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US 2023/0141972 A1Published application
Methods and apparatus for repetitive histogramming
AssigneeSemiconductor Components Industries, LLC
InventorSteven John BUCKLEY
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Various embodiments of the present technology may provide methods and apparatus for repetitive histogramming. The apparatus may provide a limited number of physical bins to perform multiple histograms on a total number of virtual bins. The apparatus may provide a single physical bin that is used to sweep over the total number of virtual bins.
Claims20
A processor, capable of receiving a TDC value from a time-to-digital converter (TDC), comprising:
- a laser counter configured to generate a first signal and a second signal;
- a bin counter configured to generate a first count value that increments in response to the second signal;
- a first comparator configured to receive the TDC value and generate a first comparator output, wherein the first comparator output is based on a comparison of the first count value and the TDC value;
- an event counter configured to generate a second count value that increments in response to the first comparator output;
- a peak latch connected to an output terminal of the event counter and configured to store a peak value;
- a second comparator configured to generate a second comparator output, wherein the second comparator output is based on a comparison of the second count value and the peak value;
- and
- a result latch configured to output the first count value in response to the second comparator output.
5 more elements
A method for repetitive histogramming using data from a time-to-digital converter (TDC), comprising:
- histogramming a first virtual bin from a total number of virtual bins, comprising:
- receiving a first plurality of digital values from the TDC;
- determining whether each digital value, from the first plurality of digital values, falls within a first range of values defined by the first virtual bin;
- and
- incrementing a count value of a single physical bin for every occurrence that the first digital value falls within the first range;
- resetting the count value of the single physical bin to zero;
- and
- histogramming a second virtual bin from the total number of virtual bins, comprising:
- receiving a second plurality of digital values from the TDC;
- determining whether the each digital value, from the second plurality of digital values, falls within a second range of values defined by the second virtual bin;
- and
- incrementing the count value of the single physical bin for every occurrence that the second digital value falls within the second range;
- individually histogramming a remaining number of virtual bins from the total number of virtual bins.
10 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 conversion circuit connected to the receiver and configured to convert the reception signal to a digital value that represents time;
- and
- a processor connected to the conversion circuit comprising a total number of physical bins, wherein each physical bin has a unique memory address;
- and the processor is configured to:
- assemble a histogram, having a total number of virtual bins, using the digital value and a total number of physical bins, comprising:
- histogramming a first set of virtual bins from the total number of virtual bins, wherein a bin count of the first set of virtual bins is equal to the number of physical bins;
- and
- histogramming a second set of virtual bins from the total number of virtual bins, wherein a bin count of the second set of virtual bins is equal to the number of physical bins and the second set of bins immediately succeeds the first set of bins;
- wherein the total number of physical bins is less than the total number of virtual bins.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.