Time interval measurement arrangement
AssigneeMarconi Instruments Limited
InventorRobert P. Menlove
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A time interval measurement arrangement allows extremely accurate measurements to be performed on a complex repetitively recurring waveform. The need arises to perform such measurements in connection with television waveform calibration instruments. The time interval measurement is performed in terms of an accurate amplitude measurement which identifies the required instant in time on the waveform under test. An amplitude sampling circuit is used which repetitively samples the signal at selected points so as to progressively alter in incremental steps a sample value until it is brought into agreement with the actual value of the signal. This process removes the effect of jitter and noise from the measurement process and enables great accuracy to be achieved.
Claims6
A time interval measurement arrangement including means for receiving a signal having a repetitively recurring waveform;
- means for determining the amplitude of the waveform at a selected point on the waveform by repetitively sampling the signal at said selected point so as to progressively alter in incremental steps the sample value to bring it into agreement with the value of the signal at said selected point;
- means for varying the sampling instant so as to alter said selected point until the measured amplitude agrees with a predetermined amplitude condition;
- and means for determining the sampling instant when said agreement is obtained.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.