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Patent US3701029A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3701029A
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US
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Axial trajectory sensor having gating means controlled by pulse duration measuring for electronic particle study apparatus and method
Assignee: Coulter Electronics Inc
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Filing: 1970-10-27
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Granted: 1972-10-24
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Expires: 1990-10-27
Abstract
Abstract A sensor for use with apparatus operating in accordance with the principles of the Coulter electronic particle studying device, for differentiating between pulses produced by particles passing on axial or nearly axial paths through an aperture and pulses produced by particles passing off center. The pulse duration is measured at some fraction of the individual pulse amplitudes and only those which meet the criteria of duration established by the electronic circuitry are permitted to pass for use in pulse height analysis apparatus following the sensor. The other pulses are discarded on the basis of their greater durations. The apparatus of the invention provides structure for deriving a duration-measuring pulse whose duration is that of the particle pulse at its fractional amplitude, converting the signal into one which has an amplitude proportional to duration, and then subjecting the latter signal to the criteria of duration established as amplitude levels to operate gating means automatically for rejecting the longer duration pulses and passing the shorter duration pulses.
Inventors
- 👤 Walter R Hogg
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 12:45
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01N; G01N15/00; G01N15/10; G01N15/1031; G01N15/12; G01N15/131; G01N15/132
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 35
Claim 1
Independent Claim
325 words
An axial trajectory sensor for use with a Coulter type particle analyzing apparatus in which particles passing through an aperture produce desirable particle pulses whose amplitudes are most nearly proportional to their respective sizes when passing closes to an axial trajectory through said aperture and having thereby a certain approximate duration, and in which particles passing through said aperture on trajectories displaced from the axis will produce other particle pulses whose amplitudes are not necessarily proportional to their respective sizes and whose durations tend to be greater than said certain approximate duration; said sensor acting to respond to said desirable particle pulses and not to respond to said other pulses and comprising: A. input terminal means and output terminal means having a channel for passage of electrical signals between the terminals with switch means in said channel to control the signals which appear at the output terminal means, the input terminal means adapted to have said desirable and other particle pulses applied thereto, B. means for measuring the duration of at least a predetermined portion of a particle pulse applied to said input terminal means at some predetermined fraction of the amplitude thereof and deriving a duration-measuring pulse of constant amplitude And having the measured duration, C. means for converting said duration-measuring pulse into an electrical quantity whose value is proportional to the time duration of said duration measuring pulse, D. means establishing an electrical effect of a standard equivalent to a maximum desired duration distinguishing between quantities produced by desireable and other pulses, E. means comparing said quantity with said standard and providing one type of energizing signal if the quantity exceeds the standard and a second type of energizing signal if the said quantity does not exceed the standard, and F. means for applying one of said energizing signals to the switch means in said channel to permit passage to said output terminal means of only electrical signals derived from desirable particle pulses.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
325 words
An axial trajectory sensor for use with a Coulter type particle analyzing apparatus in which particles passing through an aperture produce desirable particle pulses whose amplitudes are most nearly proportional to their respective sizes when passing closes to an axial trajectory through said aperture and having thereby a certain approximate duration, and in which particles passing through said aperture on trajectories displaced from the axis will produce other particle pulses whose amplitudes are not necessarily proportional to their respective sizes and whose durations tend to be greater than said certain approximate duration; said sensor acting to respond to said desirable particle pulses and not to respond to said other pulses and comprising: A. input terminal means and output terminal means having a channel for passage of electrical signals between the terminals with switch means in said channel to control the signals which appear at the output terminal means, the input terminal means adapted to have said desirable and other particle pulses applied thereto, B. means for measuring the duration of at least a predetermined portion of a particle pulse applied to said input terminal means at some predetermined fraction of the amplitude thereof and deriving a duration-measuring pulse of constant amplitude And having the measured duration, C. means for converting said duration-measuring pulse into an electrical quantity whose value is proportional to the time duration of said duration measuring pulse, D. means establishing an electrical effect of a standard equivalent to a maximum desired duration distinguishing between quantities produced by desireable and other pulses, E. means comparing said quantity with said standard and providing one type of energizing signal if the quantity exceeds the standard and a second type of energizing signal if the said quantity does not exceed the standard, and F. means for applying one of said energizing signals to the switch means in said channel to permit passage to said output terminal means of only electrical signals derived from desirable particle pulses.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
29 words
The sensor as claimed in claim 1 in which said last-mentioned derived electrical signals comprise output pulses of predetermined duration but having the respective amplitudes of desirable particle pulses.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
29 words
The sensor as claimed in claim 1 in which the means for measuring duration is operative to measure the duration of the entire particle pulse at said predetermined fraction.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
107 words
The sensor as claimed in claim 1 in which said applying means include gating means provided between said comparing means and said switch means, means connected with said gating means are provided to produce a strobing pulse from said duration-measuring pulse to energize said gating means and operate said switch means to pass any signal or part thereof which exists in said channel for the duration only of said strobing pulse, in which said first type of energizing signal inhibits operation of said gating means to prevent action of said strobing pulse on said switch means, and said second type of energizing signal enables said gating means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
93 words
The sensor as claimed in claim 1 in which said measuring means comprise circuitry to produce an electrical wave of a duration substantially longer than the duration of the particle pulse from which the same is derived and having a constant amplitude over a substantial portion of its duration which amplitude is said predetermined fraction of the amplitude of the particle pulse from which the same is derived, and means for comparing said last-mentioned particle pulse with said electrical wave during a period of time when the amplitude of said wave is constant.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
33 words
The sensor of claim 5 in which said comparing means provides an output only while said last-mentioned particle pulse exceeds said amplitude of said electrical wave and said output being said duration-measuring pulse.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
23 words
The sensor of claim 5 in which said circuitry includes a pulse stretcher and means for attenuating the output of the pulse stretcher.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
63 words
The sensor of claim 7 in which said pulse stretcher is in the said channel, produces as its output pulse a stretched wave having the amplitude of the particle pulse from which the same is derived, and passes said stretched wave to said output terminal means only to the extent permitted by said switch means and without the intervention of said attenuating means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
72 words
The axial trajectory sensor of claim 1 in which the electrical quantity into which said duration-measuring pulse is converted comprises an electrical time signal pulse and the value thereof comprises the amplitude of said electrical time signal pulse, in which the electrical effect comprises a signal level and in which the comparing means compares the time signal pulse against the signal level to obtain said first and second types of energizing signals.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
78 words
The sensor of claim 9 in which means are provided for establishing a second signal level equivalent to a minimum desired duration for said time signal pulse, and means for rendering the switch means inoperative in the event that any time signal pulse does not exceed said second signal level so that no electrical signals will be derived from any particle pulses whose duration iS insufficient to produce a time signal pulse which exceeds said minimum desired duration.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
31 words
The sensor of claim 9 in which said converting means comprise an integrator responsive to the measuring pulse and the time signal pulse is a flat-topped pulse of the ramp-and-pedestal type.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
107 words
The sensor as claimed in claim 9 in which said applying means include gating means provided between said comparing means and said switch means, means connected with said gating means are provided to produce a strobing pulse from said measuring pulse to energize said gating means and operate said switch means to pass any signal or part thereof which exits in said channel for the duration only of said strobing pulse, in which said first type of energizing signal inhibits operation of said gating means to prevent action of said strobing pulse on said switch means, and said second type of energizing signal enables said gating means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
32 words
The sensor as claimed in claim 9 in which said electrical signals derived from desirable particle pulses comprise output pulses of predetermined duration but having the respective amplitudes of desirable particle pulses.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
33 words
The sensor as claimed in claim 9 in which said means for measuring duration is operative to measure the duration of the entire particle pulse at said predetermined fraction of the amplitude thereof.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
85 words
The sensor as claimed in claim 9 in which said measuring means comprise circuitry to produce an electrical wave of a duration substantially longer than the duration of the particle pulse from which the same is derived and having a constant amplitude over a substantial portion of its duration which is said predetermined fraction of the amplitude thereof and means for comparing said last-mentioned particle pulse with said electrical wave during a period of time when the amplitude of the said electrical wave is constant.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
33 words
The sensor of claim 15 in which said comparing means provides an output only while said last-mentioned particle pulse exceeds the amplitude of said electrical wave and said output being said duration-measuring pulse.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
23 words
The sensor of claim 15 in which said circuitry includes a pulse stretcher and means for attenuating the output of said pulse stretcher.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
34 words
The sensor of claim 17 in which said pulse stretcher is in the said channel and passes said electrical wave to said output terminal means only to the extent permitted by said switch means.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
223 words
The sensor of claim 9 in which means are provided for establishing a second signal level equivalent to a minimum desired duration for said time signal pulse, said comparing means also compares said time signal pulse against said second signal level and provides a third type of energizing signal if the time signal pulse exceeds the second signal level and a fourth type of energizing signal if the time signal pulse does not exceed the second signal level, said applying means include gating means provided between said comparing means and said switch means, means connected with said gating means are provided to produce a strobing pulse from said measuring pulse to energize said gating means and operate said switch means to pass any signal or part thereof which exists in said channel for the duration only of said strobing pulse, in which said first type of energizing signal inhibits operation of said gating means to prevent action of said strobing pulse on said switch means, said second type of energizing signal enables said gating means, said third type of energizing signal enables said gating means and said fourth type of energizing signal inhibits said gating means, whereby said strobing pulse will operate said switch means when the time signal pulse does not exceed said first signal level and does exceed said second level.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
111 words
The sensor of claim 19 in which said gating means comprise a veto AND gate having a veto input and two AND inputs, one AND input is connected to said strobing pulse producing means, one AND input is connected to said comparing means to receive either of said third and fourth types of energizing signals, the third type being a logic 1 signal and the fourth type being a logic 0 signal, and the veto input is connected to said comparing means to receive either of said first and second types of energizing signals, the first type being a logic 1 signal and the second type being a logic 0 signal.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
71 words
The sensor as claimed in claim 20 in which said comparing means comprise two comparators, one of which compares said time signal pulse with said first signal level and has an output comprising either said first or second type of energizing signal, and the second of which compares said time signal pulse with said second signal level and has an output comprising either said third or fourth type of energizing signal.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
91 words
The sensor as claimed in claim 1 in which the electrical quantity into which said duration-measuring pulse is converted comprises a plurality of clock pulses and the value thereof comprises the number of pulses which can be passed for the duration of the duration-measuring pulse, in which the electrical effect comprises a preset number of pulses, and in which the comparing means compares the preset number of pulses with the number of pulses passed for the duration of the duration-measuring pulse to obtain said first and second types of energizing signals.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
107 words
The sensor as claimed in claim 22 in which said applying means include gating means provided between said comparing means and said switch means, means connected with said gating means are provided to produce a strobing pulse from said duration-measuring pulse to energize said gating means and operate said switch means to pass any signal or part thereof which exists in said channel for the duration only of said strobing pulse, in which said first type of energizing signal inhibits operation of said gating means to prevent action of said strobing pulse on said switch means, and said second type of energizing signal enables said gating means.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
32 words
The sensor as claimed in claim 22 in which said electrical signals derived from desirable particle pulses comprise output pulses of predetermined duration but having the respective amplitudes of desirable particle pulses.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
33 words
The sensor as claimed in claim 22 in which said means for measuring duration is operative to measure the duration of the entire particle pulse at said predetermined fraction of the amplitude thereof.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
85 words
The sensor as claimed in claim 22 in which said measuring means comprise circuitry to produce an electrical wave of duration substantially longer than the duration of the particle pulse from which the same is derived and having a constant amplitude over a substantial portion of its duration which is said predetermined fraction of the amplitude thereof and means for comparing said last-mentioned particle pulse with the said electrical wave during a period of time when the amplitude of the said electrical wave is constant.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
33 words
The sensor of claim 26 in which said comparing means provides an output only while said last-mentioned particle pulse exceeds the amplitude of said electrical wave and said output being said duration-measuring pulse.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
23 words
The sensor of claim 26 in which said circuitry includes a pulse stretcher and means for attenuating the output of said pulse stretcher.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
33 words
The sensor of claim 28 in which said pulse stretcher is in said channel and passes said electrical wave to said output terminal means only to the extent permitted by said switch means.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
74 words
The sensor of claim 22 in which said comparing means comprise a counter and means for presetting said counter to respond to said preset number of pulses by producing said energizing signal of said one type if the number of pulses passed by said duration-measuring pulse exceeds said preset number and producing said second type of energizing signal if the number of pulses passed by said duration-measuring pulse does not exceed said preset numbEr.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
64 words
The sensor of claim 30 in which said counter is a down counter, and each clock pulse passed by said durationmeasuring pulse decreases the count of said counter, and in which the first type of energizing signal is produced if the counter counts down to zero, and the second type of energizing signal is produced if the counter does not count down to zero.
Claim 33
Independent Claim
203 words
The method of sensing between the particle pulses caused by particles passing through a Coulter particle apparatus aperture on axis of the aperture and off the axis of the aperture, which comprises: A. measuring the duration of at least a predetermined portion of each particle pulse at a predetermined fraction of the amplitude thereof and deriving therefrom a duration-measuring pulse of constant amplitude and having a predetermined duration, B. converting the duration-measuring pulse into an electrical quantity whose value is proportional to the time duration of said duration-measuring pulse, C. establishing an electrical effect of a standard equivalent to a maximum desired duration distinguishing between quantities produced by particle pulses which pass through the aperture off the axis of the aperture and other particle pulses of shorter duration, D. comparing the said quantity with the standard to obtain an energizing signal of one type if the quantity exceeds the standard and a second type of energizing signal if the quantity does not exceed the standard, E. deriving an electrical signal from each said particle pulse, and F. blocking or passing said derived signal on the basis of whether it has produced an energizing signal of the first type or the second type, respectively.
Claim 34
Independent Claim
203 words
The method of sensing between the particle pulses caused by particles passing through a Coulter particle apparatus aperture on axis of the aperture and off the axis of the aperture, which comprises: A. measuring the duration of at least a predetermined portion of each particle pulse at a predetermined fraction of the amplitude thereof and deriving therefrom a duration-measuring pulse of constant amplitude and having a predetermined duration, B. converting the duration-measuring pulse into an electrical quantity whose value is proportional to the time duration of said duration-measuring pulse, C. establishing an electrical effect of a standard equivalent to a maximum desired duration distinguishing between quantities produced by particle pulses which pass through the aperture off the axis of the aperture and other particle pulses of shorter duration, D. comparing the said quantity with the standard to obtain an energizing signal of one type if the quantity exceeds the standard and a second type of energizing signal if the quantity does not exceed the standard, E. deriving an electrical signal from each said particle pulse, and F. blocking or passing said derived signal on the basis of whether it has produced an energizing signal of the first type or the second type, respectively.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
73 words
The method as claimed in claim 32 in which the electrical quantity into which said duration-measuring pulse is converted comprises an electrical time signal pulse and the value thereof comprises the amplitude of said electrical time signal pulse, in which the electrical effect comprises a signal level and in which said comparing step compares the time signal pulse against the signal level to obtain the said first and second types of energizing signals.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-10-24 | 1976-04-24 | 1976-10-24 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-10-24 | 1980-04-24 | 1980-10-24 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-10-24 | 1984-04-24 | 1984-10-24 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |