Method for electronically analyzing a signal changing over time

US10627214B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Nanofocus AG · KR

Inventors

• Johannes Frank · Munich, DE
• Gerd Jakob · Essen, DE
• Michael Spengler · Hamm (Sieg), DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Jan 6, 2017
• Grant date: Apr 21, 2020
• Expiry date: May 14, 2037

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G02B21/0024
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for electronically analyzing a time-variant signal (Ue(t)) having at least one extreme value, the amplitude and time of which are to be detected, by means of a detection circuit that operates as a peak value store and follows the time-variant signal after a threshold value (Us) is exceeded until the maximum amplitude is reached, wherein exceedance of the extreme value results in a peak indicator signal (Usi(t)) being generated and the maximum amplitude being stored, which is characterized in that to capture more than one extreme value in the time-variant signal, the tracking of the signal (Ue(t)) is deactivated after production of the first peak indicator signal and after a drop below the threshold value and, after the signal exceeds the threshold value again as time progresses, further tracking of the signal (Ue(t)) is activated until the next extreme value to be detected is reached and a further peak indicator signal (Usi(t)) is generated and this further maximum amplitude is stored, and the two stores are read and reset at the end of the measurement cycle.