A programmable self-adaptive digital frequency multiplier

Existing self-adaptive frequency multipliers work well if the master clock frequency is an integral multiple of the input signal frequency; otherwise they lose an output pulse after a certain interval of time. The frequency of this missing pulse could be as high as half of the input frequency. Since existing self-adaptive frequency multipliers are not programmable, the multiplication factor can not be changed without doing some major changes in the hardware. The reason for missing an output pulse is explained, and design and implementation of a programmable self-adaptive digital frequency multiplier, that does not have this missing pulse problem are presented. The errors associated with the multiplier are discussed     

Design principles of frequency multipliers for digital frequency-measuring instruments

Conclusions It will be seen from this review of various methods for multiplying frequency that, in addition to the generally known multipliers which use functional conversion of the input signal, there can also be designed multiplying devices, based on level quantization, on shifting of signals with respect to their phase or time, and on balancing.It should be noted that the output signal of the first group of multipliers has the same shape as their output signal. The frequency multiplication process in devices of the second and third groups can be accompanied by a transformation of the signal shape.The application of a given type of multiplier in digital frequency-measuring instruments depends basically on the maximum permissible variation of the transducer's output frequency. Thus, in transducers with a small deviation it is, probably, advisable to use frequency multipliers of the first group. It is obvious that balancing multipliers whose comparison element consists of a reversible counter are predominantly suitable for transducers with a large frequency deviation.The problem of obtaining the required frequency multiplier characteristics, consisting of their speed of operation and precision, requires a detailed investigation.Translated from Izmeritel'naya Tekhnika, No. 1, pp. 52–55, January, 1967.     

Novel detector and difference clock circuits for generatorfrequency error monitors

A novel error-free detector circuit which overcomes the problem of error in difference detection is described. In the new design, a detector circuit continuously compares the generator clock and the standard clock. Based on the comparison, it outputs `up' or `down' count pulses appropriately. The unique features of the difference detector are its absolute zero error in error detection and low cost of manufacture. A difference clock which responds to the `up' or `down' count pulses supplied by the error detector and displays the `error time' is also described. This error-time clock displays either positive or negative time, depending on the status of the integral error of the power station frequency. Four such units were designed, manufactured, and installed at the hydropower stations in Sarawak, Malaysia     

A New Technique for Designing High-Speed Frequency Counters

Some basic difficulties in the implementation of high-speed frequency counters are discussed. A new method which avoids most of these difficulties is described. The method essentially consists of binary prescaling the input frequency to a value easily manageable with decade counters and subsequently multiplying the resultant count in the decade counters by the prescaling factor. A simple digit serial multiplier for this purpose is iliustrated along with the system design of a 150-MHz frequency counter. Finally, the advantages of the new approach are discussed.     

A practical method to process time and frequency signal

A new practical time and frequency signal processing method can be used to generate an accurate time signal, for stable phase step, for frequency change and synthesis, and for other related uses. The method accomplishes the time and frequency signal processing by changing the period and phase of the machine cycle of a microcomputer. It is based on pulse deletion of a high frequency clock signal, quantified phase delay, and other intentional variations in a microcomputer clock signal circuit. The pulse deletion and phase delay can be implemented periodically or individually for different purposes, and a frequency change and synthesis or phase shift of the microcomputer output signal can be obtained. With this method, the time signal processing precision can be from several tens of nanoseconds to less than 1 ns.     

单片机控制的高精度Michelson干涉型波长计

设计了Ⅻehelson干涉型激光波长计干涉条纹的单片微机计数硬件电路，编写了8254计数和KeilC51波长运算程序．为提高仪器的测量精度，在硬件和软件上提出了新的设计方案．两个8254计数器可以在单片微机的控制下自动从参考光脉冲信号的下降沿开始对参考信号和被测信号同时计数；参考激光干涉条纹计数满1500000后。参考信号和被测信号的计数器可以同时被自动锁定；单片微机得到锁定信号后，完成两个计数值的读取、波长运算、10次移位平均和7位波长显示．对633nm和532nm两种稳频激光波长进行了实际测量，测量数据表明该计数系统使波长的测量精度达到2×10^-7．     

多功能超高速计数器

脉冲信号计数是最简单的数据获取工作和最基本的测量方法。在许许多多高科技领域中,对计数器(Counter)计数分辩率提出很高要求。当前,核物理上应用的计数器都有计数率较高(最高为200MHz),结构复杂,价格昂贵的缺点。本文报导我们最新研制的一种计数率为500MHz的超高速计数器,后级采用Intersil公司生产的通用计数器电路ICM7216B,只需外接少量元件就可构成最简单多功能超高速计数系统。     

Distance and velocity measurements by the use of an orthogonal Michelson interferometer

A novel signal processing scheme for detecting distance and velocity signals simultaneously is demonstrated. In this method, a frequency-modulated diode laser is used to illuminate a dual-channel Michelson interferometer with two orthogonal output signals. The distance and the velocity signals then exist on the beat frequencies of the output interferometric signal. Two interferometric output signals with a quadrature phase shift are used to adjust the gating time period of frequency counters for beat-frequency measurement. The distance and velocity signals can thus be obtained from the counting number within the gated-in time period.     

Digital-to-analog conversion by pulse-count modulation methods

Three low-cost digital-to-analog converters (DACs) are described and compared. These designs can easily be implemented in an integrated circuit: the conventional pulse-width modulation (PWM) DAC, the new pulse-count modulation (PCM) DAC and the first-order noise shaping (FONS) DAC. All three methods control the ratio of the sum of all pulse durations to the constant total period. As the pulse durations are integral multiples of a unit pulse, all three can be classified as pulse-count modulation methods. Block diagrams of all three DACs consisting of a simple digital circuit and a low-pass filter are presented. For a constant digital input value the worst case ripple of the filter output is used to calculate the cutoff frequency of the low-pass filter. Approximations for the 3 dB cutoff frequency of first-order, second-order and fourth-order Butterworth low-pass filters are given. The dynamic properties are analyzed in the time domain (settling time) and in the frequency domain (unfiltered output spectrum of a full-scale sine wave input). The main influences on the static accuracy are analyzed. A case study demonstrates the abilities of PCM and FONS     

捷变正弦信号源波形建立时间的精确测量

针对正弦信号源捷变状态切换后的建立时间、开机后波形建立时间以及过载恢复时间等的精确测量问题,提出了一种基于局域波形四参数拟合的测量分析方法,然后将拟合模型参数拓展到全局,进而获得拟合回归波形与过渡过程波形的回归残差波形。该波形的收敛过程反映了正弦波建立过程中的残差收敛变化过程。以它为目标对象,加上主观设定的建立时间的条件判据,可以获得正弦建立时间的起始和终止两个时刻点,最终获得完整的正弦信号建立时间。在两组不同条件下的状态切换实验结果,验证了该方法的有效性和可行性。该方法也可以推广应用到脉冲调频、脉冲调幅、脉冲调相、捷变频信号的建立时间测量评价中。     

自由空间量子密钥分发中的信号同步解决方案

针对目前自由空间量子密钥分发（QKD）中的信号同步这一难点问题,提出一种采用外置光信号来解决信号同步问题的方案——光同步方案。在发送端利用声光调制器将外置激光器的连续激光分割成周期光脉冲序列,并作为同步光信号发送给接收端。接收端采用光电倍增管接收同步光脉冲信号,生成一个与发送端严格同步的信号,以此作为接收端的时基标准来进行单光子计数。采用高频的内部时钟信号来“监视”接收到的同步信号,从而提高计数准确性。该方案具有长距离性、无线性、低复杂度等特点,已成功应用于一个基于B92协议的自由空间QKD系统中。     

双STC时钟恢复电路的设计与实现

针对数字电视机顶盒的重要功能——多节目解码对播放同步的需求,设计了一种双时钟计数器(STC)的时钟恢复电路,并在支持先进音视频编码标准(AVS)的高清解码芯片中得到实现。该电路使用主从两个STC,主STC由一个混合型的锁相环驱动,该锁相环产生的27MHz时钟同时用于产生音视频解码时钟;从STC则由一个全数字的锁相环驱动,它仅用于与展示时间戳(PTS)比较产生显示同步控制信号。同时提出了一个硬件的低通滤波算法,该算法保证了STC在稳态下追踪传输流中的节目时钟参考(PCR)的变化,并且提供稳定的时钟输出,同时有效降低了主控CPU的负荷。仿真实验结果表明,所提出的时钟恢复电路和低通滤波算法具有较好的性能和较低的计算复杂度,并有效地降低了硬件开销。     

Time-to-voltage converter for on-chip jitter measurement

In this paper, we present the concept and design of a time-to-voltage converter (TVC), and demonstrate its application to on-chip phase-locked loop (PLL) jitter measurement. The TVC operates in an analog, continuous mode without using a sampling clock. It compares the signal under measurement with a reference signal by charging and discharging a capacitor. First, the low-frequency reference signal charges the capacitor in one cycle. Then, the jitter signal discharges the same capacitor repeatedly until the voltage on the capacitor falls below a threshold. The number of times the jitter signal needs to discharge the capacitor is recorded on a binary counter. We demonstrated that a 160-ps injected jitter is successfully measured by the proposed TVC with a 2-MHz reference signal. We also demonstrated the successful measurement of a 14-ps average PLL jitter, without jitter injection. An 8% measurement error is found in both experiments, using four-bit counters. Finally, we analyze the relations between design parameters and show trade-offs between measurement resolution and measurement time.     

Report on the development of a low background proportional counter for monitoring plutonium in the lung

Techniques developed for use in X-ray astronomy detectors to reduce the internal background in proportional counters for the energy range 1–20 keV have been applied in the construction of a prototype low background proportional counter for monitoring plutonium in the lung. The most commonly used device at present is the phoswich which is mainly limited in its precision by the background count rate induced by the normal radioactivity of the subject being measured. A properly constructed proportional counter using the latest background rejection techniques should offer better rejection of these background events and improve the precision of the measurement. The design of such a counter is described together with preliminary results from the evaluation of a prototype. The limiting performance is shown to be due to radioactive contamination (tritium) of the counter and reduction of this to a low level gives a background lower than that of the phoswich, though not under operational conditions. Future improvements are described.     

Proportional counters as low energy photon detectors

We have investigated the response of an argon methane proportional counter to monochromatic X-rays in the range 99–277 eV. The apparent nonlinearities in mean pulse height as a function of photon energy and the detailed shape of the pulse height distribution for each energy can be predicted quite precisely using the extensive atomic data available for argon. Based on this understanding, we propose a semiempirical system for using a limited amount of calibration data to predict the full response of counters employing less well characterized gasses.Such accurate models of proportional counter response are required to maximize the spectral information that can be derived from observed pulse height distributions.     

Characterization of Frequency Stability: A Transfer Function Approach and Its Application to Measurements via Filtering of Phase Noise

Frequency stability of high-quality signal sources is characterized in the Fourier frequency domain by the spectral density Sy(f) of the fractional instantaneous frequency deviation y(t), and in the time domain by the Allan variance ?y2(?). Two well-known types of measuring apparatus used to evaluate these parameters are analog spectrum analyzers and digital electronic counters, respectively. A detailed analysis of the structure of the relation between ?y2(?) and Sy(f) shows that it is possible to define a variance, i.e., a time-domain measure, by its transfer function in the Fourier frequency domain, even when no corresponding measurement sequence exists in the time domain. Two different kinds of variance are then defined, which possess different properties for white and flicker phase noises. One of these variances is an estimate of the Allan variance. These variances may be measured by a suitable filtering of phase noise at the output of a phase detector.     

A Digital Instantaneous Frequency Meter

A basic instrument is described which produces a parallel digital output proportional to frequency once per cycle, i.e., instantaneously. This is achieved by means of a reciprocal time generator which continuously generates digitally the reciprocal of the time elapsed between successive incoming pulses and the output of which is sampled and held at the end of each cycle. The meter is a 12-bit instrument having an accuracy of ±1 count plus clock stability. An analog output and a digital readout can be readily obtained. The range of the instrument is from zero to fc × 2-12 Hz, where fc is the clock frequency in hertz. Thus the range can be varied by appropriate adjustment of fc. An additional circuit to provide an analog output proportional to rate of change of frequency, also on a cycle-to-cycle basis, is suggested.     

A Resistance Deviation-to-Pulsewidth Converter for Resistive Sensors

A resistance deviation-to-pulsewidth converter is presented for interfacing resistive sensors. It consists of a ramp integrator, two resistance-tunable Schmitt triggers, and two logic gates. A prototype circuit built using discrete components exhibits a resolution as high as 14 bits and a linearity error less than plusmn0.06% when the output pulse is counted by a 10-MHz clock signal. The proposed circuit is applied to measure the temperature difference with the platinum resistance temperature detectors. The measured conversion sensitivity of the temperature difference-to-pulsewidth converter is 5.74 mus/degC, and its linearity error is less than plusmn1% in the temperature difference range of 0degC to 100degC.     

Recording and readout using clock marks premastered by groovewobbling

A new recording and readout technique for land and groove recording on a magnetic super-resolution (MSR) disk is described. The technique uses specifically premastered clock marks. To generate a stable clock signal, the clock marks are fabricated with short bursts in grooves by wobbling at a different frequency from address information. The clock marks and the address information can be separated from a track error signal. When the extracted clock signal is applied to precise recording and readout of the magneto-optical data marks, the bit error rate becomes lower than that of the conventional clock recording/readout system. Additionally, the crosstalk of the wobbled address information to the magneto-optical signal can be canceled out electronically. This new format is not only suitable for high-density recording but also convenient in the disk manufacturing process     

YO!—a time-of-arrival receiver for removal of helicity-correlated beam effects

A parity violation experiment, G⁰, at Jefferson Lab is sensitive to arrival time differences, at the target, of electron beams in the two helicity states. Instead of the Jefferson Lab standard 499 MHz beam structure, G⁰ uses a 31.1875 MHz structure where only 1 out of 16 microbunches contains electrons. Photon counters triggered by time-of-arrival at the target mandate that timing must be independent of delays associated with different orbits taken by the electrons in two helicity states. Corrections to the parity violating asymmetries due to any arrival time differences require the generation of a clean 31.1875 MHz trigger signal and phase matching this signal to the beam's arrival at the target. The time of arrival receiver, named the YO! receiver, has 10 kHz output bandwidth which is sufficiently larger than the settling time (500 μs) of the ≈30 Hz helicity flip. This enables the correction of each helicity bin for any orbit-induced timing inequalities. The device combines conventional receiver and DSP techniques for maximum sensitivity, bandwidth and flexibility and eliminates the 2π/n phase shifts associated with frequency dividers by means of a sampling phase detection scheme. This paper describes the performance of this device during bench testing, commissioning and in data taking phase of the experiment.