US3711779A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus for determining and characterizing the slopes of time-varying signals
Assignee: Instrumentation Specialties Co
•
Filing: 1970-11-17
•
Granted: 1973-01-16
•
Expires: 1990-11-17
Abstract
Abstract At discrete time intervals, a clocked switch stores successive samples of a signal, whose slope is to be determined, across a capacitor. Amplifying means measure the capacitor charging current that changes the storage level at each interval. A positive or negative signal slope is sensed when the measured charging current exceeds predetermined positive or negative threshold levels. Logic means furnish outputs at separate terminals that indicate the slope to be positive, not positive, negative, not negative, most recently positive, and most recently negative.
Inventors
- 👤 R Allington
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 17:24
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01N; G01N30/00; G01N30/02; G01N30/86; G01N30/8624; G01R; G01R19/00; G01R19/12; G01N30/8627
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
108 words
An apparatus for analyzing the rate of change of a signal, comprising a capacitor, input means for applying the signal to be analyzed to one side of said capacitor, clocking means for furnishing repetitive pulses, a resistor, switch means responsive to said clocking means for repetitively establishing the voltage of said input means across the capacitor and said resistor so that as the input signal changes from repetition to repetition current passes through the resistor, sensing means for sensing the magnitude and direction of current through said resistor and threshold means for furnishing a voltage when the current through the resistor exceeds a given positive or negative level.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
108 words
An apparatus for analyzing the rate of change of a signal, comprising a capacitor, input means for applying the signal to be analyzed to one side of said capacitor, clocking means for furnishing repetitive pulses, a resistor, switch means responsive to said clocking means for repetitively establishing the voltage of said input means across the capacitor and said resistor so that as the input signal changes from repetition to repetition current passes through the resistor, sensing means for sensing the magnitude and direction of current through said resistor and threshold means for furnishing a voltage when the current through the resistor exceeds a given positive or negative level.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
38 words
An apparatus as in claim 1 further comprising a plurality of output terminals, and logic means for establishing at respective ones of said output terminals signals indicating that the rate of charge is positive, negative, or almost zero.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
43 words
An apparatus as in claim 1, where the said sensing means include memory means responsive to the changes of signal level for establishing an output voltage indicative of the change in level, thereby also being indicative of the slope of the input signal.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
30 words
An apparatus as in claim 1, further including means sensitive to slope polarity for making the apparatus more sensitive to negative input signal slopes than to positive input signal slopes.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
30 words
An apparatus as in claim 3, further including means sensitive to slope polarity for making the apparatus more sensitive to negative input signal slopes than to positive input signal slopes.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
32 words
An apparatus as in claim 4, wherein said means sensitive to slope polarity functions by increasing the sensitivity of the said sensing means to changes which correspond to negative input signal slopes.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
22 words
An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said sensing means include means for varying the threshold level at which output is produced.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
17 words
An apparatus as in claim 7 wherein said sensing means include a polarized amplifier having variable feedback.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
145 words
An apparatus for evaluating the slope of a signal, comprising input means for carrying the signal whose slope is to be evaluated, storage means for storing a value corresponding to a signal applied thereto, clocking means, circuit means responsive to said clocking means for intermittently applying the signal of said input means to said storage means at successive moments so as to store successive values therein, and sensing means for sensing the change in value stored in said storage means, said sensing means includiNg a threshold means for producing an output when the change sensed by said sensing means exceeds a predetermined value, said sensing means including memory means responsive to the changes of signal level for establishing an output voltage indicative of the change in level, and said clocking means including pulse delaying means for applying a delayed reset pulse to said memory means.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
145 words
An apparatus for evaluating the slope of a signal, comprising input means for carrying the signal whose slope is to be evaluated, storage means for storing a value corresponding to a signal applied thereto, clocking means, circuit means responsive to said clocking means for intermittently applying the signal of said input means to said storage means at successive moments so as to store successive values therein, and sensing means for sensing the change in value stored in said storage means, said sensing means includiNg a threshold means for producing an output when the change sensed by said sensing means exceeds a predetermined value, said sensing means including memory means responsive to the changes of signal level for establishing an output voltage indicative of the change in level, and said clocking means including pulse delaying means for applying a delayed reset pulse to said memory means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
41 words
An apparatus as in claim 9, wherein said sensing means include second memory means responsive to changes of signal level for establishing an output voltage indicative of the change in level, said second memory means being responsive to said clocking means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
13 words
An apparatus as in claim 9, wherein said memory means includes a flip-flop.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
14 words
An apparatus as in claim 9, wherein said pulse delaying means shorten said pulse.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
43 words
An apparatus as in claim 10, wherein said sensing means further include third memory means responsive to said first and second memory means for indicating whether said first and second memory means have indicated the slope to be most recently positive or negative.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
141 words
An apparatus for evaluating the slope of a signal, comprising input means for carrying the signal the slope of which is to be evaluated, storage means for storing a value corresponding to a signal applied thereto, circuit means for intermittently applying the signal of said input means to said storage means at successive separated moments so as to store successive values therein. whereby said values stored in said storage means are changed during said successive separated moments by amounts corresponding to changes in the signal between said separated moments and sensing means for sensing the change in value stored in said storage means between pairs of said successive separated moments, whereby changes in the signal are detected, wherein said sensing means includes fraction means responsive to level changes to which a fraction collector responsive to said fraction means may be connected.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
141 words
An apparatus for evaluating the slope of a signal, comprising input means for carrying the signal the slope of which is to be evaluated, storage means for storing a value corresponding to a signal applied thereto, circuit means for intermittently applying the signal of said input means to said storage means at successive separated moments so as to store successive values therein. whereby said values stored in said storage means are changed during said successive separated moments by amounts corresponding to changes in the signal between said separated moments and sensing means for sensing the change in value stored in said storage means between pairs of said successive separated moments, whereby changes in the signal are detected, wherein said sensing means includes fraction means responsive to level changes to which a fraction collector responsive to said fraction means may be connected.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
178 words
An apparatus for evaluating the slope of a signal, comprising input means for carrying the signal whose slope is to be evaluated, storage means for storing a value corresponding to a signal applied thereto, clocking means, circuit means responsive to said clocking means for intermittently applying the signal of said input means to said storage means at successive moments so as to store successive values therein, and sensing means for sensing the change in value stored in said storage means, said sensing means including a threshold means for producing an output when the change sensed by said sensing means exceeds a predetermined value, said sensing means including memory means responsive to the changes of the signal level for establishing an output voltage indicative of the change in level, thereby also being indicative of the slope of the input signal, said memory means controlling hysteresis means which increase the sensitivity of said apparatus to input signal slopes when the said memory means establishes an output voltage indicative of the change in level due to the detection of a slope.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
178 words
An apparatus for evaluating the slope of a signal, comprising input means for carrying the signal whose slope is to be evaluated, storage means for storing a value corresponding to a signal applied thereto, clocking means, circuit means responsive to said clocking means for intermittently applying the signal of said input means to said storage means at successive moments so as to store successive values therein, and sensing means for sensing the change in value stored in said storage means, said sensing means including a threshold means for producing an output when the change sensed by said sensing means exceeds a predetermined value, said sensing means including memory means responsive to the changes of the signal level for establishing an output voltage indicative of the change in level, thereby also being indicative of the slope of the input signal, said memory means controlling hysteresis means which increase the sensitivity of said apparatus to input signal slopes when the said memory means establishes an output voltage indicative of the change in level due to the detection of a slope.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
22 words
An apparatus as in claim 15, wherein the said increase in sensitivity is accomplished by increasing the sensitivity of the sensing means.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
296 words
An apparatus for evaluating the slope of a signal, comprising input means for carrying the signal the slope of which is to be evaluated, storage means for storing a value corresponding to a signal applied thereto, circuit means for intermittently applying the signal of said input means to said storage means at said successive separated moments so as to store successive values therein, whereby said values stored in said storage means are changed during said successive separated moments by amounts corresponding to changes in the signal between said separated moments, and sensing means for sensing the change in value stored in said storage means between pairs of said successive separated moments, whereby changes in the signal are detected, said storage means incluDing a capacitor, whereby said storage means stores an amount of electrical charge sufficient to provide a potential corresponding to a signal applied thereto; said circuit means including switch means for connecting said capacitor in a complete circuit with said input means during said successive separated moments, whereby current flows through said capacitor in a first direction if said input means has a potential higher than that provided by said storage means and in a second direction if said input means has a lower potential than that provided by said storage means, said sensing means including means for sensing the direction of the current, whereby said sensing means detects that the signal at the input means during the first of two successive separated moments is larger than the signal at the input means during the second of two successive separated moments when the current flows in said first direction and is lower than the signal at the input means during the second of two successive separated moments when the current flows in said second direction.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
296 words
An apparatus for evaluating the slope of a signal, comprising input means for carrying the signal the slope of which is to be evaluated, storage means for storing a value corresponding to a signal applied thereto, circuit means for intermittently applying the signal of said input means to said storage means at said successive separated moments so as to store successive values therein, whereby said values stored in said storage means are changed during said successive separated moments by amounts corresponding to changes in the signal between said separated moments, and sensing means for sensing the change in value stored in said storage means between pairs of said successive separated moments, whereby changes in the signal are detected, said storage means incluDing a capacitor, whereby said storage means stores an amount of electrical charge sufficient to provide a potential corresponding to a signal applied thereto; said circuit means including switch means for connecting said capacitor in a complete circuit with said input means during said successive separated moments, whereby current flows through said capacitor in a first direction if said input means has a potential higher than that provided by said storage means and in a second direction if said input means has a lower potential than that provided by said storage means, said sensing means including means for sensing the direction of the current, whereby said sensing means detects that the signal at the input means during the first of two successive separated moments is larger than the signal at the input means during the second of two successive separated moments when the current flows in said first direction and is lower than the signal at the input means during the second of two successive separated moments when the current flows in said second direction.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2834883A
Cited
US3116458A
Cited
US3207998A
Cited
US3119984A
Cited
US3119070A
Cited
US3428794A
Cited
US3390347A
Cited
US3553492A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-01-16 | 1976-07-17 | 1977-01-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-01-16 | 1980-07-17 | 1981-01-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-01-16 | 1984-07-17 | 1985-01-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |