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US 10,895,848 B1Granted
Methods and apparatus for selective histogramming
AssigneeSemiconductor Components Industries, LLC
InventorSteven John Buckley
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods and apparatus for selective histogramming are configured to histogram a total number of virtual bins over a plurality of phases using a total number of counters, wherein the total number of counters is less than the total number of virtual bins.
Claims20
An apparatus, capable of receiving TDC codes from a time-to-digital converter (TDC), comprising:
- a controller configured to:
- receive a first set of TDC codes, wherein each TDC code comprises a total number of bits;
- and
- identify a portion of bits, from the total number of bits, in the first set of TDC codes;
- a plurality of counters responsive to the controller, wherein each counter is configured to increment in value based on the identified portion of bits;
- and
- an encoder, in communication with the plurality of counters, and configured to:
- identify the counter, from the plurality of counters, with the highest value;
- generate a mask code for the counter with the highest value;
- and
- transmit the mask code to the controller;
- wherein the controller is further configured to:
- query a second set of TDC codes using the mask code;
- and
- generate a peak code using the mask code, wherein the peak code represents a single bin number from a plurality of virtual histogram bins.
12 more elements
A method for selective histogramming using data from a time-to-digital converter (TDC), comprising:
- dividing a total number of virtual bins into a number of groups;
- and
- histogramming the total number of virtual bins over a total number of phases, wherein:
- a first phase, from the total number of phases, comprises:
- receiving a first set of TDC values from the TDC, wherein each TDC value is represented by a total number of bits;
- incrementing a plurality of counters based on a first portion of bits from the total number of bits;
- generating a first mask code for the counter with the highest count value;
- and
- resetting the counter;
- and
- each subsequent phase, from the total number of phases, comprises:
- dividing a portion of the virtual bins into the number of groups;
- receiving a new set of TDC values from the TDC;
- querying the new set of TDC values using at least the first mask code;
- incrementing the counter based on a new portion of the bits;
- generating a new mask code for the counter with the highest count value;
- and
- generating a peak code using the mask codes from each phase, wherein the peak code represents a single bin number from the total number of virtual bins.
15 more elements
A system, comprising:
- a source configured to transmit a source signal;
- a receiver configured to receive a reflected source signal and generate a reception signal according to the reflected source signal;
- a phase counter having a phase count value that increments after a predetermined number of clock pulses;
- a conversion circuit connected to the receiver and configured to convert the reception signal to a binary code that represents time, wherein the binary code comprises a total number of bits;
- and
- a processor connected to the conversion circuit and the phase counter and configured to:
- histogram a total number of virtual bins over a plurality of phases using a total number of counters, wherein the total number of counters is less than the total number of virtual bins, comprising:
- for each phase:
- incrementing the counters based on a portion of bits of the binary code;
- generating a mask code for the counter value with the highest value;
- and
- querying a new portion of bits in a new binary code using the mask code;
- and
- stringing together the mask codes from each phase to form a peak code, wherein the peak code represents a single bin number from the total number of virtual bins.
11 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.