Method and apparatus for adaptive real-time signal conditioning, processing, analysis, quantification, comparison, and control

• US 7,418,469 B2
• Filed: 07/10/2006
• Issued: 08/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Alexei V. Nikitin
• Original Assignee: Alexei V. Nikitin
• Inventors: Nikitin, Alexei V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mai; Tan V.
• Application Number:
  US11/483,751
• Publication Number:
  US 20060253512A1
• Time in Patent Office: 778 Days
• Field of Search: 708/801, 708/819
• US Class Current: 708/819
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2218/02 Preprocessing
• CPC Class Codes: G06G 7/02 Details not covered by G06G7/04 - G06G7/10, e.g. monitoring, construction, maintenance

Abstract

Various components of the present invention are collectively designated as Adaptive Real-Time Embodiments for Multivariate Investigation of Signals (ARTEMIS). It is a method, processes, and apparatus for measurement and analysis of variables of different type and origin. In this invention, different features of a variable can be quantified either locally as individual events, or on an arbitrary spatio-temporal scale as scalar fields in properly chosen threshold space. The method proposed herein overcomes limitations of the prior art by directly processing the data in real-time in the analog domain, identifying the events of interest so that continuous digitization and digital processing is not required, performing direct, noise-resistant measurements of salient signal characteristics, and outputting a signal proportional to these characteristics that can be digitized without the need for highspeed front-end sampling. The application areas of ARTEMIS are numerous, e.g., it can be used for adaptive content-sentient real-time signal conditioning, processing, analysis, quantification, comparison, and control, and for detection, quantification, and prediction of changes in signals, and can be deployed in automatic and autonomous measurement, information, and control systems. ARTEMIS can be implemented through various physical means in continuous action machines as well as through digital means or computer calculations. Particular embodiments of the invention include various analog as well as digital devices, computer programs, and simulation tools.

Claims

1. A method for signal processing operable to transform an input signal into an output signal, where said input signal is a physical signal and where said output signal is a physical signal, comprising the steps of:

a. forming a plurality of outputs of delayed comparators by passing said input signal and a plurality of feedbacks of Offset Rank Filtered Signals through a respective plurality of said delayed comparators, said Offset Rank Filtered Signals having Offset Quantile Parameters;

b. forming a first difference which is a weighted difference of said outputs of the delayed comparators;

c. forming a Density Function by time averaging said first difference;

d. forming a second difference which is a weighted difference of said feedbacks of the Offset Rank Filtered Signals;

e. forming a plurality of differences between the outputs of the delayed comparators and the respective Offset Quantile Parameters of said Offset Rank Filtered Signals;

f. forming a plurality of time derivatives of said Offset Rank Filtered Signals by multiplying each of said plurality of differences by a ratio of said second difference and said Density Function;

g. producing the plurality of said Offset Rank Filtered Signals by time-integrating said plurality of time derivatives; and

h. producing said output signal as a weighted average of said Offset Rank Filtered Signals.

2. A method for signal processing as recited in claim 1 wherein:

a. said plurality of outputs of delayed comparators consists of two outputs and said plurality of feedbacks of Offset Rank Filtered Signals consists of two feedbacks and said plurality of said delayed comparators consists of two delayed comparators;

b. said first difference is a difference of said two outputs of said two delayed comparators;

c. said second difference is a difference of said two feedbacks;

d. said plurality of differences consists of two differences;

e. said plurality of time derivatives consists of two time derivatives;

f. said plurality of the Offset Rank Filtered Signals consists of two Offset Rank Filtered Signals; and

g. said weighted average of said Offset Rank Filtered Signals is an average of said two Offset Rank Filtered Signals.

3. A method for signal processing operable to transform a plurality of input signals into an output signal, where said input signals are physical signals and where said output signal is a physical signal, comprising the steps of:

a. forming a plurality of outputs of averaging comparators by passing said plurality of input signals and a plurality of feedbacks of Offset Rank Selected Signals through a plurality of said averaging comparators, said Offset Rank Selected Signals having Offset Quantile Parameters;

b. forming a first difference which is a weighted difference of said outputs of the averaging comparators;

c. forming a Density Function by time averaging said first difference;

d. forming a second difference which is a weighted difference of said feedbacks of the Offset Rank Selected Signals;

e. forming a plurality of differences between the outputs of the averaging comparators and the respective Offset Quantile Parameters of said Offset Rank Selected Signals;

f. forming a plurality of time derivatives of said Offset Rank Selected Signals by multiplying each of said plurality of differences by a ratio of said second difference and said Density Function;

g. producing the plurality of said Offset Rank Selected Signals by time-integrating said plurality of the time derivatives; and

h. producing said output signal as a weighted average of said Offset Rank Selected Signals.

4. A method for signal processing as recited in claim 3 wherein:

a. said plurality of outputs of averaging comparators consists of two outputs and said plurality of feedbacks of Offset Rank Selected Signals consists of two feedbacks and said plurality of said averaging comparators consists of two averaging comparators;

b. said first difference is a difference of said two outputs of said two averaging comparators;

c. said second difference is a difference of said two feedbacks;

d. said plurality of differences consists of two differences;

e. said plurality of time derivatives consists of two time derivatives;

f. said plurality of the Offset Rank Selected Signals consists of two Offset Rank Selected Signals; and

g. said weighted average of said Offset Rank Selected Signals is an average of said two Offset Rank Selected Signals.

5. A method for image processing operable to transform an input image signal into an output signal, where said input signal is a physical signal and where said output signal is a physical signal, comprising the steps of:

a. forming a plurality of outputs of delayed comparators by passing said input image signal and a plurality of feedbacks of Offset Rank Filtered Signals through a respective plurality of said delayed comparators, said Offset Rank Filtered Signals having Offset Quantile Parameters;

b. forming a first difference which is a weighted difference of said outputs of the delayed comparators;

c. forming a Density Function by time averaging said first difference;

d. forming a second difference which is a weighted difference of said feedbacks of the Offset Rank Filtered Signals;

e. forming a plurality of differences between the outputs of the delayed comparators and the respective Offset Quantile Parameters of said Offset Rank Filtered Signals;

f. forming a plurality of time derivatives of said Offset Rank Filtered Signals by multiplying each of said plurality of differences by a ratio of said second difference and said Density Function;

g. producing the plurality of said Offset Rank Filtered Signals by time-integrating said plurality of time derivatives; and

h. producing said output signal as a weighted average of said Offset Rank Filtered Signals.

6. A method for image processing as recited in claim 5 wherein:

a. said plurality of outputs of delayed comparators consists of two outputs and said plurality of feedbacks of Offset Rank Filtered Signals consists of two feedbacks and said plurality of said delayed comparators consists of two delayed comparators;

b. said first difference is a difference of said two outputs of said two delayed comparators;

c. said second difference is a difference of said two feedbacks;

d. said plurality of differences consists of two differences;

e. said plurality of time derivatives consists of two time derivatives;

f. said plurality of the Offset Rank Filtered Signals consists of two Offset Rank Filtered Signals; and

g. said weighted average of said Offset Rank Filtered Signals is an average of said two Offset Rank Filtered Signals.

7. A method for image processing operable to transform a plurality of input image signals into an output signal, where said input signals are physical signals and where said output signal is a physical signal, comprising the steps of:

a. forming a plurality of outputs of averaging comparators by passing said plurality of input image signals and a plurality of feedbacks of Offset Rank Selected Signals through a plurality of said averaging comparators, said Offset Rank Selected Signals having Offset Quantile Parameters;

b. forming a first difference which is a weighted difference of said outputs of the averaging comparators;

c. forming a Density Function by time averaging said first difference;

d. forming a second difference which is a weighted difference of said feedbacks of the Offset Rank Selected Signals;

e. forming a plurality of differences between the outputs of the averaging comparators and the respective Offset Quantile Parameters of said Offset Rank Selected Signals;

f. forming a plurality of time derivatives of said Offset Rank Selected Signals by multiplying each of said plurality of differences by a ratio of said second difference and said Density Function;

g. producing the plurality of said Offset Rank Selected Signals by time-integrating said plurality of the time derivatives; and

h. producing said output signal as a weighted average of said Offset Rank Selected Signals.

8. A method for image processing as recited in claim 7 wherein:

a. said plurality of outputs of averaging comparators consists of two outputs and said plurality of feedbacks of Offset Rank Selected Signals consists of two feedbacks and said plurality of said averaging comparators consists of two averaging comparators;

b. said first difference is a difference of said two outputs of said two averaging comparators;

c. said second difference is a difference of said two feedbacks;

d. said plurality of differences consists of two differences;

e. said plurality of time derivatives consists of two time derivatives;

f. said plurality of the Offset Rank Selected Signals consists of two Offset Rank Selected Signals; and

g. said weighted average of said Offset Rank Selected Signals is an average of said two Offset Rank Selected Signals.

9. An apparatus for signal processing operable to transform an input Signal into an output signal, where said input signal is a physical signal and where said output signal is a physical signal, comprising:

a. a plurality of delayed comparators operable to form a plurality of outputs by passing said input signal and a plurality of feedbacks of Offset Rank Filtered Signals through said plurality of delayed comparators, said Offset Rank Filtered Signals having Offset Quantile Parameters;

b. a component operable to form a first difference which is a weighted difference of said outputs of said plurality of delayed comparators;

c. a component operable to form a Density Function by time averaging said first difference;

d. a component operable to form a second difference which is a weighted difference of said feedbacks of the Offset Rank Filtered Signals;

e. a component operable to form a plurality of differences between the outputs of said plurality of delayed comparators and the respective Offset Quantile Parameters of said Offset Rank Filtered Signals;

f. a component operable to form a plurality of time derivatives of said Offset Rank Filtered Signals by multiplying each of said plurality of differences by a ratio of said second difference and said Density Function;

g. a component operable to produce the plurality of said Offset Rank Filtered Signals by time-integrating said plurality of time derivatives; and

h. a component operable to produce said output signal as a weighted average of said Offset Rank Filtered Signals.

10. An apparatus for signal processing as recited in claim 9 wherein:

a. said plurality of delayed comparators consists of two delayed comparators and said plurality of outputs consists of two outputs and said plurality of feedbacks of Offset Rank Filtered Signals consists of two feedbacks;

b. said first difference is a difference of said two outputs of said two delayed comparators;

c. said second difference is a difference of said two feedbacks;

d. said plurality of differences consists of two differences;

e. said plurality of time derivatives consists of two time derivatives;

f. said plurality of the Offset Rank Filtered Signals consists of two Offset Rank Filtered Signals; and

g. said weighted average of said Offset Rank Filtered Signals is an average of said two Offset Rank Filtered Signals.

11. An apparatus for signal processing operable to transform a plurality of input signals into an output signal, where said input signals are physical signals and where said output signal is a physical signal, comprising:

a. a plurality of averaging comparators operable to form a plurality of outputs by passing said plurality of input signals and a plurality of feedbacks of Offset Rank Selected Signals through said plurality of averaging comparators, said Offset Rank Selected Signals having Offset Quantile Parameters;

b. a component operable to form a first difference which is a weighted difference of said outputs of the averaging comparators;

c. a component operable to form a Density Function by time averaging said first difference;

d. a component operable to form a second difference which is a weighted difference of said feedbacks of the Offset Rank Selected Signals;

e. a component operable to form a plurality of differences between the outputs of said plurality of averaging comparators and the respective Offset Quantile Parameters of said Offset Rank Selected Signals;

f. a component operable to form a plurality of time derivatives of said Offset Rank Selected Signals by multiplying each of said plurality of differences by a ratio of said second difference and said Density Function;

g. a component operable to produce the plurality of said Offset Rank Selected Signals by time-integrating said plurality of the time derivatives; and

h. a component operable to produce said output signal as a weighted average of said Offset Rank Selected Signals.

12. An apparatus for signal processing as recited in claim 11 wherein:

a. said plurality of said averaging comparators consists of two averaging comparators and said plurality of outputs consists of two outputs and said plurality of feedbacks of Offset Rank Selected Signals consists of two feedbacks;

b. said first difference is a difference of said two outputs of said two averaging comparators;

c. said second difference is a difference of said two feedbacks;

d. said plurality of differences consists of two differences;

e. said plurality of time derivatives consists of two time derivatives;

f. said plurality of the Offset Rank Selected Signals consists of two Offset Rank Selected Signals; and

g. said weighted average of said Offset Rank Selected Signals is an average of said two Offset Rank Selected Signals.