High resolution time interval counter

Condreva, Kenneth J

Title: High resolution time interval counter

Abstract

A high resolution counter circuit measures the time interval between the occurrence of an initial and a subsequent electrical pulse to two nanoseconds resolution using an eight megahertz clock. The circuit includes a main counter for receiving electrical pulses and generating a binary word--a measure of the number of eight megahertz clock pulses occurring between the signals. A pair of first and second pulse stretchers receive the signal and generate a pair of output signals whose widths are approximately sixty-four times the time between the receipt of the signals by the respective pulse stretchers and the receipt by the respective pulse stretchers of a second subsequent clock pulse. Output signals are thereafter supplied to a pair of start and stop counters operable to generate a pair of binary output words representative of the measure of the width of the pulses to a resolution of two nanoseconds. Errors associated with the pulse stretchers are corrected by providing calibration data to both stretcher circuits, and recording start and stop counter values. Stretched initial and subsequent signals are combined with autocalibration data and supplied to an arithmetic logic unit to determine the time interval in nanoseconds between the pair of electrical pulses beingmore » measured.« less

Inventors:

Condreva, Kenneth J ^[1]

Livermore, CA

Publication Date:: Sat Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1994

Research Org.:: AT&T

OSTI Identifier:: 869415

Patent Number(s):: US 5333162

Assignee:: United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)

DOE Contract Number:: AC04-76DP00789

Resource Type:: Patent

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

Subject:: resolution; time; interval; counter; circuit; measures; occurrence; initial; subsequent; electrical; pulse; nanoseconds; eight; megahertz; clock; main; receiving; pulses; generating; binary; word-a; measure; occurring; signals; pair; stretchers; receive; signal; generate; output; widths; approximately; sixty-four; times; receipt; respective; thereafter; supplied; start; stop; counters; operable; words; representative; width; errors; associated; corrected; providing; calibration; data; stretcher; circuits; recording; values; stretched; combined; autocalibration; arithmetic; logic; unit; determine; measured; clock pulse; pulse stretcher; output signals; output signal; time interval; electrical pulses; clock pulses; resolution time; electrical pulse; receiving electrical; circuit measures; interval counter; counter circuit; /377/

Citation Formats


                    Condreva, Kenneth J. High resolution time interval counter.  United States: N. p., 1994. 
        Web.

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                    Condreva, Kenneth J. High resolution time interval counter.  United States.

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                    Condreva, Kenneth J. 1994.  
        "High resolution time interval counter".  United States.  https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/869415.

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@article{osti_869415,

  title        = {High resolution time interval counter},

  author       = {Condreva, Kenneth J},

  abstractNote = {A high resolution counter circuit measures the time interval between the occurrence of an initial and a subsequent electrical pulse to two nanoseconds resolution using an eight megahertz clock. The circuit includes a main counter for receiving electrical pulses and generating a binary word--a measure of the number of eight megahertz clock pulses occurring between the signals. A pair of first and second pulse stretchers receive the signal and generate a pair of output signals whose widths are approximately sixty-four times the time between the receipt of the signals by the respective pulse stretchers and the receipt by the respective pulse stretchers of a second subsequent clock pulse. Output signals are thereafter supplied to a pair of start and stop counters operable to generate a pair of binary output words representative of the measure of the width of the pulses to a resolution of two nanoseconds. Errors associated with the pulse stretchers are corrected by providing calibration data to both stretcher circuits, and recording start and stop counter values. Stretched initial and subsequent signals are combined with autocalibration data and supplied to an arithmetic logic unit to determine the time interval in nanoseconds between the pair of electrical pulses being measured.},

  doi          = {},

  url          = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/869415},
  journal      = {},
number       = ,

  volume       = ,

  place        = {United States},

  year         = {Sat Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1994},

  month        = {Sat Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1994}

}

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Works referenced in this record:

Review of Sub-Nanosecond Time-Interval Measurements
journal, January 1973

Porat, Dan I.
IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science, Vol. 20, Issue 5
https://doi.org/10.1109/TNS.1973.4327349

Time‐to‐digital converter with an analog interpolation circuit
journal, November 1986

Kostamovaara, Juha; Myllylä, Risto
Review of Scientific Instruments, Vol. 57, Issue 11
https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1139008

A Picosecond Resolution Time Digitizer for Laser Ranging
journal, January 1978

Turko, Bojan
IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science, Vol. 25, Issue 1
https://doi.org/10.1109/TNS.1978.4329280

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Title: High resolution time interval counter

Abstract

Citation Formats

Review of Sub-Nanosecond Time-Interval Measurements journal, January 1973

Time‐to‐digital converter with an analog interpolation circuit journal, November 1986

A Picosecond Resolution Time Digitizer for Laser Ranging journal, January 1978

Review of Sub-Nanosecond Time-Interval Measurements
journal, January 1973

Time‐to‐digital converter with an analog interpolation circuit
journal, November 1986

A Picosecond Resolution Time Digitizer for Laser Ranging
journal, January 1978