Signal sampling circuit including a signal conductor disposed in the electromagneticfield of a shorted transmission line

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR SAMPLING AN APPLIED SIGNAL APPEARING ON A CONDUCTOR WITH RESPECT TO A REFERENCE POTENTIAL, SAID APPARATUS COMPRISING: A SIGNAL CONDUCTOR CONNECTED TO THE CONDUCTOR CARRYING SAID APPLIED SIGNAL; A SOURCE OF SAMPLING SIGNAL; CIRCUIT MEANS INCLUDING A UNIDIRECTIONAL CONDUCTION DEVICE AND AN ENERGY STORAGE ELEMENT SERIALLY CONNECTING SAID SOURCE TO SAID SIGNAL CONDUCTOR AT A POINT ALONG THE LENGTH THEROF; THE SAMPLING SIGNALS APPLIED TO SAID UNIDIRECTIONAL CONDUCTION DEVICE FROM SAID SOURCE HAVING SUFFICIENT AMPLITUDE AND POLARITY TO RENDER SAID UNIDIRECTIONAL CONDUCTION DEVICE CONDUCTIVE; A TRANSMISSION LINE HAVING A SHORTED END AND HAVING AN INPUT END CONNECTED TO SAID SOURCE AND BEING DISPOSED ABOUT AND ELECTROMAGNETICALLY COUPLED TO THE SIGNAL CONDUCTOR AT SAID POINT ALONG THE LENGTH THEREOF TO FORM THE REFERENCE POTENTIAL CONDUCTOR FOR SAID SIGNAL CONDUCTOR; AND MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID ENERGY STORAGE ELEMENT FOR DERIVING AN OUTPUT FROM THE SIGNAL APPEARING THEREACROSS.