Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
147 words
A method of decoding digital data having transitions therein, wherein the separation between succeeding transitions represents a particular number of successive binary bits of a particular bit value, said method comprising the steps of measuring the separation between succeeding transitions; determining if the separation between two succeeding transitions is less than or greater than a predetermined amount substantially equal to the minimum separation between the first two transitions in data representing at least three successive binary bits of a first value, said minimum separation being greater than the maximum separation between succeeding transitions in data representing at least three successive binary bits of said first value; producing successive binary bits of said first value when said separation is determined to be less than said predetermined amount; and producing successive binary bits of a second value when said separation is determined to be greater than said predetermined amount.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
147 words
A method of decoding digital data having transitions therein, wherein the separation between succeeding transitions represents a particular number of successive binary bits of a particular bit value, said method comprising the steps of measuring the separation between succeeding transitions; determining if the separation between two succeeding transitions is less than or greater than a predetermined amount substantially equal to the minimum separation between the first two transitions in data representing at least three successive binary bits of a first value, said minimum separation being greater than the maximum separation between succeeding transitions in data representing at least three successive binary bits of said first value; producing successive binary bits of said first value when said separation is determined to be less than said predetermined amount; and producing successive binary bits of a second value when said separation is determined to be greater than said predetermined amount.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
66 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said step of measuring the separation between succeeding transitions comprises providing a predetermined bit of predetermined duration representative of a transition; and loading said predetermined bits into a multi-stage shift register in synchronism with timing pulses; whereby the particular stages of said shift register which are occupied by said predetermined bits provide a measurement of the separation between succeeding transitions.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 2 wherein the storage capacity of said shift register is sufficient to accommodate concurrently the predetermined bits representing at least three succeeding transitions in data representing successive binary bits of said first value.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 3 wherein the storage capacity of said shift register is sufficient to accommodate concurrently the predetermined bits representing at least three succeeding transitions in data representing successive binary bits of said second value.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
73 words
The method of claim 2 wherein said step of determining if the separation between at least the first two succeeding transitions is less than or greater than a predetermined amount comprises comparing the contents of preselected stages of said multi-stage shift register to each other, said preselected stages being separated from each other by amounts equal to the expected separation between transitions representing successive binary bits of said first and second values, respectively.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
91 words
The method of claim 5 wherein said timing pulses have a period equal to one-half the interval of a bit cell and wherein said expected separation between transitions is an integral number of timing pulse periods; and wherein said step of comparing the contents of preselected stages of said multi-stage shift register includes the step of comparing the contents of stages separated from each other by an amount corresponding to a range of 4 to 7 timing pulse periods to determine if said predetermined bits are present in said compared stages.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
52 words
The method of claim 6 wherein said step of producing successive binary bits of a first value when said separation is determined to be less than said predetermined amount includes the step of generating a binary bit of said first value when said predetermined bit is present concurrently in said compared stages.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
185 words
A method of decoding digital data having transitions therein, wherein the separation between succeeding transitions represents successive binary bits of a first value if said separation is less than a predetermined amount and said separation represents successive binary bits of a second value if said separation is more than said predetermined amount, said separation being confined to a predetermined range, said method comprising the steps of comparing the separation between succeeding transitions to first and second sets of window intervals, said first set of window intervals being equal to the expected separations representing successive binary bits of said first value and said second set of window intervals being wider than said first set and being equal to the expected separations representing successive binary bits of said second value; producing binary bits of said first value when the separation between succeeding transitions is equal to an interval defined by a window interval included in said first set; and producing binary bits of said second value when the separation between succeeding transitions is equal to an interval defined by a window interval included in said second set.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
185 words
A method of decoding digital data having transitions therein, wherein the separation between succeeding transitions represents successive binary bits of a first value if said separation is less than a predetermined amount and said separation represents successive binary bits of a second value if said separation is more than said predetermined amount, said separation being confined to a predetermined range, said method comprising the steps of comparing the separation between succeeding transitions to first and second sets of window intervals, said first set of window intervals being equal to the expected separations representing successive binary bits of said first value and said second set of window intervals being wider than said first set and being equal to the expected separations representing successive binary bits of said second value; producing binary bits of said first value when the separation between succeeding transitions is equal to an interval defined by a window interval included in said first set; and producing binary bits of said second value when the separation between succeeding transitions is equal to an interval defined by a window interval included in said second set.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
173 words
Apparatus for decoding received digital data having transitions therein, wherein the separation between succeeding transitions represents a particular number of successive binary bits of a particular bit value, said apparatus comprising means for measuring the separation between succeeding transitions including means for providing a predetermined bit of predetermined duration representative of each transition, a source of timing pulses, and multistage shift register means for receiving said predetermined bits in synchronism with said timing pulses, whereby the particular stages of said shift register means which are occupied by said predetermined bits provide a measurement of the separation between succeeding transitions; means for determining if the separation between two succeeding transitions of said received data is less than or greater than a predetermined amount; and means for producing successive binary bits of a first value when said means for determining determines that said separation is less than said predetermined amount, and for producing successive binary bits of a second value when said means for determining determines that said separation is greater than said predetermined amount.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
173 words
Apparatus for decoding received digital data having transitions therein, wherein the separation between succeeding transitions represents a particular number of successive binary bits of a particular bit value, said apparatus comprising means for measuring the separation between succeeding transitions including means for providing a predetermined bit of predetermined duration representative of each transition, a source of timing pulses, and multistage shift register means for receiving said predetermined bits in synchronism with said timing pulses, whereby the particular stages of said shift register means which are occupied by said predetermined bits provide a measurement of the separation between succeeding transitions; means for determining if the separation between two succeeding transitions of said received data is less than or greater than a predetermined amount; and means for producing successive binary bits of a first value when said means for determining determines that said separation is less than said predetermined amount, and for producing successive binary bits of a second value when said means for determining determines that said separation is greater than said predetermined amount.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
55 words
The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said determining means comprises means for comparing the contents of preselected stages of said multi-stage shift register means to each other, said preselected stages being separated from each other by amounts equal to the expected separation between transitions representing successive binary bits of said first and second values, respectively.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
77 words
The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said timing pulses have a period equal to one-half the interval of a bit cell and wherein said expected separation between transitions is an integral number of timing pulse periods; and wherein said means for comparing compares the contents of stages separated from each other by an amount corresponding to a range of 3 to 6 timing pulse periods to determine if said predetermined bits are present in said compared stages.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
199 words
Apparatus for decoding received digital data having transitions therein, wherein the separation between succeeding transitions represents successive binary bits of a first value if said separation is less than a predetermined amount and said separation represents successive binary bits of a second value if said separation is more than said predetermined amount, said separation being confined to a predetermined range, said apparatus comprising means for defining first and second sets of window intervals, said first set of window intervals being equal to the expected separations representing successive binary bits of said first value and said second set of window intervals being wider than said first set and being equal to the expected separations representing successive binary bits of said second value; means for comparing the separation between succeeding transitions to said first and second sets of window intervals; and means for producing binary bits of said first value when the separation between succeeding transitions is equal to an interval defined by a window interval included in said first set and for producing binary bits of said second value when the separation between succeeding transitions is equal to an interval defined by a window interval included in said second set.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
199 words
Apparatus for decoding received digital data having transitions therein, wherein the separation between succeeding transitions represents successive binary bits of a first value if said separation is less than a predetermined amount and said separation represents successive binary bits of a second value if said separation is more than said predetermined amount, said separation being confined to a predetermined range, said apparatus comprising means for defining first and second sets of window intervals, said first set of window intervals being equal to the expected separations representing successive binary bits of said first value and said second set of window intervals being wider than said first set and being equal to the expected separations representing successive binary bits of said second value; means for comparing the separation between succeeding transitions to said first and second sets of window intervals; and means for producing binary bits of said first value when the separation between succeeding transitions is equal to an interval defined by a window interval included in said first set and for producing binary bits of said second value when the separation between succeeding transitions is equal to an interval defined by a window interval included in said second set.