Patent US3780274A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3780274A
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Measurement method and system
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1972-05-10
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Granted: 1973-12-18
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Expires: 1992-05-10
Abstract
Abstract Measurement system for resolving a digital measurement of an unknown analog variable in a noise spectrum in which the spectrum is greater than or less than the least significant weighted value of the digital system. The measurement method of binary approximation is employed until the measuring system indicates once that on a comparison of vote counts the ratio of the unknown analog variable to the binary approximation has a given relationship to a predetermined criteria related to the noise spectrum. Thereafter, an incremental approximation is utilized once the criteria has been initially met to carry out a comparison of the unknown analog variable with an incremented reference and within the predetermined criteria until a voting procedure indicates that the criteria has been successively met for a given number of times. While this voting procedure takes place, the values resulting from the approximations are accumulated for the given number of succesive votes. From this accumulation, the value of the unknown variable is calculated. A look-ahead procedure is also included in the system for accelerating the realization of the initial comparison with the prescribed criteria.
Inventors
- 👤 L Thompson
- 👤 G Latta
- 👤 M Thompson
- 👤 C Kugler
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 10:40
CPC Classifications
H; H03; H03M; H03M1/00; H03M1/12; H03M1/34; H03M1/38
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
182 words
A method for determining the value of an unknown analog quantity with respect to known quantity in the presence of an unwanted parameter by measurement apparatus coupled to a computing system having said known quantity, a measuring reference and a prescribed criteria related to said parameter all stored therein, comprising the steps of loading said known quantity, measuring reference and prescribed criteria and a first approximation of said unknown quantity into said measurement apparatus, performing a first set of successive comparisons between said approximation and unknown quantity with respect to said known quantity for said measuring reference until said criteria is satisfied, each such successive comparison after the first being made with a digitally modified approximation of the preceding approximation, performing a second set of successive comparisons between saiD last digitally modified approximation and unknown quantity with respect to said known quantity for a predetermined number of said measuring reference, each such successive comparison being made with a tracking modified approximation of the preceding approximation, and calculating the value of said unknown quantity from the results of said second set of comparisons.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
182 words
A method for determining the value of an unknown analog quantity with respect to known quantity in the presence of an unwanted parameter by measurement apparatus coupled to a computing system having said known quantity, a measuring reference and a prescribed criteria related to said parameter all stored therein, comprising the steps of loading said known quantity, measuring reference and prescribed criteria and a first approximation of said unknown quantity into said measurement apparatus, performing a first set of successive comparisons between said approximation and unknown quantity with respect to said known quantity for said measuring reference until said criteria is satisfied, each such successive comparison after the first being made with a digitally modified approximation of the preceding approximation, performing a second set of successive comparisons between saiD last digitally modified approximation and unknown quantity with respect to said known quantity for a predetermined number of said measuring reference, each such successive comparison being made with a tracking modified approximation of the preceding approximation, and calculating the value of said unknown quantity from the results of said second set of comparisons.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
81 words
In the method of claim 1, wherein the unknown analog quantity is a voltage which is measured at a fixed cyclically recurring time loaded into said apparatus, said measurement being made in the presence of noise and in which in said first set of comparisons a digitally modified approximation of said voltage is successively compared with said voltage until said criteria is satisfied and in which said second set of comparisons is performed by track approximating the value of said voltage.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
81 words
In the method of claim 1, wherein the unknown analog quantity is the time at which a fixed value of voltage occurs in the presence of noise, said fixed value of voltage being loaded into said apparatus and in which said first set of comparisons are performed with a digitally modified approximation of said time by successive comparisons with said time until said criteria is satisfied and in which said second set of comparisons is performed by track approximating said time.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
In the method of claim 1, wherein the first set of successive comparisons are made by binary digital approximations of said unknown quantity.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
22 words
In the method of claim 1, wherein the second set of successive comparisons are made by incremental approximations of said unknown quantity.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
74 words
In the method of claim 5 wherein said measuring reference is a vote length with each vote being the equivalent of a comparison made between the unknown analog quantity and an incremented approximation of said quantity, said vote length being achieved for a predetermined number of times and wherein said method further comprises the step of accumulating the values of all of said incremented approximations from which the value of said quantity is calculated.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
61 words
In the method of claim 1 and further comprising the steps of loading a second measuring reference into said apparatus, said second reference being related to the measuring limitations of said apparatus, and performing a third set of comparisons between said first approximation and unknown quantity prior to said first set of comparisons as long as said second reference is satisfied.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
63 words
In the method of claim 7, wherein said second reference is a look ahead value provided by said computing system for reducing the number of comparisons to be performed by shortening the time to bring said approximation within the measuring limitations of said apparatus, said look ahead value being satisfied when all of the comparisons of said third set are of one type.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3603772A
Cited
US3678501A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-12-17 | 1977-06-18 | 1977-12-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-12-17 | 1981-06-18 | 1981-12-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-12-17 | 1985-06-18 | 1985-12-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |