Back to results
US 4,823,026 AGranted
Apparatus and method for measurement of a signal with a sampler
AssigneeHypres, Inc.
InventorEric R. Hanson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus and method for measurement of a signal with a monitor gate is disclosed. A signal to be measured is applied as an input to the monitor gate and a detection signal is generated that indicates whether or not the monitor gate has switched between states. A digital output is generated that corresponds to the integration of the detection signal. The output of the digital integrator is applied to a digital-to-analog converter. The output of the digital-to-analog converter is fed back to the monitor gate. A probability limit monitor and a gain control with respect to signal measurement are also disclosed.
Claims19
An apparatus for measuring an input signal, comprising:
- a monitor gate switchable between at least two distinguishable states, the input signal being applied as a control signal to the monitor gate along with a sampling pulse and an analog bias signal;
- means for generating a detection signal that indicates whether or not the monitor gate has switched between states;
- means for generating a digital output that corresponds to the integration of the detection signal;
- means for converting the digital output of the integration means to the analog bias signal;
- and
- feedback means for applying the analog bias signal to the monitor gate.
3 more elements
An apparatus for measuring an input signal, comprising:
- a monitor gate switchable between at least two distinguishable states, the input signal being applied as a control signal to the monitor gate along with a sampling pulse and an analog bias signal;
- means for generating a detection signal that indicates which state the monitor gate is in;
- means for generating a digital output that corresponds to the integration of the detection signal;
- means for converting the digital output of the integration means to the analog bias signal;
- and
- feedback means for applying the analog bias signal to the monitor gate.
3 more elements
An apparatus for measuring an input signal, comprising:
- a monitor gate switchable between at least two distinguishable states, the input signal being applied as a control signal to the monitor gate along with a sampling pulse and an analog bias signal;
- means for generating a detection signal that indicates whether or not the monitor gate has switched between states;
- means for generating a digital output that corresponds to the integration of the detection signal, wherein the means for generating a digital output has a gain;
- means for varying the magnitude of the gain of the means for generating a digital output in response to a characteristic of a sequence of detection signals;
- means for converting the digital output of the means for generating a digital output to the analog bias signal;
- and
- feedback means for applying the analog bias signal to the monitor gate.
4 more elements
A probability limit monitor apparatus for an apparatus for measuring an input signal, comprising:
- means for receiving a detection signal that indicates whether or not a monitor gate has switched between states;
- and
- means for varying the magnitude of a gain of an integrator in response to a characteristic of a sequence of detection signals, the integrator being part of a feedback loop that includes a monitor gate and that provides the monitor gate with an analog bias signal.
An apparatus for measuring an input signal, comprising:
- a monitor gate switchable between at least two distinguishable states, the input signal being applied as a control signal to the monitor gate along with a sampling pulse and an analog bias signal;
- means for generating detection signals, including a first detection signal that indicates that the monitor gate has switched between states and a second detection signal that indicates that the monitor gate has not switched between states;
- means for generating a digital output that corresponds to the integration of the detection signals including a means for integrating, wherein said means for integrating has a gain;
- means for varying the magnitude of said gain by a first amount in response to a first detection signal and by a second amount in response to a second detection signal;
- means for converting the digital output of said means for integrating to the analog bias signal;
- and
- feedback means for applying the analog bias signal to the monitor gate.
4 more elements
A gain control apparatus for an apparatus for measuring an input signal, comprising:
- means for receiving a first detection signal that indicates that a monitor gate has switched between states and a second detection signal that indicates that the monitor gate has not switched between states, the input signal being applied as a control signal to the monitor gate along with a sampling pulse and an analog bias signal;
- and
- means for varying a gain of an integrator by a first amount in response to the first detection signal and by a second amount in response to the second detection signal, the integrator being part of a feedback loop that includes the monitor gate and that provides the monitor gate with the analog bias signal.
A method for measuring an input signal, comprising the steps of:
- applying the input signal to a monitor gate along with a sampling pulse and an analog bias signal, the monitor gate being switchable between at least two distinguishable states;
- generating a detection signal that indicates whether or not the monitor gate has switched between states;
- generating a digital output that corresponds to the integration of the detection signal;
- converting the digital output of the integration means to the analog bias signal;
- and
- applying the analog bias signal from the integration means to the monitor gate.
3 more elements
A method for measuring an input signal, comprising the steps of:
- applying the input signal to a monitor gate along with a sampling pulse and an analog bias signal, the monitor gate being switchable between at least two distinguishable states;
- generating a detection signal that indicates whether or not the monitor gate has switched between states;
- generating a digital output that corresponds to the integration of the detection signals using a means for integrating;
- varying the magnitude of the gain of said means for integrating in response to a characteristic of a sequence of detection signals;
- converting the digital output of the means for integrating to the analog bias signal;
- and
- applying the analog bias signal from the means for integrating to the monitor gate.
4 more elements
A method for rapid signal acquisition for an apparatus for measuring a signal, comprising the steps of:
- receiving a detection signal that indicates whether or not a monitor gate has switched between states;
- and
- varying the magnitude of a gain of an integrator in response to a characteristic of a sequence of detection signals, the integrator being part of a feedback loop that includes the monitor gate and that provides the monitor gate with the analog bias signal.
A method for measuring an input signal, comprising the steps of:
- applying the input signal to a monitor gate along with a sampling pulse and an analog bias signal, the monitor gate being switchable between at least two distinguishable states;
- generating detection signals, including a first detection signal that indicates that the monitor gate has switched between states and a second detection signal that indicates that the monitor gate has not switched between states;
- generating a digital output that corresponds to the integration of detection signals with a means for integrating, wherein said means for integrating has a gain;
- varying the magnitude of said gain by a first amount in response to a first detection signal and by a second amount in response to a second detection signal;
- converting the digital output of said means for integrating to the analog bias signal;
- and
- applying the analog bias signal from said means for integrating to the monitor date.
4 more elements
A method for gain control for an apparatus for measuring an input signal, comprising:
- receiving a first detection signal that indicates that a monitor gate has switched between states and a second detection signal that indicates that the monitor gate has not switched between states, the input signal being applied as a control signal to the monitor gate along with a sampling pulse and an analog bias signal;
- and
- varying a gain of an integrator by a first amount in response to the first detection signal and by a second amount in response to the second detection signal, the integrator being part of a feedback loop that includes the monitor gate and that provides the monitor gate with the analog bias signal.
A method for estimating an envelope of a high frequency input signal with a signal-measuring apparatus, comprising the steps of:
- applying the input signal to a monitor gate along with a sampling pulse and an analog bias signal, the monitor hate being switchable between at least two distinguishable states;
- generating detection signals, including a first detection signal that indicates that the monitor gate has switched between states and a second detection signal that indicates that the monitor gate has not switched between states;
- generating a digital output that corresponds to the integration of detection signals with a means for integrating, wherein the means for integrating has a gain;
- varying the magnitude of said gain by a first amount in response to a first detection signal and by a second amount in response to a second detection signal;
- converting the digital output of the integration means to the analog bias signal;
- applying the analog bias signal from the integration means to the monitor gate;
- storing the digital output of the integration means as a first measurement;
- removing the input signal from the monitor gate and applying said sampling pulse and said analog bias signal to the monitor gate;
- generating detection signals, including a first detection signal that indicates that the monitor gate has switched between states and a second detection signal that indicates that the monitor gate has not switched between states;
- generating a digital output that corresponds to the integration of detection signals with said means for integrating;
- varying the magnitude of the said gain a first amount in response to a first detection signal and a second amount in response to a second detection signal;
- converting the digital output of said means for integrating to the analog bias signal;
- applying the analog bias signal from the integration means to the monitor gate;
- storing the digital output of the integration means as a second measurement;
- and
- taking the difference between the first measurement and the second measurement.
13 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.