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US4586025A
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Error tolerant thermometer-to-binary encoder
Assignee: Tektronix Inc
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Filing: 1985-10-04
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Granted: 1986-04-29
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Expires: 2005-10-04
Abstract
Abstract A thermometer-to-binary encoder converts a quantity I of input digital signals, each representing one bit of an I-bit thermometer code, into a set of output digital signals each representing one bit of a corresponding binary code. The input signals are grouped into a quantity J of signal subsets, the Nth signal subset comprising the input signals representing the Nth lowest order bit of the input thermometer code and every Jth bit thereafter, each subset thereby representing a separate thermometer code derived from the I-bit input thermometer code. Each signal subset is applied as an input to a separate thermometer-to-binary encoder stage which converts the signal subset thermometer code input into a corresponding binary code output. The binary code outputs of every encoder stage are then summed to produce the set of output signals representing the binary output code corresponding to the I-bit input thermometer code.
Inventors
- 👤 Daniel G. Knierim
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 13:22
CPC Classifications
H; H03; H03M; H03M7/00; H03M7/14; H03M7/16; H03M7/165; G; G06; G06F; G06F11/00; G06F11/07; G06F11/08; G06F11/085; H03M7/02; H03M7/04
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
85 words
A method for producing a binary code corresponding to a first thermometer code, each bit of said first thermometer code being represented by the state of a separate one of a set of digital signals, the method comprising the steps of: grouping said signals into selected subsets each representing a further thermometer code; converting each said signal subset thermometer code into a corresponding binary code; and summing the binary codes representing each signal subset to produce the binary code corresponding to said first thermometer code.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
85 words
A method for producing a binary code corresponding to a first thermometer code, each bit of said first thermometer code being represented by the state of a separate one of a set of digital signals, the method comprising the steps of: grouping said signals into selected subsets each representing a further thermometer code; converting each said signal subset thermometer code into a corresponding binary code; and summing the binary codes representing each signal subset to produce the binary code corresponding to said first thermometer code.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method according to claim 1 wherein digital signals as grouped into a selected subset represent bits spaced in said first thermometer code by a predetermined interval.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
144 words
A method for converting a first set of I digital electronic signals representing an I-bit thermometer code into a second set of digital electronic signals representing a corresponding binary code, wherein I is a selected integer, the method comprising the steps of: a. grouping said first signal set into a plurality, J, of first signal subsets, each Nth first signal subset comprising the Nth signal of said first signal set and every Jth signal thereafter, each first signal subset thereby representing a separate thermometer code; b. converting each said first signal subset into a corresponding third digital electronic signal subset representing a binary code corresponding to the thermometer code represented by a said first signal subset; and c. summing all third digital electronic signal subsets to produce said second set of digital electronic signals representing said binary code corresponding to said I-bit thermometer code.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
144 words
A method for converting a first set of I digital electronic signals representing an I-bit thermometer code into a second set of digital electronic signals representing a corresponding binary code, wherein I is a selected integer, the method comprising the steps of: a. grouping said first signal set into a plurality, J, of first signal subsets, each Nth first signal subset comprising the Nth signal of said first signal set and every Jth signal thereafter, each first signal subset thereby representing a separate thermometer code; b. converting each said first signal subset into a corresponding third digital electronic signal subset representing a binary code corresponding to the thermometer code represented by a said first signal subset; and c. summing all third digital electronic signal subsets to produce said second set of digital electronic signals representing said binary code corresponding to said I-bit thermometer code.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of claim 3 wherein step b comprises the substeps of; d. converting each said first signal subset into a corresponding Gray code, and e. converting each said Gray code into said corresponding third signal subset representing a said binary code.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
144 words
An apparatus for converting a first set of I digital electronic signals representing an I-bit thermometer code into a second set of digital electronic signals representing a corresponding binary code, wherein I is a selected integer, the apparatus comprising; means for grouping said first signal set into a plurality, J, of first signal subsets, each Nth first signal subset comprising the Nth signal of said first signal set and every Jth signal thereafter, each first signal subset thereby representing a separate thermometer code; means for converting each said first signal subset into a corresponding third digital electronic signal subset representing a binary code corresponding to the thermometer code represented by a said first signal subset; and means for summing all third digital electronic signal subsets to produce said second set of digital electronic signals representing said binary code corresponding to said I-bit thermometer code.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
144 words
An apparatus for converting a first set of I digital electronic signals representing an I-bit thermometer code into a second set of digital electronic signals representing a corresponding binary code, wherein I is a selected integer, the apparatus comprising; means for grouping said first signal set into a plurality, J, of first signal subsets, each Nth first signal subset comprising the Nth signal of said first signal set and every Jth signal thereafter, each first signal subset thereby representing a separate thermometer code; means for converting each said first signal subset into a corresponding third digital electronic signal subset representing a binary code corresponding to the thermometer code represented by a said first signal subset; and means for summing all third digital electronic signal subsets to produce said second set of digital electronic signals representing said binary code corresponding to said I-bit thermometer code.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3806915A
Cited
US4069479A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1989-04-28 | 1989-10-28 | 1990-04-29 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1993-04-28 | 1993-10-28 | 1994-04-29 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1997-04-28 | 1997-10-28 | 1998-04-29 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |