Digital finite impulse response filter and method

Claim 1

A digital filter for receiving an analogue signal as an input, comprising: conversion means for sampling said analogue signal and outputting a signal comprising a plurality of high level and low level bits, the number of successive bits of a given level corresponding to the magnitude of said analogue signal, digital signal input means for inputting a digital signal for setting filtering characteristics, gate signal generating means for generating a plurality of gate signals in response to said digital signal, a plurality of encoding means including a plurality of gate means controlled by said gate signals for encoding an output of said conversion means, said encoding means further comprising means for multiplying an output value of said conversion means by said digital signal to form a binary digital signal, and arithmetic operation means having delay elements and addition elements in response to the outputs of the respective encoding means, for performing predetermined arithmetic operation with respect to the outputs of the respective encoding means, wherein said gate signal generating means is only a single means provided in common for said respective encoding means and said gate signal generating means outputs said gate signals successively based on the digital signals inputted successively from said digital signal input means, said digital filter further comprising a plurality of data holding means provided corresponding to said respective encoding means, said data holding means being connected in a cascade to successively shift and hold the gate signals outputted successively from said signal generating means.