Method and arrangement for the correlation of two signals

US4430722A · kind A · utility

Inventors

• Robert Massen · Schallstadt, DE
• Jurgen Merkel · Herisau, CH
• Klaus Lindner · Steinen, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Sep 26, 1980
• Grant date: Feb 7, 1984
• Expiry date: Sep 26, 2000

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G06F17/15
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

Disclosed is a method and apparatus for correlating first and second signals where sampling values of the signals are multiplied together and discrete values of the correlation function are determined. In one embodiment, the signals are sampled at different sampling frequencies such that one sampling frequency is a multiple of the other sampling frequency. A number of the respective last sampling values of the more fully sampled signal are stored and each sampling value of the more rapidly sampled signal is multiplied simultaneously by all of the stored sampling values of the more slowly sampled signal. The results of the multiplication are separately summed corresponding to equal time displacements between the multiplied sampling values. In a further preferred embodiment, a microcomputer is programmed for sampling the two signals with sampling frequencies having a ratio 1:k. The more slowly sampled signals are stored in an n stage register. The contents of corresponding register stages are multiplied in n multiplier circuits by the sampling values of the more quickly sampled signal. A summation store having m=k.multidot.n storage locations stores the multiplication values and a di…