Ultrasonic smart sensor design for a distributed perception system

Smart sensors differ from conventional ones in their ability to process a high amount of data close to the source and in their ability to communicate in a bi-directional way. We review the design of a distributed perception system using the CoMES design flow. This perception system is made of a collection of smart sensors connected by a fieldbus. We report on the ultrasonic smart sensor design part, sensor which aims at delivering features related to the perceived environment. We especially focus on the high-level design of such a subsystem, design which results in a functional structure describing the internal solution in a technology-independent way. Thanks to the CoMES technology, this solution can be validated through simulation before considering the architectural design aspects leading to the prototyping step.