High-precision digital time-of-flight measurement with coarse delay elements
US9606228B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 20, 2014 |
| Grant date | Mar 28, 2017 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 17, 2035 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01S17/14
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A method of determining a timing of an occurrence of a signal includes: propagating the signal (such as an electrical signal) along a series of digital delay elements, or a delay line. Each delay element can have at least two states, each indicative of presence or absence of a signal. The distribution of states of at least a portion of the delay elements along the delay line are recorded multiple times during the time it takes a point (such as an edge) in the signal to propagate through the portion of the delay elements. The multiple recorded distributions are combined to determine the timing of occurrence of the signal to a greater resolution than the minimum system clock period and the minimum delay of each delay element.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.