US 5,315,171 AGranted

Analog feedback rank order filter

OwnerMichael Blauer, Martin D. Levineinventors

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Abstract

An analog feedback rank order filter electronic circuit for receiving a number N of analog input signals (V.sub.1, V.sub.2, . . ., V.sub.N) and reproducing at its output (V.sub.o) the magnitude of that one of the input signals having a magnitude which is the K.sup.th largest among the magnitudes of the N input signals, K being an adjustable rank parameter in the range of 1 to N, comprising: N comparator subcircuits, a summation subcircuit, an integrator subcircuit and means for generating a control signal whose magnitude selects the desired rank parameter K.

Claims2

Dependent claims

An analog feedback rank order filter electronic circuit for receiving a number N of analog input signals (V.sub.1, V.sub.2, . . . , V.sub.N) and reproducing at its output (V.sub.o) the magnitude of that one of said input signals having a magnitude which is K.sup.th largest among the magnitudes of said N input signals, K being an adjustable rank parameter number in the range of 1 to N, comprising:

means for receiving said N analog input signals (V.sub.1, V.sub.2, . . . , V.sub.N);
N comparator means subcircuits (C.sub.1, C.sub.2, . . . , C.sub.N), each having a first input and a second input and an output and being operable to form at its output a signal having a positive magnitude X whenever the magnitude of its first input is larger than the magnitude of its second input, and a negative magnitude Y whenever the magnitude of its first input is smaller than the magnitude of its second input;
a summation means subcircuit (S.sub.1) having a number N+1 of inputs and an output and being operable to form at its output a signal whose magnitude is approximately the sum of the magnitudes of its inputs;
an integrator means subcircuit (I.sub.1) having an input and an output and being operable to form at its output a signal whose magnitude is approximately the integral with respect to time of its input;
an analog rank signal output being supplied by the output (V.sub.o) of said integrator subcircuit;
a control signal generator means subcircuit having an output (V.sub.c) and being operable to form at its output a signal whose magnitude is approximately (1-K)X+(K-N)Y, K being said adjustable rank parameter, whereby causing the K.sup.th rank order signal to be reproduced at the output (V.sub.o);
said N input signals being each connected to the first input of one and only one of said N comparator subcircuits, the outputs of said N comparator subcircuits and the output (V.sub.c) of said control signal generator being each connected to one and only one of the N+1 inputs of said summation subcircuit, the output of said summation subcircuit being connected to the input of said integrator subcircuit and the output of said integrator subcircuit (V.sub.o) being connected to the second input of each of said N comparator subcircuits.

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Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

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Abstract

An analog feedback rank order filter electronic circuit for receiving a number N of analog input signals (V.sub.1, V.sub.2, . . . , V.sub.N) and reproducing at its output (V.sub.o) the magnitude of that one of said input signals having a magnitude which is K.sup.th largest among the magnitudes of said N input signals, K being an adjustable rank parameter number in the range of 1 to N, comprising:

means for receiving said N analog input signals (V.sub.1, V.sub.2, . . . , V.sub.N);
N comparator means subcircuits (C.sub.1, C.sub.2, . . . , C.sub.N), each having a first input and a second input and an output and being operable to form at its output a signal having a positive magnitude X whenever the magnitude of its first input is larger than the magnitude of its second input, and a negative magnitude Y whenever the magnitude of its first input is smaller than the magnitude of its second input;
a summation means subcircuit (S.sub.1) having a number N+1 of inputs and an output and being operable to form at its output a signal whose magnitude is approximately the sum of the magnitudes of its inputs;
an integrator means subcircuit (I.sub.1) having an input and an output and being operable to form at its output a signal whose magnitude is approximately the integral with respect to time of its input;
an analog rank signal output being supplied by the output (V.sub.o) of said integrator subcircuit;
a control signal generator means subcircuit having an output (V.sub.c) and being operable to form at its output a signal whose magnitude is approximately (1-K)X+(K-N)Y, K being said adjustable rank parameter, whereby causing the K.sup.th rank order signal to be reproduced at the output (V.sub.o);
said N input signals being each connected to the first input of one and only one of said N comparator subcircuits, the outputs of said N comparator subcircuits and the output (V.sub.c) of said control signal generator being each connected to one and only one of the N+1 inputs of said summation subcircuit, the output of said summation subcircuit being connected to the input of said integrator subcircuit and the output of said integrator subcircuit (V.sub.o) being connected to the second input of each of said N comparator subcircuits.

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