Sensing and selecting observed events for signal processing
AssigneeIrvine Sensors Corporation
InventorChrist H. Saunders
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Circuitry for sensing a relatively large number of events, and outputting to processing circuitry only those events which have two characteristics: (1) a magnitude above a preselected threshold level, and (2) a rate of change greater than a preselected background rate of change. Logic circuitry is used to assign any event which has the desired characteristics to an available output channel. Subtracter circuitry causes the background to be subtracted from the sensing input, in order to limit the output to non-background events.
Claims23
Circuitry for signal sensing and processing comprising:
- a plurality of parallel input sensing lines, each of which carries an electronic analog signal from a different portion of an observed area;
- a plurality of output channels each available to send an electronic signal from the sensing circuitry for further processing, provided that channel is then open;
- a comparator associated with each input sensing line which outputs a logic pulse whenever the signal entering the input line exceeds a predetermined threshold value;
- and
- logic circuitry which responds to a logic pulse from the comparator and directs the signal, which caused that logic pulse, to be switched onto a then open output channel.
Circuitry for signal sensing and processing comprising:
- a plurality of parallel input sensing lines, each of which carries an electronic amplitude signal from a different portion of an observed area;
- a plurality of output channels available to send electronic signals from the sensing circuitry for further processing;
- a subtracter associated with each input sensing line which subtracts background signal values from the input values on the sensing line, and which outputs a signal if the rate of change of the input signal value exceeds a predetermined background rate of signal change;
- a comparator associated with each input sensing line having one input from the subtracter output and the other input from an amplitude threshold source;
- said comparator providing a digital output whenever input from the subtracter exceeds input from the threshold source;
- logic circuitry which responds to a digital output from the comparator;
- a line leading from each subtracter to the logic circuitry in order to transmit any port-subtracter output signal;
- said logic circuitry including circuitry which connects the port-subtracter output signal to any available output channel when it receives a digital output signal from the comparator.
The method of sensing and processing signals produced by sensor observed events, comprising:
- sensing on parallel lines a plurality of signals representing different parts of an area;
- comparing signals on each parallel line with a predetermined threshold amplitude value;
- causing each sensed event which exceeds the amplitude value to pass through to an output channel selection logic;
- and
- assigning each such passed through sensed event to one of a plurality of output channels, substantially fewer than the number of parallel sensing lines.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.