Subinterval sampler
AssigneeRockwell International Corporation
InventorTimothy R. Minor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A subinterval sampler is provided for sampling short duration analog input signal pulses with slower speed processing hardware than would otherwise be required. The peak value of the input signal is detected during each sampling interval regardless of the absolute times at which peaks occur, an no input signal peak is missed. A pair of parallel peak detectors have active intervals overlapped by a duration longer than the rise time of the peak detectors, and have nonconcurrent inactive intervals for clearing. The outputs of the peak detectors are alternately switched into sample and hold circuitry at a switching rate equal to the sampling rate but staggered such that switching times occur midway in the sampling intervals.
Claims27
A subinterval sampler for sampling short duration pulses with slower speed processing hardware than would otherwise be required, comprising:
- a pair of pulse detectors connected in parallel from an input, each detector having an active interval for pulse detection and an inactive interval for clearing said detector, the active intervals having an overlap period and the inactive intervals being nonconcurrent;
- switch means alternately outputting one and then the other of said detectors;
- and
- sample and hold means receiving the output of said switch means.
A subinterval sampler for sampling short duration analog input signal pulses with slower speed processing hardware than would otherwise be required, and for detecting the peak value of the analog input signal during every sampling interval regardless of the absolute times at which peaks occur, comprising:
- a pair of peak detectors connected in parallel from an analog signal input, said peak detectors having active intervals overlapped by a duration longer than the rise time of said peak detectors, and having nonconcurrent inactive intervals for clearing;
- switch means alternately switching between the outputs of said peak detectors to provide continuously active detection with no inactive clearing interval;
- and
- sample and hold means at the output of said switch means for sampling the selected peak detector at the end of each sampling interval.
A method of sampling short duration analog input signal pulses with slower speed processing hardware than would otherwise be required, comprising:
- establishing a recursive sampling interval T for sampling said analog input signal;
- detecting the peak value of said analog input signal during each sampling interval regardless of the absolute times at which peaks occur, comprising:
- detecting said analog input signal with a pair of peak detectors having active intervals which are overlapped, and having non-concurrent inactive intervals for clearing;
- switching between said peak detectors to provide continuously active detection with no inactive clearing interval;
- and
- sampling the switched output of said peak detectors at the end of each sampling interval.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.