Electronic sampling system

Claim 1

An electronic sampling system comprising a multiplicity of samplers in parallel arrangement, each of said samplers having a signal input, a trigger input, and providing a sample output signal in response to a trigger input signal, a coaxial signal line, an input terminal for said coaxial signal line receiving a transient signal available once for sampling, each of said signal inputs being spaced along said coaxial signal line at a first predetermined time interval beginning with the first sampler connected to the signal input terminal and ending at the last sampler, a coaxial trigger line, an input terminal for said coaxial trigger line receiving a trigger signal, each of said trigger inputs being spaced along said coaxial trigger line at a second predetermined time interval beginning with said last sampler connected adjacent to the trigger input terminal and ending with said first sampler, with the trigger timing being said that the sample feed through has passed beyond the next sampler before the sample pulse begins and including means to pass said signal and trigger signals in opposite directions along said multiplicity of samplers resulting in a total sampled interval that is the sum of the electrical length of the signal and trigger lines.