Information detection apparatus having a digital tracking oscillator

Claim 2

Information detection apparatus comprising: A. means for receiving a plurality of first signals representative of said information and clock signals provided with said information; B. control means for providing a second signal; C. oscillator means, responsive to said second signal, for generating a plurality of third signals having a frequency determined by the value of said second signal; D. comparator means for determining the frequency relationship between said plurality of first signals and said plurality of third signals; E. means, including said control means and responsive to said comparator means, for changing the value of said second signal and thereby change the value of the frequency of said plurality of third signals to more closely correspond to a predetermined fraction of the frequency of said plurality of first signals; and F. means, responsive to said plurality of third signals, for providing a fourth signal and a fifth signal between which one of said plurality of first signals may be detected.

Claim 3

Apparatus as in claim 1 further comprising averager means, coupled with said comparator means and said means for changing, for changing the value of said second signal only after the occurrence of a predetermined relationship between said frequency of said plurality of third signals and said predetermined fraction of the frequency of said plurality of first signals.

Claim 4

means for calculating an effective frequency as indicated by the time period between the last one of said predetermined number of initial ones of said first signals and the next succeeding one of said first signals generated by said means for generating; and B. means for coupling said calculated effected frequency to said means for generating said second signal so that said last-mentioned means operates to generate an initial second signal.

Claim 5

means for calculating an effective frequency as indicated by the time period between the last one of said predetermined number of initial ones of said first signals and the next succeeding one of said first signals generated by said means for generating; and B. means for coupling said calculated effected frequency to said means for generating said second signal so that said last-mentioned means operates to generate an initial second signal.

Claim 6

means for calculating an effective frequency as indicated by the time period between the last one of said predetermined number of initial ones of said first signals and the next succeeding one of said first signals by said means for generating; and B. means for coupling said calculated effective frequency to said means for generating said second signal so that said last-mentioned means operates to generate an initial second signal.

Claim 7

means for calculating an effective frequency as indicated by the time period between the last one of said predetermined number of initial ones of said first signals and the next succeeding one of said first signals by said means for generating; and B. means for coupling said calculated effective frequency to said means for generating said second signal so that said last-mentioned means operates to generate an initial second signal.

Claim 8

Apparatus as in claim 2 wherein said predetermined relationship corresponds to a condition wherein the value of said predetermined fraction is greater or less than the value of the frequency of said plurality of third signals a given number of times more than said last-mentioned value is respectively greater or less than the value of said predetermined fraction.

Claim 9

Apparatus for detecting information comprising: A. means for generating a first signal in response to each occurrence of said information, said information including data signals and clock signals; B. frequency control means for generating a second signal; C. variable frequency oscillator means, responsive to said first signal and said second signal, for generating a plurality of third signals having a frequency determined by the value of said second signal; D. means for sensing the frequency relationship between a representative value of the frequency of occurrence of said information and the frequency of said third signals; E. means, responsive to said means for sensing, for averaging said frequency relationship, said means for averaging operative to provide a fourth signal when said frequency of said third signals is greater or less than said representative value a given number of times more than said last-mentioned frequency is respectively less or greater than said representative value; wherein F. said frequency control means is responsive to said fourth signal for changing the value of said signal signal so that the frequency of said third signals more closely corresponds to said representative value of the frequency of occurrence of said information; and G. decodeR means, coupled to receive said third signals, for generating a fifth signal, during which fifth signal said information may be detected.

Claim 10

Apparatus for detecting information comprising: A. means for generating a first signal in response to each occurrence of said information, said information including data signals and clock signals; B. frequency control means for generating a second signal; C. variable frequency oscillator means, responsive to said first signal and said second signal, for generating a plurality of third signals having a frequency determined by the value of said second signal; D. means for sensing the frequency relationship between a representative value of the frequency of occurrence of said information and the frequency of said third signals; E. means, responsive to said means for sensing, for averaging said frequency relationship, said means for averaging operative to provide a fourth signal when said frequency of said third signals is greater or less than said representative value a given number of times more than said last-mentioned frequency is respectively less or greater than said representative value; wherein F. said frequency control means is responsive to said fourth signal for changing the value of said signal signal so that the frequency of said third signals more closely corresponds to said representative value of the frequency of occurrence of said information; and G. decodeR means, coupled to receive said third signals, for generating a fifth signal, during which fifth signal said information may be detected.

Claim 11

Apparatus as in claim 4 wherein said oscillator means comprises: A. switch means responsive to said first signal; B. selector means, having a plurality of inputs and an output, and responsive to said second signal for coupling one of said plurality of inputs to said output; C. delay means coupled between one output of said switch means and having a plurality of outputs coupled to respective ones of said inputs of said selector means, said outputs of said delay means provided to produce predetermined delay times; wherein D. said output of said selector means is coupled with said switch means to generate said third signals in response to said first signal at a frequency determined by the delay time associated with the coupled one of said selector means inputs to said selector means output.

Claim 12

Apparatus as in claim 4 wherein said means for sensing comprises: A. a first counter means having an output at a predetermined value, said first counter means coupled to have said predetermined value changed by said third signals; and B. bistable means, coupled to receive a most significant indication of said predetermined value as changed by said first counter means and further coupled to receive said first signal, said bistable means operative to indicate in response to said indication and said predetermined value whether the frequency of said third signals is greater or less than a frequency indicated by said first signals.

Claim 13

Apparatus as in claim 5 further comprising: A. initial speed calculator means comprising

Claim 14

Information detection apparatus comprising: A. means for generating a first signal in response to each occurrence of said information, said information including data signals and clock signals; B. oscillator means, having an enable input and a frequency select input, said enable input coupled to receive said first signal, said first signal enabling said oscillator means to generate a plurality of third signals, said select input coupled to receive a second signal, said second signal coupled to select the frequency of said third signals; C. a first counter coupled to be preset with a predetermined value in response to each one of said first signal, said first counter coupled to have said predetermined value changed in response to said third signals; D. comparator means, coupled to receive said first signals and an indication of said predetermined value as changed by said first counter in response to said third signals, for indicating whether the frequency of said third signals is greater or less than a proportion of the frequency of said first signals; E. means for averaging the indication from said comparator means for generating a fourth signal in response to a predetermined condition of said indications; F. a second counter for providing said second signal; wherein G. said second counter is responsive to said fourth signal for updating the value of said second signal as provided by said second counter in correspondence with the frequency relationship indicated by said comparator means; and H. means, responsive to said predetermined value as may be changed by said first counter in response to said third signAls, for generating a fifth signal during which said information may be detected.

Claim 15

Information detection apparatus comprising: A. means for generating a first signal in response to each occurrence of said information, said information including data signals and clock signals; B. oscillator means, having an enable input and a frequency select input, said enable input coupled to receive said first signal, said first signal enabling said oscillator means to generate a plurality of third signals, said select input coupled to receive a second signal, said second signal coupled to select the frequency of said third signals; C. a first counter coupled to be preset with a predetermined value in response to each one of said first signal, said first counter coupled to have said predetermined value changed in response to said third signals; D. comparator means, coupled to receive said first signals and an indication of said predetermined value as changed by said first counter in response to said third signals, for indicating whether the frequency of said third signals is greater or less than a proportion of the frequency of said first signals; E. means for averaging the indication from said comparator means for generating a fourth signal in response to a predetermined condition of said indications; F. a second counter for providing said second signal; wherein G. said second counter is responsive to said fourth signal for updating the value of said second signal as provided by said second counter in correspondence with the frequency relationship indicated by said comparator means; and H. means, responsive to said predetermined value as may be changed by said first counter in response to said third signAls, for generating a fifth signal during which said information may be detected.

Claim 16

Apparatus as in claim 8 wherein said oscillator means comprises: A. switch means responsive to said first signal; B. selector means, having a plurality of inputs and an output, and responsive to said second signal for coupling one of said plurality of inputs to said output; C. delay means coupled between one output of said switch means and having a plurality of outputs coupled to respective ones of said inputs of said selector means, said outputs of said delay means provided to produce predetermined delay times; wherein D. said output of said selector means is coupled with said switch means to generate said third signals in response to said first signal at a frequency determined by the delay time associated with the coupled one of said selector means inputs to said selector means output.

Claim 17

Apparatus as in claim 8 further comprising: A. initial speed calculator means comprising