Abstract: The average amplitude of an incoming signal voltage of variable frequency is measured by half-wave rectification of that signal voltage to produce a pulsating current which is subtracted from a continuous current in the input of an integrating amplifier. The fluctuating output voltage of this amplifier is periodically sampled, once per cycle of the signal voltage, to provide a train of corrective pulses. These pulses are accumulated to provide a reference voltage fed to a differential amplifier which controls the continuous current in response to differences between this reference voltage and a feedback voltage proportional to that current to compensate for changes in average signal amplitude. The magnitude of the continuous current, read by a meter, is therefore a measure of the desired amplitude. The voltage samples may be weighted, in proportion to signal frequency, by a variable-gain amplifier or a sampling switch closed for different periods in the output of the integrating amplifier referred to.

Abstract: Bipolar signals used in binary or ternary data transmission, arriving at a receiving station, are periodically sampled under the control of sync pulses extracted from the incoming data train. The samples are rectified and stored on a capacitor whose voltage variations, upon rectification and integration, yield an indication of signal distortion during transmission. The average capacitor charge furnishes a feedback signal for keeping the voltage variations proportional to signal amplitude. A threshold circuit prevents the sampling of zero or near-zero voltages with ternary signaling.

Abstract: Two (or more) periodically reproducible input signals V.sub.yI, V.sub.yII, possibly including a constant reference signal, are visually displayed on an oscilloscope screen with the aid of a normally suppressed electron beam under the control of a horizontal-sweep generator and a vertical-sweep generator producing a sinusoidal x-deflection and y-deflection signals V.sub.xR and V.sub.yR, respectively. The x-deflection signal V.sub.xR is continuously compared with two (or more) ramp signals V.sub.xI and V.sub.xII, of different periodicities substantially lower than the frequencies of the deflection signals, respectively assigned to the input signals V.sub.yI, V.sub.yII to be displayed; upon the occurrence of a coincidence with one of these ramp signals, the horizontal sweep is halted or slowed down -- preferably to the slope of the coincident ramp signal -- for a display interval equaling one cycle of the y-deflection signal V.sub.

Abstract: To check the bit-distortion ratio of a transmission line carrying bipolar PCM signals, converted from a binary to a balanced ternary code at the tramsmitting end and reconverted into binary signals at the receiving end, binary test words and identical reference words are simultaneously read out from storage at opposite ends of the line. The test words are converted into bipolar form, for transmission, and the received pulses are distributed according to polarity over a first pair of leads while the binary pulses of the reference words are distributed over a second pair of leads according to the conversion code used at the transmitting end. The pulse trains on corresponding leads are compared, bit by bit, in a deviation monitor whose output, in response to any mismatch, advances a reversible counter which is reverse-stepped by timing pulses of a cadence reduced by a frequency divider to a fraction of the bit rate.