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US 4,303,983 AGranted
Method and apparatus for measuring time
AssigneeMITEC Moderne Industrietechnik GmbH
InventorHoiko Chaborski
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
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AssigneeMITEC Moderne Industrietechnik GmbH
InventorHoiko Chaborski
Estimating the term…
A time duration is measured precisely and with high resolution by making three time measurements as shown in FIG. 5. The time difference t.sub.A between the leading edge of a start signal and the next following leading edge of a constant frequency time base signal is measured. The number "n" of the following leading edges is then counted including the leading edge of the time base signal following a stop signal. The number n is multiplied by the period T.sub.Q of the time signal. The time difference t.sub.E between the leading edge of the stop signal and the next following leading edge of the time base signal is measured. The real time difference .DELTA.t is then calculated as follows .DELTA.t=t.sub.A +n.multidot.T.sub.Q -t.sub.E. A three part real time measurement is performed to correct the calculated result for drift and aging. Calibration measurements are made and the respective calibration factors are used in calculating the final results. The respective circuit arrangement includes a start channel, a stop channel, and the corresponding supporting circuits.
A method for measuring the time between a first occurring start impulse signal and a subsequently occurring stop impulse signal, comprising the following steps:
A circuit arrangement for measuring the time between a first occurring start impulse signal and a subsequently occurring stop impulse signal, comprising signal processing circuit means including constant frequency generator means (16) for generating a time base signal having a fixed period (T.sub.Q), start signal processing channel circuit means including a start input for receiving a start impulse signal for beginning a counting of time base signal periods after a measurable first length of real time (t.sub.A) following the occurrence of said start impulse signal, stop signal processing channel circuit means including a stop input for receiving a stop impulse signal for stopping the counting after a measurable second length of real time (t.sub.E) following the occurrence of the stop impulse signal, counter means operatively connected to said start and stop signal processing channel circuit means for counting time base signal periods constituting a third length of real time, first time amplitude conversion circuit means (TAC 10a) operatively connected in said start signal processing channel circuit means for measuring said first length of real time (t.sub.A), second time amplitude conversion circuit means (TAC 11a) operatively connected in said stop signal processing channel circuit means for measuring said second length of real time (t.sub.E), and computing circuit means operatively connected to said start and stop signal processing channel circuit means and to said counter means for adding the first length of real time (t.sub.A) to said third length of real time and for deducting said second length of real time (t.sub.E) from said third length of real time to produce a first time measurement result (.DELTA.t), whereby the length of any time duration may be measured with a high resultation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.