Method of and apparatus for conditioning signals

Claim 3

The method as defined in claim 1 which further includes increasing the value of said stored change limit in steps of predetermined amounts as corresponding changes in the same direction are detected.

Claim 4

The method as defined in claim 1 which further includes a. comparing the present stored change limit value with a presently detected magnitude of change between successive signals, b. increasing the value of the stored change limit for a succeeding signal if the presently detected magnitude of change is greater than the presently stored value, and c. decreasing the value of the stored change limit for a succeeding signal if the presently detected magnitude of change is less than the presently stored value.

Claim 5

A method as defined in claim 3 which further includes the step of providing a minimum value below which th stored change limit cannot be reduced.

Claim 6

A method as defined in claim 3 which further includes the step of providing a maximum value above which the stored change limit cannot be increased.

Claim 7

The method as defined in claim 3 in which the value of said stored change limit is increased and decreased arithmetically.

Claim 8

The method as defined in claim 3 in which the value of said stored change limit is increased and decreased geometrically.

Claim 11

A method as defined in claim 8 which further includes the steps of comparing the present limit step with the corresponding present change, increasing said present limit if the corresponding change is larger, and decreasing the present limit if the corresponding change is smaller,

Claim 12

A method as defined in claim 9 in which is included the further steps of comparing said present limit with said minimum limit if said corresponding change is smaller than said present limit, decreasing said present limit if said present limit is larger than said minimum limit, and using said minimum limit as the next limit to be applied if said present limit does not exceed said minimum limit.

Claim 13

A method as defined in claim 8 which further includes the step of comparing a corresponding change with said minimum limit, increasing said minimum limit if said corresponding change exceeds said minimum limit, and using said minimum limit as the next limit if said corresponding change does not exceed said minimum limit.

Claim 14

A method as defined in claim 8 which further includes the step of applying said minimum limit a plurality of times to successive changes in one direction Of said electrical signal before increasing said minimum limit amount in said predetermined steps.

Claim 15

A method as defined in claim 8 which further includes the step of providing a maximum limit which may not be exceeded.

Claim 16

A method as defined in claim 8 which further includes the step of increasing said minimum limit amount in first predetermined steps for an increasing electrical signal and in second predetermined steps which differ from said first steps for a decreasing electrical signal.

Claim 19

A method as defined in claim 15 which further includes the step of comparing the present limit with the amount of change at each measurement, increasing said present limit if said change is larger, and decreasing said present limit if said change is smaller.

Claim 20

Automatic computing apparatus comprising means for receiving an input signal, output means for delivering a filtered resultant signal, means responsive only to said input signal means for detecting successive changes in said input signal in one direction, means responsive to said change detecting means for limiting said changes passed to said output means to predetermined small amounts initially, and means responsive to said change detecting means for increasing the change limit of said change limiting means in response to sustained successive changes in said input signal in said one direction.

Claim 21

Automatic computing apparatus comprising means for receiving an input signal, output means for delivering a filtered resultant signal, means responsive only to said input signal means for detecting successive changes in said input signal in one direction, means responsive to said change detecting means for limiting said changes passed to said output means to predetermined small amounts initially, and means responsive to said change detecting means for increasing the change limit of said change limiting means in response to sustained successive changes in said input signal in said one direction.

Claim 22

Apparatus for reducing transients and other noise in a signal comprising means for receiving an input signal, output means, gating means connecting said input and output means, means for comparing the magnitude of successive input signals received at said input means, and means responsive to said comparing means for setting a predetermined limit on the magnitude of change of said input signal passed by said gating means to said output means, said limit setting means increasing the magnitude of the limit set in response to a continuing change in the same direction of successive input signals detected by said comparing means.

Claim 23

Apparatus for reducing transients and other noise in a signal comprising means for receiving an input signal, output means, gating means connecting said input and output means, means for comparing the magnitude of successive input signals received at said input means, and means responsive to said comparing means for setting a predetermined limit on the magnitude of change of said input signal passed by said gating means to said output means, said limit setting means increasing the magnitude of the limit set in response to a continuing change in the same direction of successive input signals detected by said comparing means.

Claim 24

Apparatus for reducing transients and other noise in a signal comparing means for receiving a raw input signal, means responsive to said receiving means for measuring a change in said input signal, first means responsive to said input signal change measuring means for comparing said input signal change to a predetermied present change limit, means responsive to said first comparing means for passing said raw input signal when said measured input signal change is less than said present change limit, means responsive to said first comparing means for passing said input signal up to said present change limit and for increasing said present change limit to a second predetermined value for future comparison when said input signal change exceeds said present change limit, means responsive to said receiving means for detecting the direction of change of said input signal, means responsive to said direction detecting means for limiting the change in said input signal to a predetermined minimum change limit when said input signal changes direction, and second means responsive to said first comparison means for comparing said present change limit to said minimum change limit when said input signal change is less than said present change limit and for reducing said present change limit to another predetermined value not less than said minimum change limit for future comparison.

Claim 25

Apparatus for reducing transients and other noise in a signal comparing means for receiving a raw input signal, means responsive to said receiving means for measuring a change in said input signal, first means responsive to said input signal change measuring means for comparing said input signal change to a predetermied present change limit, means responsive to said first comparing means for passing said raw input signal when said measured input signal change is less than said present change limit, means responsive to said first comparing means for passing said input signal up to said present change limit and for increasing said present change limit to a second predetermined value for future comparison when said input signal change exceeds said present change limit, means responsive to said receiving means for detecting the direction of change of said input signal, means responsive to said direction detecting means for limiting the change in said input signal to a predetermined minimum change limit when said input signal changes direction, and second means responsive to said first comparison means for comparing said present change limit to said minimum change limit when said input signal change is less than said present change limit and for reducing said present change limit to another predetermined value not less than said minimum change limit for future comparison.

Claim 26

Apparatus for reducing transients and other noise in a signal comprising means for receiving a raw input signal, output means for delivering a filtered resultaNt signal, means connected to said receiving means for successively sampling said raw input signal and for measuring the magnitude of input signal change of successive samples, means connected to said receiving means for detecting and comparing the direction of input signal change of successive samples and providing a first signal in response to successive input signal changes in the same direction and a second signal in response to different directions of input signal change, first means responsive to said second signal for comparing the magnitude of an input signal change with a predetermined minimum change limit and providing a third signal in response to a magnitude of input signal change in excess of said minimum change limit and a fourth signal in response to a magnitude of input signal change less than said minimum change limit, means responsive to said third signal for passing said raw input signal up to said minimum change limit to said output means and for setting a predetermined increased present change limit for future comparison, second means responsive to said first signal for comparing the magnitude of an input signal change with said predetermined present change limit and providing a fifth signal in response to an input signal change magnitude in excess of said present change limit and a sixth signal in response to a magnitude of input signal change less than said present change limit, means responsive to said fifth signal for passing the raw input signal up to the present change limit to said output means and for increasing said present change limit to a predetermined larger value for future comparison, third means responsive to said sixth signal for comparing said present change limit to said minimum change limit and for reducing said present change limit to a predetermined lower value not less than said minimum change limit if said present change limit exceeds said minimum change limit, and means responsive to any one of said fourth signal, sixth signal, and to no input signal change in successive samples for passing a raw input signal to said output means.

Claim 27

Apparatus for reducing transients and other noise in a signal comprising means for receiving a raw input signal, output means for delivering a filtered resultaNt signal, means connected to said receiving means for successively sampling said raw input signal and for measuring the magnitude of input signal change of successive samples, means connected to said receiving means for detecting and comparing the direction of input signal change of successive samples and providing a first signal in response to successive input signal changes in the same direction and a second signal in response to different directions of input signal change, first means responsive to said second signal for comparing the magnitude of an input signal change with a predetermined minimum change limit and providing a third signal in response to a magnitude of input signal change in excess of said minimum change limit and a fourth signal in response to a magnitude of input signal change less than said minimum change limit, means responsive to said third signal for passing said raw input signal up to said minimum change limit to said output means and for setting a predetermined increased present change limit for future comparison, second means responsive to said first signal for comparing the magnitude of an input signal change with said predetermined present change limit and providing a fifth signal in response to an input signal change magnitude in excess of said present change limit and a sixth signal in response to a magnitude of input signal change less than said present change limit, means responsive to said fifth signal for passing the raw input signal up to the present change limit to said output means and for increasing said present change limit to a predetermined larger value for future comparison, third means responsive to said sixth signal for comparing said present change limit to said minimum change limit and for reducing said present change limit to a predetermined lower value not less than said minimum change limit if said present change limit exceeds said minimum change limit, and means responsive to any one of said fourth signal, sixth signal, and to no input signal change in successive samples for passing a raw input signal to said output means.

Claim 28

Apparatus as defined in claim 20 which further includes means responsive to said detecting and comparing means for applying said minimum change limit a plurality of times to successive input signal changes in the same direction of said raw input signal before increasing the change limit.

Claim 29

Apparatus as defined in claim 20 which further includes means responsive to a plurality of successive input signal changes in the same direction which exceed said minimum change limit for applying said minimum change limit a plurality of times to said input signal.

Claim 30

Apparatus as defined in claim 20 which further includes means for setting a maximum change limit to be applied to said input signal.

Claim 31

Apparatus as defined in claim 20 in which said change limit is increased geometrically.

Claim 32

Apparatus as defined in claim 20 in which said change limit is increased arithmetically.

Claim 33

Apparatus as defined in claim 20 in which said change limit is increased at a first rate for increasing input signals and at a second rate for decreasing input signals.