US3887871A — Variable quantity measuring devices

Claim 1

Independent Claim 190 words

A circuit arrangement for producing a reference value for the zero point of the independent variable of a nonlinear function representing the envelope of a train of oscillations, the curve of the function being such that the dependent variable of the function varies, and the peak values of the oscillations vary, regularly and unidirectionally as the independent variable varies in a given direction, the oscillation periods being equal to one another and each being a selected independent variable magnitude, and the relationship between the reference value and the zero point being determined entirely by this function curve, said arrangement comprising: measuring means for producing indications of the dependent variable values of pairs of oscillation peaks of a single envelope, the pairs of peaks being spaced apart by a selected number of oscillation periods; and comparator means connected to receive such indications and to emit a comparison signal representing the reference value when a given ratio exists between the dependent variable values of one such pair of peaks, the given ratio corresponding to a fixed number of oscillations between the zero point and one of the oscillation peaks of such pair.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 190 words

A circuit arrangement for producing a reference value for the zero point of the independent variable of a nonlinear function representing the envelope of a train of oscillations, the curve of the function being such that the dependent variable of the function varies, and the peak values of the oscillations vary, regularly and unidirectionally as the independent variable varies in a given direction, the oscillation periods being equal to one another and each being a selected independent variable magnitude, and the relationship between the reference value and the zero point being determined entirely by this function curve, said arrangement comprising: measuring means for producing indications of the dependent variable values of pairs of oscillation peaks of a single envelope, the pairs of peaks being spaced apart by a selected number of oscillation periods; and comparator means connected to receive such indications and to emit a comparison signal representing the reference value when a given ratio exists between the dependent variable values of one such pair of peaks, the given ratio corresponding to a fixed number of oscillations between the zero point and one of the oscillation peaks of such pair.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 13 words

An arrangement as defined in claim 1 wherein the independent variable is time.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 132 words

Circuit arrangement as defined in claim 1 wherein said measuring means comprises: a measurement receiver; shifting means connected to said receiver for shifting the output therefrom relative to the independent variable by an amount equal to the selected number of oscillation periods; attenuation means connected to said receiver for attenuating the dependent variable values of the receiver output by an amount related to the given ratio; and peak value detector means connected between the outputs of said shifting means and said attenuating means and inputs of said comparator means for causing such comparison signal to be emitted at the output of said comparator means when the values of the signals from said detector means indicate that the given ratio is present between the dependent variable values of such a pair of peaks.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 132 words

Circuit arrangement as defined in claim 1 wherein said measuring means comprises: a measurement receiver; shifting means connected to said receiver for shifting the output therefrom relative to the independent variable by an amount equal to the selected number of oscillation periods; attenuation means connected to said receiver for attenuating the dependent variable values of the receiver output by an amount related to the given ratio; and peak value detector means connected between the outputs of said shifting means and said attenuating means and inputs of said comparator means for causing such comparison signal to be emitted at the output of said comparator means when the values of the signals from said detector means indicate that the given ratio is present between the dependent variable values of such a pair of peaks.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 24 words

Circuit arrangement as defined in claim 3 wherein the attenuation of said attenuating means corresponds to the ratio of the two selected peak values.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 74 words

Circuit arrangement as defined in claim 3 wherein said attenuation means are arranged to produce an attenuation whose value is between that which corresponds to the given ratio and that which corresponds to the ratio between the value of that peak which belongs to the pair yielding the given ratio and which is Further from the zero point and the value of the peak which appears directly before the other oscillation of such pair.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 77 words

Circuit arrangement as defined in claim 3, further comprising zero passage detector means connected between the output of said measurement receiver and a trigger input of said comparator means, said comparator means thus being enabled when the given ratio occurs between the dependent variable values of a pair of oscillation peaks, and the resulting comparison signal being released by a signal at the trigger input upon the subsequent zero passage of the oscillations in a given direction.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 186 words

Circuit arrangement as defined in claim 3 associated with a transmission channel presenting a variable signal delay time and producing at its output, in response to a pulse at its input, a train of oscillations having a known and constant frequency, wherein the independent variable is time, the transient behavior of said measurement receiver to such train of oscillations constitutes said nonlinear function, and the input of said receiver is connected to the output of the transmission channel, said arrangement further comprising: a time measuring device having a start input and a stop input; and means applying a signal to said start input in time coincidence with the application of such a pulse to the transmission channel input; said comparator being connected to deliver said comparison signal to said stop input, and said time measuring device being arranged to indicate the difference between the interval from application of a signal to its start input and application of a signal to its stop input and the interval represented by the distance E'' of the reference value 2 from the zero point 4 of the envelope curve 5.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 54 words

Circuit arrangement as defined in claim 7 wherein said time measuring device comprises a display on which total elapsed time between signals at its start and stop inputs are indicated, the initial portion of said display being constituted by a time precursor corresponding in length to at least the duration of such distance E''.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 103 words

Circuit arrangement as defined in claim 8 further comprising zero passage detector means connected between the output of said measurement receiver and a trigger input of said comparator means, said comparator means thus being enabled when the given ratio occurs between the dependent variable values of a pair of oscillation peaks, and the resulting comparison signal being released by a signal at the trigger input upon the subsequent zero passage of the oscillations in a given direction, wherein said precursor has a length corresponding to the duration of such shift and to the time interval between enabling and releasing of the comparison signal.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 74 words

Circuit arrangement as defined in claim 7 wherein a plurality of pulses are applied to the input of the transmission channel, and further comprising a blocking circuit connected to said measurement receiver and to said comparator for blocking the production of an output from said measurement receiver, upon occurrence of a comparison signal, for the duration of the oscillations occurring at the channel output in response to a single pulse at the channel input.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 46 words

Circuit arrangement as defined in claim 10 wherein said blocking circuit has a reset input for receiving a signal which unblocks said measurement receivers, said blocking circuit being resettable by having its reset input connected to receive pulses appearing at the input of said transmission channel.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1978-06-02	1978-12-02	1979-06-03	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1982-06-02	1982-12-02	1983-06-03	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1986-06-02	1986-12-02	1987-06-03	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Variable quantity measuring devices

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