Time-multiplexed CCD transversal filter

Claim 1

A time-multiplexed CCD transversal filter, comprising: a plurality of filter sections, each filter section comprising a plurality of charge coupled devices defining serially arranged delay elements, a tap coupled to each delay element for detecting the magnitude of charge therein and for weighting the detected signals with predetermined weighting values, and means for summing said weighted signals to produce a summed output from each filter section; a multi-phase clock source for producing a plurality of clock signals having a predetermined frequency and different predetermined phases of a single clock cycle; said clock signals being applied to said plurality of filter sections in such a manner that each charge coupled device in each filter section receives a different phase of said clock signal so that said charge coupled devices are clocked in a predetermined consecutive order, the output of each filter section being valid only during the period between the last clock signal of a clock cycle and the first signal of the next clock cycle; and means for multiplexing said outputs of said filter sections to provide an output that is valid over a complete cycle.