METHOD TO MEASURE TIME INTERVALS AND DEVICE FOR ITS REALISATION Russian patent published in 2015 - IPC G04F10/00 

FIELD: measurement equipment.

SUBSTANCE: method to measure time intervals is based on analogue n-fold conversion of measured first time intervals between start signals and (m₁+1) signals of reference frequency into p times higher second time intervals to generated stop signals and coding of second time intervals in integer m₁ periods τ₀ of the reference frequency. At the same time they use two parallel channels of conversion of the sum of measured time interval with different values of the number m₁₁ of the sample intervals in the first and m₂₁ in the second channels, with different coefficients of expansion in discharge converters $$$ in the first and $$$ second channels. The start signal of t measured time interval is supplied, the dynamic range of values of which makes m periods of reference frequency, at the inlet of both channels simultaneously. The summary time intervals are converted into codes of counts {x_1ƒ(t)} and {x_2ƒ(t)}, comprising n₁, digits for the first channel and n₂ digits for the second channel. Codes of counts are fixed. Start signals (n₁+n₂) are supplied to inlets of channels or more inlet signals τ_x(t)^-, $$$ . In a similar manner they convert these time intervals and fix codes of counts $$$ . Weight coefficients are determined for digits of codes of counts $$$ for the first and $$$ for the second channel by the solution of the system (n₁+n₂) or more linear algebraic equations of type $$$ , and digital values are determined for measured time intervals $$$ according to the formula $$$ , where $$$ . The substance of the invention-device for measurement of time intervals: it comprises a reference frequency unit (RFU) and digit converters of time intervals into a code with an interpolator (DC_ij), the outlets of which are connected to a control unit of an inlet blocking unit (IBU). The device also comprises a calculator (C) and two parallel channels of digit-by-digit coding (DDCC1 and DDCC2), where DC_ij with various coefficients of expansion are included in series by start inlets and stop outlets. The RFU comprises three outlets. The outlet of the start reference frequency of the RFU is connected to the first control inlets of all DC_ij. The outlet of the first reference frequency of RFU is t times less than its start reference frequency, is connected to the second control inlets of the DC_ij in the DDCC1. The outlet of the second reference frequency of RFU shifted by phase to the half of the period relative to its first reference frequency, is connected to the second control inlets of DC_ij in DDCC2. Outlets of stop signals of final DC_ij in DDCC1 and in DDCC2 are connected accordingly to the first and second control inlets of the calculator C. The control outlet of the C is connected to the control inlet of the device IBU. The inlet of the start signal of measured time interval via the IBU is connected to the inlets of the first DC_ij in DDCC1 and DDCC2. Code outlets of all DC_ij are connected to information inlets of the calculator C, the outlet of which is the outlet of the device.

EFFECT: increased accuracy of measurement of short time intervals due to identification of weight coefficients of digits of a count code of time intervals in working mode with accuracy of setting periods of reference frequencies.

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