Filter arrangement

Claim 2

A graduated digital/analog composite concurrent use filter for space-traversable signals of essentially discrete crosssectional configuration, comprising: a unit having a first variable-signal-attenuation base zone formed by a grouping of a plurality of spaced discrete unit zones, each having a first substantially identical signal attenuation characteristic, interspersed within a base zone having a second signal attenuation characteristic different than said first signal attenuation characteristic, the spacing of said spaced zones varying in increasing interspatial distance as a function of increase of their spatial distance from a reference point or zone, and a further laterally adjacent base zone of different signal attenuation characteristic from, and being laterally nearer to said reference point or zone than, said first base zone, said further base zone being laterally spaced from said plurality of spaced zones and being grossly larger in area than the individual ones of said plurality of spaced zones and having a signal attenuating characteristic in the zone therewithin substantially less than the overall signal attentuation characteristic of that portion of said first base zone grouping of plural spaced zones nearest to said further base zone, said two base zones being disposed and exposed for both separate and concurrent composite variable filtering action on a said discrete cross-section signal which is of smaller crosssectional configuration than either of said base zones, which said filtering action is a function of the instant lateral position of a said discrete cross-section signal.

Claim 3

A graduated composite concurrent use filter according to claim 1, the spacing of said further base zone from the nearest thereto of said first base zone plurality of spaced zones being greater than the individual interspatial Spacing of the nearest of said plurality of zones and an effectively generally knife edge signal transmission attenuation transition zone defined between said further zone and the second said zone of different signal attenuation characteristic.

Claim 4

A graduated composite concurrent use filter according to claim 1, said first base zone having a plurality of said spaced zones therein forming an effectively generally knife edge signal transmission attenuation transition line adjacent said further base zone for a signal having a greater breadth than the spacing of said spaced zones.

Claim 5

A graduated composite concurrent use filter according to claim 3, said further zone being an aperture defined on one lateral edge by an effectively knife edge wall line.

Claim 6

A graduated composite concurrent use filter according to claim 1, said unit having effective signal transmission apertures formed therein, said plurality of spaced zones being defined by the boundaries of respective said apertures in said unit.

Claim 7

A graduated composite concurrent use filter according to claim 5, said first signal attenuating characteristic being materially substantially uniformly less than said second signal attenuating characteristic.

Claim 8

A graduated composite concurrent use filter according to claim 1, said first signal attenuating characteristic being lesser in attenuating character for a given said signal than said second signal attenuating characteristic.

Claim 9

A graduated composite concurrent use filter according to claim 1, one of said first and second signal attenuating characteristics being effectively substantially full attenuation and the other being substantially zero signal attenuation.

Claim 10

A graduated composite concurrent use filter according to claim 1, said plurality of spaced zones being of effectively substantially constant size over said zone of greater attenuation.

Claim 11

A graduated composite concurrent use filter according to claim 9, said further zone being an aperture defined on one lateral edge by an effectively knife edge wall line.

Claim 12

A graduated composite concurrent use filter according to claim 1, said further zone being an aperture defined on one lateral edge by an effectively knife edge wall line.

Claim 13

A graduated composite concurrent use filter according to claim 11, wherein the row-to-row spacing of said plural spaced zones is generally defined by the equation: Gx Congruent Gx and Gx Congruent Square Root pi H2/4Tx where Gx is the center-to-center plural zone spacing along a given row of said plurality of zones at a distance xn from said point or zone of reference, and Gx is the center-to-center plural zone spacing at the next succeeding row of said plurality of zones being spaced from said zone or point of reference a distance of x(n 1) and Tx is the average transmission ratio of a signal embraced in the zone of a given row of said plurality of spaced zones at a distance xn from said reference point or zone.

Claim 14

A filter arrangement according to claim 1, and a mask defining a common overall filter zone including a portion of each of said first base zone grouping of spaced zones and said further base zone, said mask effectively attenuating the zone beyond said common overall filter zone.

Claim 15

A filter arrangement according to claim 13, said overall common filter zone being generally triangular in outline.

Claim 16

A filter arrangement according to claim 14, said generally triangular outline being truncated at an apex thereof, said apex overlying said further base zone.

Claim 17

A filter arrangement according to claim 13, said mask effectively blocking the zone beyond said common overall filter zone.

Claim 18

A filter arrangement according to claim 13, sAid mask being spaced from said unit forming said first and said further base zones.

Claim 19

A graduated digital/analog composite concurrent use filter for space-traversable signals of essentially discrete cross-sectional configuration, comprising: a unit having a first variable-signal-attenuation base zone formed by a grouping of a plurality of spaced zones, each having a first signal attenuation characteristic, interspersed within a base zone having a second signal attenuation characteristic different than said first signal attenuation characteristic, the spacing of said spaced zones varying in increasing interspatial distance as a function of increase of their spatial distance from a reference point or zone. and a further laterally adjacent base zone of different signal attenuation characteristic from, and being laterally nearer to said reference point or zone than, said first base zone, said further base zone being laterally spaced from said plurality of spaced zones and being grossly larger in area than the individual ones of said plurality of spaced zones and having a signal attenuating characteristic in the zone therewithin substantially less than the overall signal attenuation characteristic of that portion of said first base zone grouping of plural spaced zones nearest to said further base zone, said two base zones being disposed and exposed for both separate and concurrent composite variable filtering action on a said discrete cross-section signal which is of smaller cross-sectional configuration than either of said base zones, which said filtering action is a function of the instant lateral position of a said discrete cross-section signal, said plurality of spaced zones being arranged in sets of zones forming rows spaced at increasing row-to-row distances from said reference point or zone, and the interspatial distances between said zones in a given one of said rows of zones being a function of the distance of said row from said reference point or zone.

Claim 20

A graduated digital/analog composite concurrent use filter for space-traversable signals of essentially discrete cross-sectional configuration, comprising: a unit having a first variable-signal-attenuation base zone formed by a grouping of a plurality of spaced zones, each having a first signal attenuation characteristic, interspersed within a base zone having a second signal attenuation characteristic different than said first signal attenuation characteristic, the spacing of said spaced zones varying in increasing interspatial distance as a function of increase of their spatial distance from a reference point or zone. and a further laterally adjacent base zone of different signal attenuation characteristic from, and being laterally nearer to said reference point or zone than, said first base zone, said further base zone being laterally spaced from said plurality of spaced zones and being grossly larger in area than the individual ones of said plurality of spaced zones and having a signal attenuating characteristic in the zone therewithin substantially less than the overall signal attenuation characteristic of that portion of said first base zone grouping of plural spaced zones nearest to said further base zone, said two base zones being disposed and exposed for both separate and concurrent composite variable filtering action on a said discrete cross-section signal which is of smaller cross-sectional configuration than either of said base zones, which said filtering action is a function of the instant lateral position of a said discrete cross-section signal, said plurality of spaced zones being arranged in sets of zones forming rows spaced at increasing row-to-row distances from said reference point or zone, and the interspatial distances between said zones in a given one of said rows of zones being a function of the distance of said row from said reference point or zone.

Claim 21

A graduated composite concurrent use filter according to claim 18, wherein the row-to-row spacing Gx between any two rows of plural zones is generally defined by the equation Gx Congruent Gx + Gx /2 where Gx is the center-to-center plural zone spacing along a given row of said plurality of zones at a distance xn from said point or zone of reference, and Gx is the center-to-center plural zone spacing at the next succeeding row of said plurality of zones being spaced from said zone or point of reference a distance x(n 1).

Claim 22

A graduated composite concurrent use filter according to claim 18, wherein the row-to-row spacing Gx between the rows of said plural spaced zones spaced at xn and x(x 1) distance from said reference point or zone is generally defined according to: Gx Congruent Gx and Gx Congruent Square Root pi H2/4Tx where Gx is the center-to-center plural zone spacing along a given row of said plurality of zones at a distance xn from said point or zone of reference, and Gx(n 1) is the center-to-center plural zone spacing at the next succeeding row of said plurality of zones being spaced from said zone or point of reference a distance of x(n 1) and Tx is the average transmission ratio of a signal embraced in the zone of a given row of said plurality of spaced zones at a distance xn from said reference point or zone.

Claim 23

A graduated digital/analog composite concurrent use filter for space-traversable signals of essentially discrete cross-Sectional configuration, comprising: a unit having a first variable-signal-attenuation base zone formed by a grouping of a plurality of spaced zones, each having a first signal attenuation characteristic, interspersed within a base zone having a second signal attenuation characteristic different than said first signal attenuation characteristic, the spacing of said spaced zones varying in increasing interspatial distance as a function of increase of their spatial distance from a reference point or zone, and a further laterally adjacent base zone of different signal attenuation characteristic from, and being laterally nearer to said reference point or zone than, said first base zone, said further base zone being laterally spaced from said plurality of spaced zones and being grossly larger in area than the individual ones of said plurality of spaced zones and having a signal attenuating characteristic in the zone therewithin substantially less than the overall signal attenuation characteristic of that portion of said first base zone grouping of plural spaced zones nearest to said further base zone, said two base zones being disposed and exposed for both separate and concurrent composite variable filtering action on a said discrete cross-section signal which is of smaller cross-sectional configuration than either of said base zones, which said filtering action is a function of the instant lateral position of a said discrete cross-section signal, said further zone being an aperture defined on one lateral edge by an effectively knife edge wall line, said plurality of spaced zones being arranged in sets of zones forming rows spaced at increasing row-to-row distances from said reference point or zone, and the interspatial distances between said zones in a given one of said rows or zones being a function of the distance of said row from said reference point or zone.

Claim 24

A graduated digital/analog composite concurrent use filter for space-traversable signals of essentially discrete cross-Sectional configuration, comprising: a unit having a first variable-signal-attenuation base zone formed by a grouping of a plurality of spaced zones, each having a first signal attenuation characteristic, interspersed within a base zone having a second signal attenuation characteristic different than said first signal attenuation characteristic, the spacing of said spaced zones varying in increasing interspatial distance as a function of increase of their spatial distance from a reference point or zone, and a further laterally adjacent base zone of different signal attenuation characteristic from, and being laterally nearer to said reference point or zone than, said first base zone, said further base zone being laterally spaced from said plurality of spaced zones and being grossly larger in area than the individual ones of said plurality of spaced zones and having a signal attenuating characteristic in the zone therewithin substantially less than the overall signal attenuation characteristic of that portion of said first base zone grouping of plural spaced zones nearest to said further base zone, said two base zones being disposed and exposed for both separate and concurrent composite variable filtering action on a said discrete cross-section signal which is of smaller cross-sectional configuration than either of said base zones, which said filtering action is a function of the instant lateral position of a said discrete cross-section signal, said further zone being an aperture defined on one lateral edge by an effectively knife edge wall line, said plurality of spaced zones being arranged in sets of zones forming rows spaced at increasing row-to-row distances from said reference point or zone, and the interspatial distances between said zones in a given one of said rows or zones being a function of the distance of said row from said reference point or zone.

Claim 25

A graduated composite concurrent use filter according to claim 21, wherein the row-to-row spacing Gx between any two rows of plural zones is generally defined by the equation Gx Congruent Gx + Gx /2 where Gx is the center-to-center plural zone spacing along a given row of said plurality of zones at a distance xn from said point or zone of reference, and Gx is the center-to-center plural zone spacing at the next succeeding row of said plurality of zones being spaced from said zone or point of reference a distance of x(n 1).