Patent Application
20230239429
The disclosure generally relates to a communication system, and more specifically, to a communication system with high transmission efficiency.
Conventional designs for communication systems used in mobile devices usually have certain disadvantages, including short transmission distances, high cabling costs, and cable physical size/shape/routing constraints. These factors may negatively affect overall transmission efficiency. Accordingly, there is a need to propose a novel solution for solving the problems of the prior art.
In an exemplary embodiment, the disclosure is directed to a communication system that includes a camera module and a backend module. The camera module includes an image sensor, a data converter, and a first interface. The image sensor generates a digital signal according to an optical signal. The data converter converts the digital signal into a conversion signal. The first interface transmits the conversion signal. The backend module includes a second interface and a processor. The second interface receives the conversion signal. The processor processes the received conversion signal.
In some embodiments, the first interface and the second interface are two USB (Universal Serial Bus) interfaces coupled to each other through a wired cable.
In some embodiments, the first interface and the second interface use a low data rate from 2 to 4 GBPS (Giga Bit Per Second).
In some embodiments, the first interface and the second interface are two PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) interfaces coupled to each other through a wired cable.
In some embodiments, the first interface and the second interface are two wireless interfaces communicating with each other.
In some embodiments, the digital signal is a MIPI (Mobile Industry Processor Interface) signal.
In some embodiments, the data converter performs an uncompressing process on the digital signal, so as to generate the conversion signal.
In some embodiments, the data converter performs a lossless or lossy compressing process on the digital signal, so as to generate the conversion signal.
In some embodiments, the backend module further includes a decompression unit for decompressing the received conversion signal.
In some embodiments, the camera module further includes a microphone element for receiving an audio signal, and the data converter further converts both the digital signal and the audio signal into the conversion signal.
In another exemplary embodiment, the disclosure is directed to a communication method that includes the steps of: generating a digital signal according to an optical signal, converting the digital signal into a conversion signal via a data converter; transmitting the conversion signal via a first interface; receiving the conversion signal via a second interface; and processing the received conversion signal.
In some embodiments, the communication method further includes: performing an uncompressing process on the digital signal via the data converter, so as to generate the conversion signal.
In some embodiments, the communication method further includes: performing a lossless or lossy compressing process on the digital signal via the data converter, so as to generate the conversion signal.
In some embodiments, the communication method further includes: decompressing the received conversion signal.
In some embodiments, the communication method further includes: receiving an audio signal; and converting both the digital signal and the audio signal into the conversion signal via the data converter.
The invention can be more fully understood by reading the subsequent detailed description and examples with references made to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
In order to illustrate the purposes, features and advantages of the invention, the embodiments and figures of the invention will be described in detail as follows.
Certain terms are used throughout the description and following claims to refer to particular components. As one skilled in the art will appreciate, manufacturers may refer to a component by different names. This document does not intend to distinguish between components that differ in name but not function. In the following description and in the claims, the terms “include” and “comprise” are used in an open-ended fashion, and thus should be interpreted to mean “include, but not limited to . . . ”. The term “substantially” means the value is within an acceptable error range. One skilled in the art can solve the technical problem within a predetermined error range and achieve the proposed technical performance. Also, the term “couple” is intended to mean either an indirect or direct electrical connection. Accordingly, if one device is coupled to another device, that connection may be through a direct electrical connection, or through an indirect electrical connection via other devices and connections.
The image sensor 130 can analyze an optical signal SP, and generate a digital signal SD according to the optical signal SP. For example, the optical signal SP may be received by a lens element (not show), and it may be an image signal or a video signal relative to someone or something. In some embodiments, the digital signal SD is a MIPI (Mobile Industry Processor Interface) signal. The data converter 140 can convert the digital signal SD into a conversion signal SE. For example, the data converter 140 may include a MIPI sensor, a control circuit, and a MCU (Microcontroller Unit) for signal conversion, but it is not limited thereto. Next, the first interface 150 transmits the conversion signal SE. In response, the second interface 170 receives the conversion signal SE. Finally, the processor 180 can process the received conversion signal SE, and perform corresponding operations.
With the proposed design, since the digital signal SD is converted into the conversion signal SE to be transmitted, it involves more data information, and the transmission efficiency of the communication system 100 is significantly improved. In addition, the total manufacturing cost of the communication system 100 is also reduced. The following embodiments will introduce different configurations and detail structural features of the communication system 100. It should be understood that these figures and descriptions are merely exemplary, rather than limitations of the invention.
In some embodiments, the first USB interface 250 and the second USB interface 270 use a low data rate from 2 to 4 GBPS (Giga Bit Per Second), and it is much lower than 5 GBPS of that of a conventional design. According to practical measurements, such a low data rate can help to suppress the corresponding EMI (Electromagnetic Interference) of the communication system 200, especially for the WLAN (Wireless Local Area Network) 2.4 GHz band. Other features of the communication system 200 of
It should be understood that the invention is not limited to the above. In alternative embodiments, the data converter 540 perform an uncompressing process on the digital signal SD, so as to generate the conversion signal SE, and the decompression unit 562 is omitted in the backend module 560.
The invention proposes a novel communication system and a novel communication method thereof. Compared to the conventional design, the invention has at least the advantages of high transmission efficiency and low manufacturing cost, and therefore it is suitable for application in a variety of mobile communication devices.
Note that the above element parameters are not limitations of the invention. An designer can fine-tune these settings or values according to different requirements. It should be understood that the communication system and the communication method of the invention are not limited to the configurations of
The method of the invention, or certain aspects or portions thereof, may take the form of program code (i.e., executable instructions) embodied in tangible media, such as floppy diskettes, CD-ROMS, hard drives, or any other machine-readable storage medium, wherein, when the program code is loaded into and executed by a machine such as a computer, the machine thereby becomes an apparatus for practicing the methods. The methods may also be embodied in the form of program code transmitted over some transmission medium, such as electrical wiring or cabling, through fiber optics, or via any other form of transmission, wherein, when the program code is received and loaded into and executed by a machine such as a computer, the machine becomes an apparatus for practicing the disclosed methods. When implemented on a general-purpose processor, the program code combines with the processor to provide a unique apparatus that operates analogously to application-specific logic circuits.
Use of ordinal terms such as “first”, “second”, “third”, etc., in the claims to modify a claim element does not by itself connote any priority, precedence, or order of one claim element over another or the temporal order in which acts of a method are performed, but are used merely as labels to distinguish one claim element having a certain name from another element having the same name (but for use of the ordinal term) to distinguish the claim elements.
While the invention has been described by way of example and in terms of the preferred embodiments, it should be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. On the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements (as would be apparent to those skilled in the art). Therefore, the scope of the appended claims should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/302,586, filed on Jan. 25, 2022, the entirety of which is incorporated by reference herein.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63302586 | Jan 2022 | US |
