US 6,388,969 B1 · Device for calculating the mutual phase shift of two sampled incident signals

Abstract

A device is provided for calculating mutual phase shift of first and second incident signals. The device includes a first pair of blocks associated with the first incident signal, a second pair of blocks associated with the second incident signal, checking circuit, and post-processing circuit. Each of the blocks has storage elements for storing a predetermined set of samples of the corresponding incident signal. In the presence of minimum samples or maximum samples of both incident signals, the checking circuit stores a first set of samples relating to the first incident signal in one of the blocks of the first pair and a first set of samples relating to the second incident signal in the counterpart block of the second pair, and then stores the following sets of samples of each incident signal alternately in the two blocks of each pair. The checking circuit delivers a block validation signal when a set of samples has been completely stored in the storage elements of one of the blocks. The post-processing circuit determines the phase shift of the first and second incident signals when two block validation signals are delivered for two counterpart blocks of the two pairs. Also provided is a digital disc reader that includes such a device.

Claims23

Dependent claims

A device for calculating mutual phase shift of first and second incident signals, said device comprising:

a first pair of blocks associated with the first incident signal and a second pair of blocks associated with the second incident signal, each of the blocks including storage elements for storing a predetermined set of samples of the corresponding incident signal;
checking means for, in the presence of minimum samples or maximum samples of both incident signals, storing a first set of samples relating to the first incident signal in one of the blocks of the first pair and a first set of samples relating to the second incident signal in the counterpart block of the second pair, and for then storing the following sets of samples of each incident signal alternately in the two blocks of each pair, beginning with the other block of each pair, the checking means delivering a block validation signal when a set of samples has been completely stored in the storage elements of one of the blocks;
and
post-processing means for determining the phase shift of the first and second incident signals when two block validation signals are delivered for two counterpart blocks of the two pairs, on the basis of the content of the two counterpart blocks,
wherein a minimum sample is less than a low threshold and a maximum sample is greater than a high threshold.

2 more elements

A digital disc reader comprising:

an optical head that includes a light emitter for emitting an incident light beam, and a plurality of photodetectors for detecting reflection of the light beam off a disc;
means for pairwise summing signals emanating from the photodetectors and outputting first and second sampled incident signals;
and
a device for calculating mutual phase shift of the first and second incident signals, the device including:
a first pair of blocks associated with the first incident signal and a second pair of blocks associated with the second incident signal, each of the blocks including storage elements for storing a predetermined set of samples of the corresponding incident signal;
checking means for, in the presence of minimum samples or maximum samples of both incident signals, storing a first set of samples relating to the first incident signal in one of the blocks of the first pair and a first set of samples relating to the second incident signal in the counterpart block of the second pair, and for then storing the following sets of samples of each incident signal alternately in the two blocks of each pair, beginning with the other block of each pair, the checking means delivering a block validation signal when a set of samples has been completely stored in the storage elements of one of the blocks;
and
post-processing means for determining the phase shift of the first and second incident signals when two block validation signals are delivered for two counterpart blocks of the two pairs, on the basis of the content of the two counterpart blocks,
wherein a minimum sample is less than a low threshold and a maximum sample is greater than a high threshold.

6 more elements

A method for calculating mutual phase shift of first and second incident signals using a first pair of blocks associated with the first incident signal and a second pair of blocks associated with the second incident signal, each of the blocks storing a predetermined set of samples of the corresponding incident signal, said method comprising the steps of:

in the presence of minimum samples or maximum samples of both incident signals, storing a first set of samples relating to the first incident signal in one of the blocks of the first pair and a first set of samples relating to the second incident signal in the counterpart block of the second pair;
storing the following sets of samples of each incident signal alternately in the two blocks of each pair, beginning with the other block of each pair;
delivering a block validation signal when a set of samples has been completely stored in one of the blocks;
and
determining the phase shift of the first and second incident signals when two block validation signals are delivered for two counterpart blocks of the two pairs,
wherein a minimum sample is less than a low threshold and a maximum sample is greater than a high threshold.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Device for calculating the mutual phase shift of two sampled incident signals

Life of this patent

Device for calculating the mutual phase shift of two sampled incident signals

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims23