Input multiplexed signal processing apparatus and methods
AssigneeSeescan, Inc.
InventorsStephanie M. Bench, Mark S. Olsson
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Abstract
Front end circuits and associated apparatus, systems, and methods for use in electronic devices such as buried utility locators are disclosed. The circuits include receivers and filters on input signals that are coupled to ground rather than differentially. A multiplexing circuit allows shared use of amplifiers, and analog-to-digital converters via a switching mechanism for selectively making or breaking electrical connection to the receiver channels for efficient sharing of electronics resources while minimizing crosstalk interference and advantageously reducing costs.
Claims14
A multiplexing input circuit, comprising:
- a plurality of separate channel circuits having inputs operatively coupled to respective antennas;
- a multiplexing circuit operatively coupled to outputs of the channel circuits for time division multiplexing the channel circuit outputs and providing multiplexed output signals;
- one or more connected amplifiers, with at least one connected amplifier operatively coupled to an output of the multiplexing circuit;
- one or more analog-to-digital converters operatively coupled to outputs of the one or more connected amplifiers, wherein the total number of analog-to digital converters is smaller than the number of channel circuits and antennas;
- a digital signal processing circuit operatively coupled to outputs of the one or more analog-to-digital converters to process the analog to digital converter outputs to determine information associated with the antenna output;
- and
- a switching mechanism;
- wherein one of the plurality of channel circuits is configured to be put into an open state at a time allowing an output signal to bypass the switching mechanism.
A method of electronically processing magnetic field signals in a buried utility locator, comprising:
- receiving at six or more magnetic field sensing antenna coils magnetic field antenna signals and providing the received magnetic field antenna signals to corresponding antenna outputs;
- and
- receiving, in a signal processing circuit including a plurality of receiver channel circuits having inputs operatively coupled to the corresponding antenna outputs, the antenna output signals and providing corresponding receiver channel outputs;
- receiving, at a multiplexing circuit operatively coupled to the receiver channel circuits, the receiver channel outputs;
- time division multiplexing the receiver channel outputs and providing one or more multiplexed output signals at multiplexing circuit outputs;
- receiving, at one or more connected amplifiers, with at least one connected amplifier operatively coupled to one or more outputs of the multiplexing circuit, multiplexed outputs;
- providing the multiplexed outputs to one or more analog-to-digital converters operatively coupled to the multiplexed outputs, wherein the total number of analog-to digital converters is smaller than the number of antenna coils and receiver channel circuits and wherein the analog-to digital converters include outputs;
- digitizing the analog-to-digital converter outputs;
- and
- storing the digitized analog-to-digital converter outputs in a non-transitory memory;
- wherein the receiver channel circuits include a low pass filter circuit configured so as to couple a signal path to ground rather than being differentially coupled to the multiplexing circuit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.