Serial processing circuits with serial chaining
First Claim
1. A signal processing system comprising:
- a plurality of integrated circuits serially connected together in a chain, having a first integrated circuit in said chain and a last integrated circuit in said chain;
each said integrated circuit in said plurality of integrated circuits further comprising;
analog to digital converter means for converting a plurality of analog input signals into digital output data;
shift register means for;
receiving and storing said digital output dam, and for serially shifting digital data in from a serial input port, and for serially shifting data out through a serial output port; and
each integrated circuit in said plurality of integrated circuits, except said first integrated circuit, having its serial input port connected to the serial output port of a serially preceding integrated circuit.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A mixed analog and digital integrated circuit with features which are especially useful for application as a front end for physiological signal instrumentation such as electrocardiographs, electromyographs, and electroencephalographs. The integrated circuit has 5 signal channels, each with analog amplification and analog to digital conversion. The channels can be configured for various combinations of input signal amplification, input signal summation, analog output driving, and AC impedance measurement. The integrated circuit has 2 digital serial input lines and 2 digital serial output lines, all designed for direct connection to optical couplers. Channel configuration, gain, and other parameters are externally controllable by a serial digital input signal. Up to 6 compatible devices can be serially connected in a chain.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. A signal processing system comprising:
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a plurality of integrated circuits serially connected together in a chain, having a first integrated circuit in said chain and a last integrated circuit in said chain; each said integrated circuit in said plurality of integrated circuits further comprising; analog to digital converter means for converting a plurality of analog input signals into digital output data; shift register means for; receiving and storing said digital output dam, and for serially shifting digital data in from a serial input port, and for serially shifting data out through a serial output port; and each integrated circuit in said plurality of integrated circuits, except said first integrated circuit, having its serial input port connected to the serial output port of a serially preceding integrated circuit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A process for serially connecting a plurality of integrated circuits into a chain;
- wherein each said integrated circuit further comprises analog to digital converter means for converting a plurality of analog input signals into digital output data;
said process comprising the steps of;(a) arranging said plurality of integrated circuits in a logically linear sequence having a first integrated circuit and a last integrated circuit; (b) storing, within each integrated circuit, said digital output dam in a shift register; (c) serially shifting, within each integrated circuit, digital data in from a serial input port into said shift register; (d) serially shifting, within each integrated circuit, data out from said shift register through a serial output port; (e) connecting said serial input port to the serial output port of a serially preceding integrated circuit for each integrated circuit in said plurality of integrated circuits, except said first integrated circuit; (f) connecting said serial input port of said first integrated circuit to logical "zero"; (g) connecting said serial output port of said last integrated circuit to an external data receiving means; and (h) periodically synchronously shifting serial digital data through each said integrated circuit until said logical "zero" from said input port on said first integrated circuit has shifted into said external data receiving means.
- wherein each said integrated circuit further comprises analog to digital converter means for converting a plurality of analog input signals into digital output data;
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11. A signal processing system comprising:
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a first integrated circuit having a first plurality of input nodes, a first output node, first signal conditioning circuitry switchably connected to the first input nodes and driving the first output node, first control circuitry receiving digital control signals, the first control circuitry selecting which of the first input nodes are switched to the first signal conditioning circuitry in response to the digital control signals; a second integrated circuit having a second plurality of input nodes, a second output node, second signal conditioning circuitry switchably connected to the second input nodes and driving the second output node, second control circuitry receiving the digital control signals, the second control circuitry selecting which of the second input nodes are switched to the second signal conditioning circuitry in response to the digital control signals; the first output node connected to one of the second input nodes; and
the second output node driven by the second signal conditioning circuitry in response to the selected first and second input nodes. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
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14. A process for converting multiple analog signals into a single digital signal, the process comprising the following steps:
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(a) convening a first analog signal into first digital data in a first integrated circuit; (b) storing the first digital data into a first shift register in the first integrated circuit; (c) converting a second analog signal into second digital data in a second integrated circuit; (d) storing the second digital data into a second shift register in the second integrated circuit; (e) connecting an output of the first shift register to an input of the second shift register; and (f) shifting data in both the first and second shift registers so that the second digital data in the second shift register is shifted out an output of the second register and the first digital data in the first shift register is shifted through the output of the first shift register and through the input of the second shift register and on through the output of the second shift register.
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Specification