Method and apparatus for interrupting continuous pulse trains for counter readout without information loss

Abstract

Abstract A PULSE COUNTER SYSTEM FOR DETERMINING THE DIFFERENCE TALLY COUNT BETWEEN THE PULSES OF TWO CONTINUOUS TRAINS OF INCOMING PULSES WITH AN UP-DOWN COUNTER INCLUDES MEANS FOR INTERRUPTING THE FLOW OF PULSES TO THE COUNTER TO ALLOW TIME FOR THE COUNTER TO STABILIZE AND BE READ OUT, SAID MEANS ACCOUNTING FOR SAID INTERRUPTED PULSES TO AVOID LOSING INFORMATION. IN ONE INSTANCE, AN EQUAL NUMBER OF PULSES IS INTERRUPTED FROM EACH OF THE UP COUNT AND DOWN COUNT TRAINS, SO THAT NO INFORMATION IS LOST IN THE COUNTER, IN ANOTHER INSTANCE, THE INTERRUPTED PULSES ARE COUNTED IN AN AUXILIARY UP-DOWN COUNTER, THE DIFFERENCE COUNT BEING TAKEN FROM THE AUXILIARY COUNTER AND DIGITALLY ADDED INTO THE MAIN COUNTER AFTER EACH READOUT OF THE MAIN COUNTER. IN ANOTHER EMBODIMENT, THE DIFFERENCE COUNT OF THE PULSES IN THE INTERRUPTION PERIOD IS KEPT IN THE AUXILIARY COUNTER, THE OUTPUT OF THE MAIN COUNTER ND THE AUXILIARY COUNTER BEING ADDED TOGETHER DIGITALLY TO GIVE THE COUNT OUTPUT. IN ANOTHER EMBODIMENT ANTICOINCIDENCE CIRCUITRY AND GATES ARE USED FOR FEEDING THE INTERRUPTED PULSES SERIALLY BACK INTO THE MAIN COUNTER FROM THE AUXILIARY COUNTER AFTER EACH READOUT OF THE MAIN COUNTER TO ACCOMPLISH ADDITION. ALSO, TWO UP-COUNTERS PLUS A SUBTRACTION CIRCUIT MAY BE USED TO PERFORM THE FUNCTIONS OF A REVERSIBLE OR UP-DOWN COUNTER AND ANTICOINCIDENCE CIRCUITRY.

Inventors

• 👤 G Gordon

Bibliographic Details