Pulse discrimination circuitry

Claim 2

Pulse discrimination circuitry for distinguishing from noise a pulse signal that represents data by the presence and absence of pulses in bit cells comprising: first means for producing an indication for a bit cell when the peak amplitude of the pulse signal exceeds a threshold value, such bit cells being designated threshold bit cells; second means responsive to the occurrence of an amplitude peak of the pulse signal during the first bit cell following a threshold bit cell for examining the pulse signal during the second bit cell following the threshold bit cell; and third means responsive to the second means for producing an indication for the first bit cell when the peak amplitude of the pulse signal during the second bit cell exceeds a threshold value.

Claim 3

The pulse discrimination circuitry of claim 1, in which The third means produces an indication for the first bit cell when the peak amplitude of the pulse signal during the second bit cell exceeds a threshold value without producing an indication when the peak amplitude of the pulse signal during the second bit cell fails to exceed the threshold value.

Claim 4

The pulse discrimination circuitry of claim 2, in which the threshold value for the threshold bit cells is the same as the threshold value for the second bit cells.

Claim 5

The pulse discrimination circuitry of claim 2, in which fourth means are provided for storing a representation of the data in the pulse signal during each bit cell in succession, fifth means are provided for storing a representation of the data in the pulse signal during each bit cell in succession following the bit cell represented by the fourth means, the first means is responsive to the representations stored by the fourth means, and the second means examines the representations stored by the fifth means.

Claim 6

Pulse discrimination circuitry for distinguishing from noise a pulse signal that represents data by the presence and absence of pulses in bit cells comprising: first means for producing an indication for a bit cell when the peak amplitude of the pulse signal exceeds a threshold value, such bit cells being designated threshold bit cells; second means responsive to the occurrence of an amplitude peak of the pulse signal substantially less than the threshold value during the first bit cell following a threshold bit cell for examining the pulse signal during the second bit cell following the threshold bit cell; and third means responsive to the second means for producing an indication for the first bit cell when the peak amplitude of the pulse signal during the second bit cell exceeds a threshold value without producing an indication when the peak amplitude of the pulse signal during the second bit cell fails to exceed the threshold value.

Claim 7

Pulse discrimination circuitry for distinguishing from noise a pulse signal that represents data by the presence and absence of pulses in bit cells comprising: first means for producing an indication for a bit cell when the peak amplitude of the pulse signal exceeds a threshold value, such bit cells being designated threshold bit cells; second means responsive to the occurrence of an amplitude peak of the pulse signal substantially less than the threshold value during the first bit cell following a threshold bit cell for examining the pulse signal during the second bit cell following the threshold bit cell; and third means responsive to the second means for producing an indication for the first bit cell when the peak amplitude of the pulse signal during the second bit cell exceeds a threshold value without producing an indication when the peak amplitude of the pulse signal during the second bit cell fails to exceed the threshold value.

Claim 8

Pulse discrimination circuitry for distinguishing from noise a pulse signal that represents data by the presence and absence of pulses in bit cells comprising: means for producing an indication for a bit cell when the peak amplitude of the pulse signal exceeds a threshold value, such bit cells being designated threshold bit cells; and means responsive to the occurrence of an amplitude peak of the pulse signal during the first bit cell following a threshold bit cell for producing an indication for the first bit cell when the bit cell following the first bit cell is an threshold bit cell.

Claim 9

Pulse discrimination circuitry for distinguishing from noise a pulse signal that represents data by the presence and absence of pulses in bit cells comprising: means for producing an indication for a bit cell when the peak amplitude of the pulse signal exceeds a threshold value, such bit cells being designated threshold bit cells; and means responsive to the occurrence of an amplitude peak of the pulse signal during the first bit cell following a threshold bit cell for producing an indication for the first bit cell when the bit cell following the first bit cell is an threshold bit cell.

Claim 10

A pulse discrimination system comprising: a source of pulse signals representing data by the presence and absence of pulses in successive time intervals; a first bistable channel connected to the source, the first channel-changing state in correspondence to each time interval in which the pulse signal exceeds a threshold value, such time intervals being designated threshold intervals; a second bistable channel connected to the source, the second channel-changing state in correspondence to the next time interval following the threshold time interval if the pulse signal exhibits an amplitude peak and in correspondence to each threshold interval; an output circuit to indicate the time intervals in which pulses occur in the pulse signal; and logic means operative in correspondence to each time interval if the states of the channels agree to couple the first channel to the output circuit, and if the states of the channels fail to agree to couple the second channel to the output circuit when the states of the channels caused by the pulse signal during the next subsequent time interval agree.

Claim 11

A pulse discrimination system comprising: a source of pulse signals representing data by the presence and absence of pulses in successive time intervals; a first bistable channel connected to the source, the first channel-changing state in correspondence to each time interval in which the pulse signal exceeds a threshold value, such time intervals being designated threshold intervals; a second bistable channel connected to the source, the second channel-changing state in correspondence to the next time interval following the threshold time interval if the pulse signal exhibits an amplitude peak and in correspondence to each threshold interval; an output circuit to indicate the time intervals in which pulses occur in the pulse signal; and logic means operative in correspondence to each time interval if the states of the channels agree to couple the first channel to the output circuit, and if the states of the channels fail to agree to couple the second channel to the output circuit when the states of the channels caused by the pulse signal during the next subsequent time interval agree.

Claim 12

The pulse discrimination system of claim 7, in which the logic means couple the second channel to the output circuit only once following each threshold interval.

Claim 13

The pulse discrimination system of claim 7, in which the first and second bistable channels each comprise first, second, and third flip-flops connected in tAndem such that the state of the first flip-flop is shifted to the second flip-flop at the end of each time interval and the state of the second flip-flop is shifted to the third flip-flop at the end of each time interval, the first flip flop of each channel is connected to the source, the logic means couple the third flip-flop of one of the channels to the output circuit when the states of the third flip-flops of the channels agree, and the logic means couple the third flip-flop of the second channel to the output circuit when the states of the third flip-flops of the channels fail to agree while the states of the second flip-flops of the channels agree.

Claim 14

The pulse discrimination system of claim 9, in which the logic means couple the second channel to the output circuit only once following each threshold interval.

Claim 15

The pulse discrimination system of claim 10, in which the first flip-flop of the first channel changes state responsive to the coincidence of indications from a threshold detector means and a peak detector means that monitor the pulse signals and the first flip-flop of the second channel changes state responsive to the coincidence of indications from the threshold detector means and the peak detector means or the coincidence of an indication from the peak detector means and an indication from the threshold detector means that in the preceding time interval the pulse signal exceeded the threshold value.

Claim 16

The pulse discrimination system of claim 11, in which the pulses of the pulse signal representing data alternate in polarity, the threshold detector means senses positive and negative thresholds, and the peak detector means senses positive and negative peaks.