Patent US3653014A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3653014A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Signal variation enhancement system
Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp
•
Filing: 1969-12-24
•
Granted: 1972-03-28
•
Expires: 1989-12-24
Abstract
Abstract Apparatus is disclosed for enhancing small signal information level variations detected by an array of sensors. The sensors convert detected energy, such as light, to a form suitable for processing, e.g., representative electrical signals. The signals are sequentially sampled according to a predetermined sequence of scanning of the sensing element array, and are processed in parallel channels on a synchronized element-by-element basis to detect variations in sample levels. The detected variations are converted to logarithmic form to emphasize small signal variations from element to element.
Inventors
- 👤 William F List
- 👤 Roland A Anders
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 20:28
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01S; G01S7/00; G01S7/48; G01S7/491; G01S7/493; H; H03; H03K; H03K5/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
133 words
Apparatus for enhancing small signal level variations occurring relative to background levels, said apparatus comprising: an array of sensing elements responsive to energy of a form which may consist of both information and environmental background, for generating electrical signals functionally related to the respective levels of incident energy, means for generating a train of timing pulses, means responsive to said timing pulses for sequentially sampling the signals generated by the sensing elements of said array, parallel channel means responsive, in accordance with said timing pulses, to adjacent signal samples appearing in said sequence for detecting difference in level of said adjacent samples, and means responsive to the detected difference in level of said samples for conversion of the level variations to logarithmic form to emphasize small signal variations relative to large signal variations.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
133 words
Apparatus for enhancing small signal level variations occurring relative to background levels, said apparatus comprising: an array of sensing elements responsive to energy of a form which may consist of both information and environmental background, for generating electrical signals functionally related to the respective levels of incident energy, means for generating a train of timing pulses, means responsive to said timing pulses for sequentially sampling the signals generated by the sensing elements of said array, parallel channel means responsive, in accordance with said timing pulses, to adjacent signal samples appearing in said sequence for detecting difference in level of said adjacent samples, and means responsive to the detected difference in level of said samples for conversion of the level variations to logarithmic form to emphasize small signal variations relative to large signal variations.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
120 words
The invention according to claim 1 wherein said parallel channel means includes: a first channel and a second channel connected for parallel processing of said signal samples, each of said channels including means for retaining the level of a signal sample applied thereto, over an interval of time from application of that sample to application of the next sample to said retaining means, and switch means, responsive when energized, for selectively applying samples to said retaining means; and means coupled to said first and second channels and rEsponsive to said timing pulses for alternately energizing said switch means in both of said channels so that samples in said sequence are applied alternately to the retaining means of the two channels.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
43 words
The invention according to claim 2 wherein said parallel channel means further includes means responsive to the levels present in the retaining means of both channels during each said interval for deriving the difference therebetween as a measure of said variations in level.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
50 words
The invention according to claim 3 wherein said logarithmic conversion means includes means responsive to said difference in level during each said interval, for deriving the absolute value of said difference and the sense of the difference, and logarithmic amplifier means responsive to said absolute value for logarithmic amplification thereof.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
65 words
The invention according to claim 4 further including means, comprising means responsive to successive representations of logarithmic absolute values of said level differences for summation thereof in accordance with the sense of the respective differences, and means responsive to the summation of said successive logarithmic representations at intervals consonant with said timing pulses for referencing the summations at those intervals to a preselected datum level.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
159 words
A system for extracting information from a train of pulses, comprising a pair of channels connected for parallel reception of pulses in said train, means synchronized with the timing of the pulses in said train for selectively completing a circuit path in each of said channels in alternation, for alternating passage of pulses in said train therethrough, each said channel including means for sensing energy in a pulse applied thereto and for retaining a signal level representative of that energy, means responsive to signal levels stored by said retaining means in both channels for detecting the difference in levels therebetween at intervals based on said timing of said pulses, means responsive to each difference in level detected by said detecting means for conversion of each difference level to a representative logarithmic value, and means for accumulating said conversion values in accordance with said timing of said pulses, as an indication of the information content in said train of pulses.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
159 words
A system for extracting information from a train of pulses, comprising a pair of channels connected for parallel reception of pulses in said train, means synchronized with the timing of the pulses in said train for selectively completing a circuit path in each of said channels in alternation, for alternating passage of pulses in said train therethrough, each said channel including means for sensing energy in a pulse applied thereto and for retaining a signal level representative of that energy, means responsive to signal levels stored by said retaining means in both channels for detecting the difference in levels therebetween at intervals based on said timing of said pulses, means responsive to each difference in level detected by said detecting means for conversion of each difference level to a representative logarithmic value, and means for accumulating said conversion values in accordance with said timing of said pulses, as an indication of the information content in said train of pulses.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
91 words
The system of claim 6 wherein said circuit path completing means completes circuit paths in a pair of channels to pass a first pulse in said train to one of said channels of said pair and the next consecutive pulse to the other channel of said pair, so that alternate ones of said pulses in said train are applied to said retaining means in said one channel and every other pulse is supplied to said retaining means in said other channel, in accordance with the order of occurrence in said train.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
48 words
The system of claim 7 wherein said accumulating means comprises means for adding the logarithmic representations generated by said conversion means, at intervals based on said timing of said pulses, and further including means for referencing the added logarithmic representations at said intervals, to a predetermined datum level.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
40 words
The system of claim 6 wherein is further provided an array of photosensors responsive to incident light to generate electrical signals respectively representative thereof, and means for sequentially scanning the outputs of said photosensors to produce said train of pulses.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3473131A
Cited
US3462547A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-03-28 | 1975-09-27 | 1976-03-28 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-03-28 | 1979-09-27 | 1980-03-28 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-03-28 | 1983-09-27 | 1984-03-28 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |