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US3881101A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Correlator method and system for identifying sequences of pulses

Assignee: Texas Instruments Inc
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Filing: 1974-01-04
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Granted: 1975-04-29
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Expires: 1994-01-04
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Abstract

Abstract The specification discloses a correlator for identifying sequences of pulses which includes a random access memory having a plurality of parallel storage cells for storing pulse correlation data. A clock generates periodic clock signals and a pointer sequentially addresses the storage cells in dependence upon the clock signals. A register is provided to receive the pulse correlation data stored in each cell when the cell is being addressed by the pointer. A counter is operable to count for a predetermined correlation window interval upon the detection of correlation data within a storage cell being addressed by the pointer. Circuitry is provided for detecting the reception of an incoming pulse during the window interval to indicate a pulse correlation. Circuitry is provided to increment the correlation data stored within the register upon detection of a pulse correlation. Circuitry is also provided for controlling the register to transfer the incremented pulse correlation data into the storage cell being addressed at the time of the pulse correlation.

Inventors

  • 👤 Kenneth C Pederson
  • 👤 Marshall W Jobe
  • 👤 Terry R Stanhope

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-24 12:04
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01S; G01S7/00; G01S7/02; G01S7/021

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 41
Claim 1
Independent Claim 92 words
A correlator for identifying sequences of pulses comprising: means having a plurality of storage cells for storing representations of pulse occurrences, means for sequentially addressing said cells at a predetermined rate, means for initiating a predetermined correlation window interval upon the detection of a pulse occurrence representation in a cell being addressed, means for detecting the occurrence of a pulse during said window interval to indicate a pulse correlation, and means for storing representations of said pulse correlation in the storage cell presently being addressed at the time of the pulse correlation.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 92 words
A correlator for identifying sequences of pulses comprising: means having a plurality of storage cells for storing representations of pulse occurrences, means for sequentially addressing said cells at a predetermined rate, means for initiating a predetermined correlation window interval upon the detection of a pulse occurrence representation in a cell being addressed, means for detecting the occurrence of a pulse during said window interval to indicate a pulse correlation, and means for storing representations of said pulse correlation in the storage cell presently being addressed at the time of the pulse correlation.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 26 words
The correlator of claim 1 and further comprising: means for varying the number of said storage cells in order to detect a predetermined pulse repetition interval.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 27 words
The correlator of claim 1 and further comprising: means for varying said predetermined rate for addressing said cells in order to detect a specified pulse repetition interval.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 23 words
The correlator of claim 1 and further comprising: means for varying said correlation window interval in order to detect a predetermined signal bandwidth.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 19 words
The correlator of claim 1 wherein said means having a plurality of storage cells comprises a variable delay line.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 19 words
The correlator of claim 1 wherein said means having a plurality of storate cells comprises a random access memory.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 26 words
The correlator of claim 1 and further comprising: means for decrementing said representations of pulse occurrences if a pulse does not occur during said window interval.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 41 words
The correlator of claim 1 wherein said means for sequentially addressing comprises: means for temporarily storing the contents of the cell being addressed during said window interval, and means for incrementing said temporarily stored contents in case of a pulse correlation.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 75 words
A correlator for identifying sequences of pulses comprising: a random access memory having a plurality of parallel storage cells for storing representations of past pulse data, means for varying the number of said parallel storage cells utilized for storing in order to detect a specified pulse repetition interval, means for sequentially addressing said storage cells, and means for detecting the correlation between received pulses and stored representations of past pulse data in said storage cells.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 75 words
A correlator for identifying sequences of pulses comprising: a random access memory having a plurality of parallel storage cells for storing representations of past pulse data, means for varying the number of said parallel storage cells utilized for storing in order to detect a specified pulse repetition interval, means for sequentially addressing said storage cells, and means for detecting the correlation between received pulses and stored representations of past pulse data in said storage cells.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 27 words
The correlator of claim 9 wherein said storage cells include a bit address for receiving a tracking bit to provide tracking of a desired sequence of pulses.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 26 words
The correlator of claim 9 and further comprising: means for initiating a predetermined correlation window interval upon the detection of stored representations of past pulse data.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 27 words
The correlator of claim 9 and further comprising: means for storing indications of a correlation in the storage cell being addressed at the time of the correlation.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 99 words
A correlator for identifying periodic sequences of pulses comprising: memory having a plurality of cells for storing representations of correlated pulses, means for controlling the number of said cells used to store said representations, pointer means for sequentially addressing said cells, means for controlling the rate at which said pointer means addresses said cells, counter means operable to count to an interval representative of a desired correlation window, means for detecting the occurrence of a pulse during said interval to indicate a pulse correlation, and means for generating representations of said correlated pulses for storage in said memory means.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 99 words
A correlator for identifying periodic sequences of pulses comprising: memory having a plurality of cells for storing representations of correlated pulses, means for controlling the number of said cells used to store said representations, pointer means for sequentially addressing said cells, means for controlling the rate at which said pointer means addresses said cells, counter means operable to count to an interval representative of a desired correlation window, means for detecting the occurrence of a pulse during said interval to indicate a pulse correlation, and means for generating representations of said correlated pulses for storage in said memory means.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 14 words
The correlator of claim 13 wherein said memory means comprises a random access memory.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 34 words
The correlator of claim 13 wherein said means for controlling the number of said cells and said means for controlling the rate are chosen such that said correlator detects a predetermined pulse repetition interval.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 39 words
The correlator of claim 13 wherein said means for controlling thE number of said cells comprises a register having a prescribed number set therein, and comparator means for comparing the position of said pointer means with said prescribed number.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 23 words
The correlator of claim 13 wherein said means for controlling the rate comprises: a programmable clock having means to vary the frequency thereof.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 29 words
The correlator of claim 13 and further comprising: means for varying said interval representative of a desired correlation window in order to specify the bandwidth detected by said correlator.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 34 words
The correlator of claim 13 wherein said representations of said correlated pulses are stored in said memory means at the cell being addressed by said pointer means at the time of said pulse correlation.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim 29 words
The correlator of claim 13 and further comprising: means for varying said representations of correlated pulses stored within said cells when a pulse does not occur during said interval.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim 24 words
The correlator of claim 20 wherein said representations of correlated pulses are decremented by one when a pulse does not occur during said interval.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim 24 words
The correlator of claim 20 wherein said representations of correlated pulses are erased from storage if a pulse does not occur during said interval.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim 159 words
A correlator for identifying sequences of radar transmitter pulses comprising: means for receiving said pulses, a random access memory having a plurality of storage cells for storing pulse correlation data, a clock generating periodic clock signals, a pointer for sequentially addressing said cells in dependence upon said clock signals, a register for receiving the pulse correlation data stored in each cell when said cell is being addressed by said pointer, a counter operable to count for a predetermined window interval upon the detection of correlation data within a storage cell being addressed by said pointer, circuitry for detecting the reception of a pulse by said receiving means during said window interval to indicate a pulse correlation, circuitry for incrementing the pulse correlation data stored within said register upon detection of a pulse correlation, and circuitry for controlling said register to transfer the incremented pulse correlation data into the storage cell being addressed at the time of said pulse correlation.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim 159 words
A correlator for identifying sequences of radar transmitter pulses comprising: means for receiving said pulses, a random access memory having a plurality of storage cells for storing pulse correlation data, a clock generating periodic clock signals, a pointer for sequentially addressing said cells in dependence upon said clock signals, a register for receiving the pulse correlation data stored in each cell when said cell is being addressed by said pointer, a counter operable to count for a predetermined window interval upon the detection of correlation data within a storage cell being addressed by said pointer, circuitry for detecting the reception of a pulse by said receiving means during said window interval to indicate a pulse correlation, circuitry for incrementing the pulse correlation data stored within said register upon detection of a pulse correlation, and circuitry for controlling said register to transfer the incremented pulse correlation data into the storage cell being addressed at the time of said pulse correlation.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim 17 words
The correlator of claim 23 wherein said means for receiving comprises: a flipflop for storing said pulses,
Claim 29
Dependent Claim 31 words
The correlator of claim 23 and further comprising: means for varying the number of storage cells in said random access memory such that said correlator detects a predetermined pulse repetition interval.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim 28 words
The correlator of claim 23 and further comprising: means for varying the length of said predetermined window interval in order to specify the bandwidth detected by the system.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim 27 words
The correlator of claim 23 wherein the frequency of said periodic clock signals is varied in order to determine the pulse repetition interval detected by said correlator.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim 31 words
The correlator of claim 23 and further comprising: circuitry for decrementing the pulse correlation data stored within said register if a pulse correlation is not detected during said predetermined window interval.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim 30 words
The correlator of claim 23 and further comprising: circuitry for erasing the pulse correlation data stored within said register if a pulse correlation is not detected during said window interval.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim 53 words
The correlator of claim 23 and further comprising: means for varying the pulse correlation data stored within said register and for reinitiating the start of said predetermined window interval if pulse correlation data detected in a subsequent cell is equal to or greater than the pulse correlation data presently stored within said register.
Claim 35
Independent Claim 85 words
A method of identifying sequences of pulses in a correlation comprising: storing representations of pulse occurrences in a plurality of storage cells, sequenTially addressing the storage cells at a predetermined rate, initiating a predetermined correlation window interval upon the detection of a pulse occurrence representation in a cell being addressed, detecting the occurrence of a pulse during the window interval to indicate a pulse correlation, and storing representations of the pulse correlation in the storage cell being addressed at the time of the pulse correlation.
Claim 36
Independent Claim 85 words
A method of identifying sequences of pulses in a correlation comprising: storing representations of pulse occurrences in a plurality of storage cells, sequenTially addressing the storage cells at a predetermined rate, initiating a predetermined correlation window interval upon the detection of a pulse occurrence representation in a cell being addressed, detecting the occurrence of a pulse during the window interval to indicate a pulse correlation, and storing representations of the pulse correlation in the storage cell being addressed at the time of the pulse correlation.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim 24 words
The method of claim 31 and further comprising: varying the number of said storage cells in order to identify a predetermined pulse repetition interval.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim 21 words
The method of claim 31 and further comprising: varying said predetermined rate in order to identify a predetermined pulse repetition interval.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim 23 words
The method of claim 31 and further comprising: varying the length of said correlation window interval in order to identify a predetermined bandwidth.
Claim 40
Independent Claim 141 words
A method for identifying sequences of radar transmitter pulses in a correlator comprising: receiving said pulses, storing representations of the occurrence of said pulses in a random access memory having a plurality of storage cells, generating a periodic clock signal, sequentially addressing the storage cells in dependence upon the clock signal, temporarily storing in a register the representations of pulse occurrences stored in a cell when the cell is being addressed, initiating a predetermined window interval count upon the detection of representations of pulse occurrences within a storage cell being addressed, detecting the reception of an incoming pulse during the window interval count to indicate a pulse correlation, incrementing the representations of the temporarily stored pulse occurrences upon detection of the pulse correlation, and transferring the incremented representations into the storage cell being addressed at the time of the pulse correlation.
Claim 41
Independent Claim 141 words
A method for identifying sequences of radar transmitter pulses in a correlator comprising: receiving said pulses, storing representations of the occurrence of said pulses in a random access memory having a plurality of storage cells, generating a periodic clock signal, sequentially addressing the storage cells in dependence upon the clock signal, temporarily storing in a register the representations of pulse occurrences stored in a cell when the cell is being addressed, initiating a predetermined window interval count upon the detection of representations of pulse occurrences within a storage cell being addressed, detecting the reception of an incoming pulse during the window interval count to indicate a pulse correlation, incrementing the representations of the temporarily stored pulse occurrences upon detection of the pulse correlation, and transferring the incremented representations into the storage cell being addressed at the time of the pulse correlation.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3351939A Cited
US3446949A Cited
US3598979A Cited
US3631490A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1978-04-28 1978-10-28 1979-04-29 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1982-04-28 1982-10-28 1983-04-29 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1986-04-28 1986-10-28 1987-04-29 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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