US5159275A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Method and apparatus for detecting cable length
Assignee: Kokusai Denki Electric Inc
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Filing: 1990-12-04
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Granted: 1992-10-27
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Expires: 2010-12-04
Abstract
Abstract Method and apparatus for detecting a length of a cable connecting information equipments are disclosed. A reference signal which is a repetitively occurring signal is transmitted through a cable. A phase difference between the reference signal transmitted through the cable and the reference signal directly transmitted without routing the cable is detected, and a signal representing the cable length is produced based on the detected phase difference.
Inventors
- 👤 Nobuaki Fujimura
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 00:39
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01B; G01B7/00; G01B7/02; G01B7/026; H; H04; H04N; H04N17/00; H04N7/00; H04N7/10; H04N7/102
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 35
Claim 1
Independent Claim
129 words
An apparatus for detecting a cable length by using a repetitively occurring signal as a reference signal, comprising: an input terminal for receiving the reference signal; a cable for transmitting the reference signal supplied from said input terminal; first multiplying means for multiplying a frequency of the reference signal transmitted through said cable by a factor of N (where N is an integer); second multiplying means for multiplying a frequency of the reference signal directly transmitted without routing said cable by the factor of N; means for detecting a phase difference between the N-multiplied reference signal supplied from said first multiplying means and the N-multiplied reference signal supplied from said second multiplying means; and means for producing a signal representing the cable length based on the detected phase difference.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
129 words
An apparatus for detecting a cable length by using a repetitively occurring signal as a reference signal, comprising: an input terminal for receiving the reference signal; a cable for transmitting the reference signal supplied from said input terminal; first multiplying means for multiplying a frequency of the reference signal transmitted through said cable by a factor of N (where N is an integer); second multiplying means for multiplying a frequency of the reference signal directly transmitted without routing said cable by the factor of N; means for detecting a phase difference between the N-multiplied reference signal supplied from said first multiplying means and the N-multiplied reference signal supplied from said second multiplying means; and means for producing a signal representing the cable length based on the detected phase difference.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
75 words
A method for detecting a cable length of a cable by using a repetitively occurring signal including a reference signal, comprising the steps of: detecting a phase difference between a first frequency-multiplied signal of the reference signal being transmitted through said cable and a second frequency-multiplied signal of the reference signal directly transmitted without routing said cable; and generating a signal corresponding to the cable length of said cable based on the detected phase difference.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
75 words
A method for detecting a cable length of a cable by using a repetitively occurring signal including a reference signal, comprising the steps of: detecting a phase difference between a first frequency-multiplied signal of the reference signal being transmitted through said cable and a second frequency-multiplied signal of the reference signal directly transmitted without routing said cable; and generating a signal corresponding to the cable length of said cable based on the detected phase difference.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
50 words
A method for detecting a cable length according to claim 2, wherein said detecting step includes a first step of multiplying a frequency of the reference signal by an integer N to generate a multiplied reference signal and a second step of transmitting the multiplied reference signal through said cable.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
75 words
A method for detecting a cable length according to claim 2, wherein said detecting step includes a first step of transmitting the references signal through said cable, and second step of multiplying a frequency of the reference signal transmitted through said cable by an integer N to obtain said first frequency-multiplied signal and multiplying a frequency of the reference signal transmitted without routing said cable by the integer N to obtain aid second frequency-multiplied signal.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method for detecting a cable length according to claim 2, wherein the detecting step includes a step of averaging a plurality of detected phase differences to generate the signal.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method for detecting a cable length according to claim 2, wherein a frequency of the reference signal is fixed.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method for detecting a cable length according to claim 2, wherein the reference signal is a synchronous signal.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method for detecting a cable length according to claim 2, wherein the respectively occurring signal is a video signal.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
75 words
An apparatus for detecting a cable length of a cable by using a repetitively occurring signal including a reference signal, comprising: means for detecting a phase difference between a first frequency-multiplied signal of the reference signal transmitted through said cable and a second frequency-multiplied signal of the reference signal directly transmitted without routing said cable; and means for generating a signal corresponding to the cable length of said cable based on the detected phase difference.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
75 words
An apparatus for detecting a cable length of a cable by using a repetitively occurring signal including a reference signal, comprising: means for detecting a phase difference between a first frequency-multiplied signal of the reference signal transmitted through said cable and a second frequency-multiplied signal of the reference signal directly transmitted without routing said cable; and means for generating a signal corresponding to the cable length of said cable based on the detected phase difference.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
79 words
An apparatus for detecting a cable length according to claim 9, wherein said detecting means includes an input terminal for receiving the reference signal, means for multiplying a frequency of the reference signal received from said input terminal by an integer N, means for transmitting the multiplied reference signal through said cable, and wherein said multiplied reference signal is the first frequency-multiplied signal and the multiplied reference signal directly transmitted without routing said cable is the second frequency-multiplied signal.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
85 words
An apparatus for detecting a cable length according to claim 9, wherein said detecting means includes an input terminal for receiving the reference signal, means for transmitting the reference signal through said cable, first multiplying means for multiplying a frequency of the reference signal transmitted through said cable by an integer N to obtain said first frequency-multiplied signal, and second multiplying means for multiplying a frequency of the reference signal transmitted without routing said cable by the integer N to obtain said second frequency-multiplied signal.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
30 words
An apparatus for detecting a cable length according to claim 9, wherein the detecting means includes averaging means for averaging a plurality of detected phases differences to generate the signal.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
20 words
An apparatus for detecting a cable length according to claim 9, wherein a frequency of the reference signal is fixed.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
19 words
An apparatus for detecting a cable length according to claim 9, wherein the reference signal is a synchronous signal.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
20 words
An apparatus for detecting a cable length according to claim 9, wherein the repetitively occurring signal is a video signal.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
117 words
A method for detecting a cable length by using a repetitively occurring signal as a reference signal, comprising the steps of: transmitting the reference signal through said cable; multiplying a frequency of the reference signal transmitted through said cable by a factor of N (where N is an integer); multiplying a frequency of the reference signal directly transmitted without routing said cable by the factor of N; detecting a phase difference between the reference signal transmitted through said cable and multiplied by the factor of N and the reference signal directly transmitted without routing said cable and multiplied by the factor of N; and producing a signal representing the cable length based on the detected phase difference.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
117 words
A method for detecting a cable length by using a repetitively occurring signal as a reference signal, comprising the steps of: transmitting the reference signal through said cable; multiplying a frequency of the reference signal transmitted through said cable by a factor of N (where N is an integer); multiplying a frequency of the reference signal directly transmitted without routing said cable by the factor of N; detecting a phase difference between the reference signal transmitted through said cable and multiplied by the factor of N and the reference signal directly transmitted without routing said cable and multiplied by the factor of N; and producing a signal representing the cable length based on the detected phase difference.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
41 words
A method for detecting a cable length according to claim 16 wherein said step of producing the signal representing the cable length includes a step of averaging a plurality of detected phase differences to produce the signal representing the cable length.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
20 words
A methods for detecting a cable length according to claim 16 wherein a frequency of the reference signal is fixed.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
141 words
A method for detecting a cable length by using an information signal including a repetitively occurring signal as a reference signal, comprising the steps of: transmitting the information signal through said cable; extracting the reference signal from the information signal transmitted through said cable and multiplying a frequency of the extracted reference signal by a factor of N (where N is an integer); extracting the reference signal from the information signal directly transmitted without routing said cable and multiplying a frequency of the extracted reference signal by the factor of N; detecting a phase difference of the reference signal transmitted through said cable and multiplied by the factor of N and the reference signal directly transmitted without routing said cable and multiplied by the factor of N; and producing a signal representing the cable length based on the detected phase difference.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
141 words
A method for detecting a cable length by using an information signal including a repetitively occurring signal as a reference signal, comprising the steps of: transmitting the information signal through said cable; extracting the reference signal from the information signal transmitted through said cable and multiplying a frequency of the extracted reference signal by a factor of N (where N is an integer); extracting the reference signal from the information signal directly transmitted without routing said cable and multiplying a frequency of the extracted reference signal by the factor of N; detecting a phase difference of the reference signal transmitted through said cable and multiplied by the factor of N and the reference signal directly transmitted without routing said cable and multiplied by the factor of N; and producing a signal representing the cable length based on the detected phase difference.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
41 words
A method for detecting a cable length according to claim 19 wherein said step of producing the signal representing the cable length includes a step of averaging a plurality of detected phase differences to produce the signal representing the cable length.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method for detecting a cable length according to claim 20 wherein a frequency of the reference signal is fixed.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method for detecting a cable length according to claim 21 wherein said reference signal is a synchronous signal.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method for detecting a cable length according to claim 22 wherein said information signal is a video signal.
Claim 29
Independent Claim
157 words
An apparatus for detecting a cable length by using an information signal including a repetitively occurring signal as a reference signal, comprising: an input terminal for receiving the information signal; first extraction means for extracting the reference signal from the information signal transmitted through said cable; second extraction means for extracting the reference signal from the information signal directly transmitted without routing said cable; first multiplying means for multiplying a frequency of the reference signal extracted by said first extraction means by a factor of N (where N is an integer); second multiplying means for multiplying a frequency of the reference signal extracted by said second extraction means by the factor of N; means for detecting a phase difference between the N-multiplied reference signal supplied by said first multiplying means and the N-multiplied reference signal supplied by said second multiplying means; and means for producing a signal representing the cable length based on the detected phase difference.
Claim 30
Independent Claim
157 words
An apparatus for detecting a cable length by using an information signal including a repetitively occurring signal as a reference signal, comprising: an input terminal for receiving the information signal; first extraction means for extracting the reference signal from the information signal transmitted through said cable; second extraction means for extracting the reference signal from the information signal directly transmitted without routing said cable; first multiplying means for multiplying a frequency of the reference signal extracted by said first extraction means by a factor of N (where N is an integer); second multiplying means for multiplying a frequency of the reference signal extracted by said second extraction means by the factor of N; means for detecting a phase difference between the N-multiplied reference signal supplied by said first multiplying means and the N-multiplied reference signal supplied by said second multiplying means; and means for producing a signal representing the cable length based on the detected phase difference.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
40 words
An apparatus for detecting a cable length according to claim 24 wherein said means for producing the signal representing the cable length includes averaging means for averaging plurality of detected phase differences to produce the signal representing the cable length.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
18 words
An apparatus for detecting a cable length according to claim 25 wherein said averaging means includes an integrator.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
20 words
An apparatus for detecting a cable length according to claim 24 wherein a frequency of the reference signal is fixed.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
19 words
An apparatus for detecting a cable length according to claim 27 wherein said reference signal is a synchronous signal.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
19 words
An apparatus for detecting a cable length according to claim 28 wherein said information signal is a video signal.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1995-10-27 | 1996-04-27 | 1996-10-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1999-10-27 | 2000-04-27 | 2000-10-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2003-10-27 | 2004-04-27 | 2004-10-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |