TIME COMPRESSION SIGNAL PROCESSOR

• US 3,786,504 A
• Filed: 03/29/1971
• Issued: 01/15/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: John D. Collins
• Original Assignee: John D. Collins
• Inventors: Collins, John D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hubler, Malcolm F.
• Application Number:
  US05/129,218
• Time in Patent Office: 1,023 Days
• Field of Search: 343/5DP,17.2PC,8,9
• US Class Current: 342/192
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/72 for two-dimensional tracking, e.g. combination of angle and range tracking, track-while-scan radar
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/2923 based on data belonging to a number of consecutive radar periods

Abstract

A time compression system used for spectrum analysis of multichannel digital systems in which there are X identical input channels and Y identical filters. Each input is sampled in parallel and then quantized with an analog-to-digital converter. The inputs are then stored channel by channel in a random access memory. Readout begins at the end of the sample interval and each channel is read out serially. The stored digital signals are converted back to serial analog signals and fed to a single bank of filters for spectrum analysis.

Claims

1. In combination:

a plurality of signal input channels;

means comprising a channel multiplexer fed by signals derived from said input channels for combining said signals and for supplying signals derived from said combined signals to a common channel;

means comprising data storage means for storing signals derived from said common channel in a predetermined time sequence and at a first predetermined rate and for deriving said data from said memory in a time sequence different from said first time sequence; and

means fed by said data deriving means for separating signals derived from different components of said data into different output channels.

2. The combination in accordance with claim 1 wherein the digital signals read out of said memory are converted to analog signals.

3. The combination in accordance with claim 2 wherein said signal separating means comprise a plurality of frequency responsive filters feeding separate filter output channels and responsive to different frequency bands.

4. The combination in accordance with claim 3 wherein the outputs of said frequency responsive filters are fed through said output channels to a switching network.

5. The combination in accordance with claim 1 wherein said signal channels are derived from a receiver of radiated waves.

6. The combination in accordance with claim 5 wherein said radiated waves are transmitted to a target and reflected therefrom to a receiver.

7. The combination in accordance with claim 6 wherein the sequentially sampled output of said filters is visually displayed.

8. The combination in accordance with claim 1 and a transmitter for transmitting radiated waves in a predetermined format and a receiver for receiving waves derived from said transmitted waves and for supplying signals derived from said waves to said input channels.

9. The combination in accordance with claim 1 and a receiver fed by antenna means for receiving waves transmitted by a transmitter and reflected by an object for supplying signals to said input channels.

10. The combination in accordance with claim 9 wherein said channels comprise mixers fed by reference signals derived from said transmitter.