Electronic-signal-correlating apparatus

Claim 2

In electronic apparatus having a first variable cyclic signal produced with recurrable true signal content pulses intermixed with random false signal content pulses, and having a second variable cyclic signal synchronized with the first signal which is produced with a recurring sequence of N incremental position pulses per cycle of the first signal, an electronic correlator comprising: a. first input circuit means for receiving a signal to be correlated consisting of the first variable cyclic signal, b. second input circuit means for receiving the second variable cyclic signal, c. means receiving the first signal and operative in response to the second signal pulses for storing and transferring the true and false content pulses in and through a predetermined number of incremental storage positions, said storage positions situated between a storage input circuit and a predetermined number of storage output circuits which correspond to cyclic increments at single multiple, or related fractional cycles of first signal history, and d. circuit means including a correlator output means operating under one of a number of correlating modes for enabling the comparison of the signal at means (a) with at least one of the means (c) outputs, said circuit means passing a true content pulse to the correlator output means when coincidence occurs between an instantaneous true content pulse and a stored true content pulse, said circuit means rejecting random false content pulses.

Claim 3

Apparatus for electronically correlating a cyclic analog signal to improve its apparent signal-to-noise ratio, said signal having a variable rate of recurrency and composed of true signals recurrable in one or more cycles, random false signals intermixed with the true signals, and a background of noise, both true and false signal content having at least one variable waveform characteristic, said apparatus comprising: a. first input means for receiving a first signal consisting of the cyclic analog signal to be correlated, b. second input means for receiving a second signal synchronized with the first signal and consisting of a recurring sequence of N incremental position pulses per cycle of the first signal, c. first-signal-detecting means for rejecting the noise and converting the true and false signals into true and false content digital pulses whenever the respective signals differ from at least one predetermined waveform characteristic, d. means receiving means (c) output and operative in response to the second signal pulses for storing and transferring the true and false content digital pulses in and through a predetermined number of incremental storage positions, said storage positions situated between a storage input circuit and a predetermined number of storage output circuits which correspond to cyclic increments at single, multiple, or related fractional cycles of first signal history, and e. circuit means, including a correlator output means, operating under one of a number of correlating modes for enabling the comparison of the means (c) output with at least one of the means (d) outputs, said circuit means passing a true content digital pulse to the correlator output means when coincidence occurs between an instantaneous true content pulse and a stored true content pulse, said circuit means rejecting random false content digital pulses.

Claim 4

Apparatus for electronically correlating a cyclic analog signal to improve its apparent signal-to-noise ratio, said signal having a variable rate of recurrency and composed of true signals recurrable in one or more cycles, random false signals intermixed with the true signals, and a background of noise, both true and false signal content having at least one variable waveform characteristic, said apparatus comprising: a. first input means for receiving a first signal consisting of the cyclic analog signal to be correlated, b. second input means for receiving a second signal synchronized with the first signal and consisting of a recurring sequence of N incremental position pulses per cycle of the first signal, c. first-signal-detecting means for rejecting the noise and converting the true and false signals into true and false content digital pulses whenever the respective signals differ from at least one predetermined waveform characteristic, d. means receiving means (c) output and operative in response to the second signal pulses for storing and transferring the true and false content digital pulses in and through a predetermined number of incremental storage positions, said storage positions situated between a storage input circuit and a predetermined number of storage output circuits which correspond to cyclic increments at single, multiple, or related fractional cycles of first signal history, and e. circuit means, including a correlator output means, operating under one of a number of correlating modes for enabling the comparison of the means (c) output with at least one of the means (d) outputs, said circuit means passing a true content digital pulse to the correlator output means when coincidence occurs between an instantaneous true content pulse and a stored true content pulse, said circuit means rejecting random false content digital pulses.

Claim 5

The electronic apparatus of claim 2 wherein first signal-detecting means (c) comprises: f. a reference signal source, and g. differential comparator means receiving said first signal and the reference signal for causing the production of said true and false content digital pulses at a detector means output circuit.

Claim 6

The electronic apparatus of claim 3 wherein reference signal source (f) is amplitude variable and differential comparator means (g) causes the production of said content digital pulses when the first signal amplitude exceeds that of reference signal source (f).

Claim 7

The electronic apparatus of claim 2 wherein first signal-detecting means (c) comprises: h. a variable-amplitude reference signal source, i. differential comparator means receiving the first signal and the reference signal for producing true and false intermediate digital pulses at its output when the first signal amplitude exceeds that of the reference signal source, and j. intermediate pulse width detector means for causing the production of said true and false content digital pulses at a detector means (c) output circuit whenever the width of an intermediate digital pulse exceeds a predetermined value.

Claim 8

The electronic apparatus of claim 2 wherein means (d) includes: k. shift register means for storing and transferring the true and false content digital pulses stepwise between said input and output circuits, said shift register means having M sections of at least N stages of serially connected binary storage elements per section, each of the binary elements having a shift circuit connected to the incremental position pulse source at means (b).

Claim 9

The electronic apparatus of claim 6 wherein shift register means (k) includes: l. at least 2N stages with outputs tapped at N and 2N stages connected to circuit means (e).

Claim 10

The electronic apparatus of claim 6 wherein shift register means (k) includes: m. at least 2N stages with outputs tapped at N, 2N and other predetermined stages adjacent N, 2N or N and 2N stages connected to circuit means (e).

Claim 11

The electronic apparatus of claim 2 wherein circuit means (e) includes: n. correlating mode selecting means for providing separate selection signals so that signal correlation may take place during either the same, or one or more leading or lagging, recurring increments of the cyclic first signal, and o. logic means operating under control of the correlating mode selection signals for enabling the comparison of means (c) output with means (d) outpuTs and the passage of the true content digital pulse.

Claim 12

The electronic apparatus of claim 9 including: p. a second correlator output circuit fed by means (n) for identifying the correlating mode of the true digital content pulse.