METHOD TO MEASURE TIME INTERVAL Russian patent published in 2012 - IPC G04F10/04 

FIELD: instrument making.

SUBSTANCE: when measuring a time interval T, a sequence of clock pulses is generated with a period τ, as synchronised with the start of the measured interval, in the end of the interval a delayed signal pulse is generated with an available shape, the number N of clock pulses starts counting between the start of the interval and the moment of registration of the delayed pulse, a correction ΔN is generated, and the interval T is determined using the formula T=τ (N+ΔN). At the same time duration T_p of a signal pulse is established as more than two clock periods τ, a non-delayed signal pulse is previously digitised with the period x, and results of digitisation are saved in W>3 arrays{Su}_w, where i=1 ,2,…, I - a sequence number of a sample in an array, w - a sequence number of an array, l>2 - number of samples, in process of digitisation in each array {S_1i}_w, samples of the non-delayed pulse are taken into moments of time counted from its start t_iw=(w-l) τ/W+(i-1)-τ, and start of its digitisation is set so that the sample with the maximum value has the same sequence number in all arrays, besides, a sample with the maximum value is included into the set of sample values {S_1i}_w, as well as at least one sample at the left and the right from it, in process of measurement of a time interval, a delayed signal pulse is digitised with binding to a clock sequence, forming an array {S_2i}, at the same time arrays {S_1i}_w and {S_2i} are formed with identical number of samples I in each array, so that the maximum sample in the array {Si;} is in the same position, as in the arrays {S_1i}_w, afterwards W estimates R_w=R({S_1i}_w, {S_2i}) are generated, which characterise proximity of arrays {S_1i}_w and {S_2i}, for instance, in the form of a total absolute deviation a sequence number w* is determined, at the same time the estimate R_w to a largest extent characterises the proximity of arrays {S_1i}_w and {S_2i}, and a correction ΔN is generated using the formula ΔN=(w*-1)/W. Arrays {S_1i}_w and {S_2i} may be normalized so that their maximum samples have the same value. To even more increase accuracy, it is possible to generate an additional correction ΔN_C, determined previously by measurement of a reference interval of time.

EFFECT: increased accuracy of measurement of a time interval with standard equipment.

4 cl, 4 dwg