Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
168 words
A method for processing, in a central evaluating facility, analog output signals from a plurality of decentralized transducers, comprising the steps of: generating a timing pattern at a decentralized location corresponding to the decentralized transducers in accordance with data-refresh intervals; sampling an analog output of each decentralized transducer in accordance with said timing pattern to obtain a sampled value; transmitting said sampled value of said analog output of each decentralized transducer directly to said central evaluating facility in the form of a data stream of successive digitized sampled values; and producing data sets at the central evaluating facility which contain one digitized sampled value from each data stream, said data sets being produced by the substeps of: generating latch commands at the central evaluating facility at intervals that are at least as great as the maximum data-refresh interval; and acquiring, after each latch command, the digitized sampled value of each data stream that is present, or if not present, the next arriving sampled value of each data stream.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
168 words
A method for processing, in a central evaluating facility, analog output signals from a plurality of decentralized transducers, comprising the steps of: generating a timing pattern at a decentralized location corresponding to the decentralized transducers in accordance with data-refresh intervals; sampling an analog output of each decentralized transducer in accordance with said timing pattern to obtain a sampled value; transmitting said sampled value of said analog output of each decentralized transducer directly to said central evaluating facility in the form of a data stream of successive digitized sampled values; and producing data sets at the central evaluating facility which contain one digitized sampled value from each data stream, said data sets being produced by the substeps of: generating latch commands at the central evaluating facility at intervals that are at least as great as the maximum data-refresh interval; and acquiring, after each latch command, the digitized sampled value of each data stream that is present, or if not present, the next arriving sampled value of each data stream.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
30 words
Method according to claim 1, wherein the maximum data-refresh interval of the timing pattern generated at the decentralized location is less than 2000 μsec and preferably less than 5 μsec.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
64 words
A method according to claim 1 and further comprising, after each acquisition of a digitized sampled value from a data stream, the steps of setting a READY signal for each digitized sampled value which is acquired following a latch command and generating a DATA SET READY signal by performing a logical AND operation on said READY signals once a data set has been generated.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the central evaluating facility further includes a databus which is connected to the computer and to the temporary memories.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
33 words
An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the central evaluating facility further includes at least one D/A converter operatively connected with said receiver/converter for converting said parallel digital data into an analog signal.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
196 words
An apparatus for processing a plurality of analog output signals, comprising: a plurality of decentralized converter/transmitters, a central evaluating facility, each of said converter/transmitters having a corresponding potential-isolating data line connected with said central evaluating facility; each of said decentralized converter/transmitters including means for generating data-refresh intervals and an A/D converter for sampling one of said analog output signals during each data-refresh interval and converting said sampled analog output signal into a serial data stream of successive sampled values for transmission over the corresponding one of said data line to said central unit, each of said data-refresh interval generating means operating independently with respect to said central evaluating facility; said central evaluating facility including a receiver/converter for each converter/transmitter for converting each serial data stream into parallel digital data, a temporary memory operatively connected to each receiver/converter for temporarily storing said parallel digital data, a control unit for generating latch commands at intervals at least as great as the maximum data-refresh interval, said latch command causing each of said temporary memories to store the next successive sampled value from the respective receiver/converter, and a computer for interrogating the digital sampled values stored in the temporary memories.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
196 words
An apparatus for processing a plurality of analog output signals, comprising: a plurality of decentralized converter/transmitters, a central evaluating facility, each of said converter/transmitters having a corresponding potential-isolating data line connected with said central evaluating facility; each of said decentralized converter/transmitters including means for generating data-refresh intervals and an A/D converter for sampling one of said analog output signals during each data-refresh interval and converting said sampled analog output signal into a serial data stream of successive sampled values for transmission over the corresponding one of said data line to said central unit, each of said data-refresh interval generating means operating independently with respect to said central evaluating facility; said central evaluating facility including a receiver/converter for each converter/transmitter for converting each serial data stream into parallel digital data, a temporary memory operatively connected to each receiver/converter for temporarily storing said parallel digital data, a control unit for generating latch commands at intervals at least as great as the maximum data-refresh interval, said latch command causing each of said temporary memories to store the next successive sampled value from the respective receiver/converter, and a computer for interrogating the digital sampled values stored in the temporary memories.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said latch commands are generated at intervals that are greater than the maximum data-refresh interval.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said latch commands are generated at intervals that are greater than the maximum data-refresh interval.