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US 2006/0155491 A1Published application
Frequency determination
OwnerPeter Bodeinventor
Life of this patent
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OwnerPeter Bodeinventor
Estimating the term…
Simple conventional frequency measurement circuits comprise two counters as essential elements. In such counters a problem may occur that the count value has a relative error of ±1/N, corresponding to the measurement interval. According to the present invention, pairs of intermediate count values of the counters are used to estimate the frequency ratio. According to an aspect of the present invention, this may be made on the basis of the steepness of a regression line determined on the basis of the pairs of intermediate count values of the counters. Furthermore, according to an aspect of the present invention, both counters continue counting while the intermediate sample values are sampled.
Electronic circuit for determining a ratio of a first frequency of a first signal and a second frequency of a second signal, the electronic circuit comprising:—a first counter and a second counter;—a sampling means for sampling first intermediate count values of the first counter when the second counter reaches preset second intermediate count values such that the first counter is sampled under the control of the second counter;—wherein the first and second intermediate count values form a plurality of pairs of intermediate count values of the first and second counters;—wherein, during the sampling of the first intermediate count values, the first and second counters continue counting;
Method of determining a ratio of a first frequency of a first signal and a second frequency of a second signal, the method comprising the steps of:—sampling first intermediate count values of a first counter when a second counter reaches preset second intermediate count values such that the first counter is sampled under the control of the second counter;—wherein the first and second intermediate count values form a plurality of pairs of intermediate count values of the first and second counters;—wherein, during the sampling of the first intermediate count values, the first and second counters continue counting;
Computer program product comprising computer program code means, wherein the computer program code means causes a processor to perform the following operation when the computer program code means is executed on the processor:—sampling first intermediate count values of a first counter when a second counter reaches preset second intermediate count values such that the first counter is sampled under the control of the second counter;—wherein the first and second intermediate count values form a plurality of pairs of intermediate count values of the first and second counters;—wherein, during the sampling of the first intermediate count values, the first and second counters continue counting;
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.