Peak detector

Claim 2

Slope detecting apparatus, comprising: a. first means for producing an output signal proportional to the rate of change with respect to time of incoming electrical signal, and b. second means comprising a voltage comparator having a pair of input terminals, the proportional output signal from said first means being coupled across said pair of input terminals, said second means producing output pulses responsive to both positive and negative polarity changes of said proportional output signal, thereby to detect the maximum and minimum peaks of said incoming electrical signal.

Claim 3

The apparatus as described by claim 1 wherein said first means is a transformer and said voltage comparator has its pair of input terminals coupled to the secondary of said transformer.

Claim 4

Apparatus for detecting the maximum and minimum peaks of a time varying electrical signal, comprising: a. input and output terminals, b. transformer means coupled to the input terminal for producing an output voltage proportional to and having a polarity indicative of the slope of said time varying electrical signal, c. a first operational amplifier having its inverting and non-inverting terminals coupled to the secondary of said transformer means, said operational amplifier producing output pulses at said output terminal in response to changes in polarity of the said output voltage.

Claim 5

Apparatus for detecting the maximum and minimum peaks of a time varying electrical signal, comprising: a. input and output terminals, b. transformer means coupled to the input terminal for producing an output voltage proportional to and having a polarity indicative of the slope of said time varying electrical signal, c. a first operational amplifier having its inverting and non-inverting terminals coupled to the secondary of said transformer means, said operational amplifier producing output pulses at said output terminal in response to changes in polarity of the said output voltage.

Claim 6

The apparatus as described in claim 3 including means coupled to the non-inverting terminal of said operational amplifier for controlling the voltage applied across said inverting and non-inverting terminals.

Claim 7

The apparatus as described in claim 3 including a second operational amplifier connected between said input terminal and the primary of said transformer means for producing a current through said primary proportional to said time varying electrical signal.

Claim 8

The apparatus as described in claim 4 wherein said voltage controlling means comprises a pair of resistors coupled to said non-inverting terminal, one of said resistors being coupled to the output of the operational amplifier, the other of said resistors being coupled to the secondary of the transformer.

Claim 9

A slope detector comprising: a. a first operational amplifier, b. means for applying an incoming voltage signal to the inverting input of said first operational amplifier, c. a transformer with one end of the primary winding coupled to the output of said first operational amplifier, d. feedback resistor means coupling the other end of said transformer primary winding to the inverting input of said first operational amplifier, e. a load resistor coupling the junction of said feedback resistor means and said transformer primary winding to ground, said load resistor having a resistance substantially smaller than said feedback so that current flow in said feedback means is minimized and the current flow in said transformer primary varies directly proportional to said incoming voltage signal, f. a second operational amplifier having its inverting input coupled to one end of the secondary winding of said transformer and its non-inverting input coupled to the other end of the transformer secondary winding, and g. a second feedback resistor coupled from the output of said second operational amplifier to its non-inverting input.

Claim 10

A slope detector comprising: a. a first operational amplifier, b. means for applying an incoming voltage signal to the inverting input of said first operational amplifier, c. a transformer with one end of the primary winding coupled to the output of said first operational amplifier, d. feedback resistor means coupling the other end of said transformer primary winding to the inverting input of said first operational amplifier, e. a load resistor coupling the junction of said feedback resistor means and said transformer primary winding to ground, said load resistor having a resistance substantially smaller than said feedback so that current flow in said feedback means is minimized and the current flow in said transformer primary varies directly proportional to said incoming voltage signal, f. a second operational amplifier having its inverting input coupled to one end of the secondary winding of said transformer and its non-inverting input coupled to the other end of the transformer secondary winding, and g. a second feedback resistor coupled from the output of said second operational amplifier to its non-inverting input.

Claim 11

The slope detector as set forth in claim 7 further including: a. a first emitter follower transistor connected by way of a resistor between the non-inverting input of the second operational amplifier to the said one end of said transformer secondary winding, and b. a second emitter follower transistor connected by way oF another resistor between the inverting input of the second operational amplifier to the said other end of said transformer secondary winding, c. the ratio of the first mentioned resistor to the second feedback resistor controlling the point at which output pulses are produced by said second operational amplifier.

Claim 12

In a system for the reproduction of electrical signals previously recorded and stored on a magnetic storage medium, slope detector means incorporated within said reproduction system for producing signal pulses representative of the maximum and minimum peaks of said electrical signals, comprising: a. first means for producing output signals proportional to the rate of change with respect to time of said electrical signals, and b. second means comprising a voltage comparator having a pair of input terminals, the proportional output signals from said first means being coupled across said pair of input terminals, said second means producing output pulses responsive to both positive and negative polarity changes of said output proportional signals.

Claim 13

In a system for the reproduction of electrical signals previously recorded and stored on a magnetic storage medium, slope detector means incorporated within said reproduction system for producing signal pulses representative of the maximum and minimum peaks of said electrical signals, comprising: a. first means for producing output signals proportional to the rate of change with respect to time of said electrical signals, and b. second means comprising a voltage comparator having a pair of input terminals, the proportional output signals from said first means being coupled across said pair of input terminals, said second means producing output pulses responsive to both positive and negative polarity changes of said output proportional signals.

Claim 14

In a system for the reproduction of electrical signals previously recorded and stored on a magnetic storage medium, slope detector means incorporated within said reproduction system for producing signal pulses representative of the maximum and minimum peaks of said electrical signals, comprising: a. first means comprising a transformer for producing output signals proportional to the rate of change with respect to time of said electrical signals, and b. second means comprising a voltage comparator having a pair of input terminals coupled to the secondary of said transformer for producing output pulses responsive to both positive and negative polarity changes of said output proportional signals.

Claim 15

In a system for the reproduction of electrical signals previously recorded and stored on a magnetic storage medium, slope detector means incorporated within said reproduction system for producing signal pulses representative of the maximum and minimum peaks of said electrical signals, comprising: a. first means comprising a transformer for producing output signals proportional to the rate of change with respect to time of said electrical signals, and b. second means comprising a voltage comparator having a pair of input terminals coupled to the secondary of said transformer for producing output pulses responsive to both positive and negative polarity changes of said output proportional signals.

Claim 16

The apparatus as defined in claim 10 wherein said second means is an operational amplifier.

Claim 17

The apparatus as defined in claim 11 wherein said operational amplifier has inverting and non-inverting terminals, which are the said pair of input terminals, coupled to the secondary of said transformer.

Claim 18

The apparatus as described in claim 12 including means coupled to said operational amplifier for controlling the voltage applied across said inverting and non-inverting terminals.

Claim 19

The apparatus as described in claim 13 including a second operational amplifier coupled to the primary of said transformer for producing a current through said primary proportional to said electrical signals.

Claim 20

The apparatus as described in claim 13 wherein said voltage controlling means comprises a pair of resistors coupled to said non-inverting terminal, one of said resistors being coupled to the output of the operational amplifier, the other of said resistors being coupled to the secondary of the transformer.

Claim 21

Slope detecting apparatus, comprising: a. means including a transformer for producing an output signal proportional to the rate of change of amplitude with respect to time of an incoming electrical signal, and b. voltage comparator means having a pair of input terminals coupled to the secondary of said transformer for producing output pulses responsive to polarity changes of said proportional output signal, thereby to detect the maximum and minimum peaks of said incoming electrical signal.

Claim 22

Slope detecting apparatus, comprising: a. means including a transformer for producing an output signal proportional to the rate of change of amplitude with respect to time of an incoming electrical signal, and b. voltage comparator means having a pair of input terminals coupled to the secondary of said transformer for producing output pulses responsive to polarity changes of said proportional output signal, thereby to detect the maximum and minimum peaks of said incoming electrical signal.

Claim 23

Apparatus for detecting the maximum and minimum peaks of an amplitude varying electrical signal, comprising: a. first means for producing an output signal proportional to the rate of change of said amplitude with respect to time of said amplitude varying electrical signal, b. second means coupled to the input of said first means for providing a full wave representation of both the maximum and minimum peaks of said amplitude varying electrical signal; and c. third means comprising a voltage comparator having a pair of input terminals, the proportional output signal from said first means being coupled across said pair of input terminals, said third means producing outPut pulses responsive to changes in polarity of said proportional output signal in both the positive and negative direction, thereby to detect both the maximum and minimum peaks of said amplitude varying electrical signals.

Claim 24

Apparatus for detecting the maximum and minimum peaks of an amplitude varying electrical signal, comprising: a. first means for producing an output signal proportional to the rate of change of said amplitude with respect to time of said amplitude varying electrical signal, b. second means coupled to the input of said first means for providing a full wave representation of both the maximum and minimum peaks of said amplitude varying electrical signal; and c. third means comprising a voltage comparator having a pair of input terminals, the proportional output signal from said first means being coupled across said pair of input terminals, said third means producing outPut pulses responsive to changes in polarity of said proportional output signal in both the positive and negative direction, thereby to detect both the maximum and minimum peaks of said amplitude varying electrical signals.