Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
207 words
A method for measuring a time interval between a start and stop event, said method comprising the steps of: providing a time base signal having a predetermined period, T 0 ; providing a start oscillator signal in response to and phase coherent with the detection of the start event; providing a stop channel oscillator signal in response to and phase coherent with the stop event; accumulating an indication of the recurrences of the start channel oscillator signal from the time the start event is detected until a coincident point between the start oscillator signal and the time base signal is detected, said indications comprising an integer N 1 ; accumulating an indication of the recurrences of the stop channel oscillator signal between the detection of the stop event and a coincident point between said stop channel oscillator signal and said time base signal, said indications comprising an integer N 2 ; and accumulating an indication of the recurrences of the time base signal between the detection of a coincident point between said start channel oscillator signal and said time base signal and the detection of a coincident point between said stop channel oscillator signal and said time base signal, said indication comprising an integer, N 0 .
Claim 2
Independent Claim
207 words
A method for measuring a time interval between a start and stop event, said method comprising the steps of: providing a time base signal having a predetermined period, T 0 ; providing a start oscillator signal in response to and phase coherent with the detection of the start event; providing a stop channel oscillator signal in response to and phase coherent with the stop event; accumulating an indication of the recurrences of the start channel oscillator signal from the time the start event is detected until a coincident point between the start oscillator signal and the time base signal is detected, said indications comprising an integer N 1 ; accumulating an indication of the recurrences of the stop channel oscillator signal between the detection of the stop event and a coincident point between said stop channel oscillator signal and said time base signal, said indications comprising an integer N 2 ; and accumulating an indication of the recurrences of the time base signal between the detection of a coincident point between said start channel oscillator signal and said time base signal and the detection of a coincident point between said stop channel oscillator signal and said time base signal, said indication comprising an integer, N 0 .
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method as in claim 1 wherein the start and stop oscillator signals are provided by the same oscillator for measurement of time intervals greater than (N+1)T 0 .
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method as in claim 1 and further comprising the step of detecting the order of arrival of the two said coincident points and thus determining the sign of N 0 .
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
49 words
The method as in claim 3 wherein said start channel oscillator signal and said stop channel oscillator signal have the same preselected period and the period of said start channel oscillator signal and said stop channel oscillator signal differs from said time base signal by a preselected time interval.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
49 words
The method as in claim 4 wherein the difference in the period of said start channel and stop channel oscillators differs from said base signals period by a value of T 0 /N and said time interval is computed in accordance with the following formula: Time interval=[(1+1/N)(N.sub.1 -N.sub.2)+N.sub.0 ]
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
57 words
The method as in claim 4 and further comprising the steps of phase-locking the start and stop channel oscillator signals to the time base oscillator signal prior to the occurrence of the start and stop events; and phase shifting the start and stop channel oscillators in response to the occurrences of the start and stop events, respectively.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method as in claim 6 and further comprising the steps of suspending any phase-lock loop tuning between the occurrence of the start and stop events and the determination of said coincident points.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method as in claim 7 wherein determining said coincident points between said start oscillator signal and said time base signal and the coincident point between said stop oscillator and said time base signal comprises the step of mixing said signals to produce beat frequency signals.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method as in claim 8 wherein the step of mixing said signals to produce beat frequency signals comprises the step of gating said signals to the clock and input of an edge triggered flip-flop to produce the beat frequency signal at the flip-flop output.