Communications (URLLC) connection, or an IO-Link connection.

17 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the processing platform is an edge processing platform.

18 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the at least one processing unit comprises a data processing unit (DPU).

19 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the processing device is further configured to:
receive data from the processing platform; convert the data into second signal data; and provide the second signal data to the signal device for processing.

20 . A method comprising:
receiving, by a processing device, signal data from a signal device; preprocessing, by the processing device, the signal data to obtain preprocessed signal data having a data format for domain-specific processing by software executed by at least one processing unit of a processing platform; and sending, by the processing device, the preprocessed signal data for domain-specific processing by the software executed by the at least one processing unit.

Assignees

• Mellanox Technologies Ltd

Inventors

• Wasko Wojciech
• Blake Mathias
• Levi Dotan David
• Thompson Adam
• Syrivelis Dimitris
• Bakopoulos Paraskevas

Classifications

• H03M1/124 Primary

  Sampling or signal conditioning arrangements specially adapted for A/D converters · CPC title