Abstract: A circuit for ascertaining the direction of origin of the most significant transient appearing on a electrical power line within a predetermined interval is disclosed. Threshhold comparator circuit (325, 326) are provided to insure that transient polarities needed for the directivity determination are ascertained while the transient impulse is still rising towards its peak value. For any nominal, user-set threshhold (V.sub.2), a lower preliminary threshold (V.sub.1) is automatically set and when the transient exceeds the preliminary threshhold, the transient polarities are determined and correlated to effect a tentative directivity determination which is stored in an input latch (205). When the transient exceeds the nominal threshhold, the directivity determination is transferred to an output latch (211) to be read by an output printing device.

Abstract: A DC signal is generated having a amplitude related to the amplitude of an AC signal, with minimal delay and low sensitivity to noise in the AC signal.

Abstract: An accurate, low cost and stable digital decibel indicating level meter having a wide amplitude and frequency range in decibels is described having a dynamic range of greater than 80 decibels with high decibel linearity over an extended decibel range. A dual slope integration technique minimizes drift and simplifies calibration, and uses a voltage reference which is compared to an exponentially decaying integration voltage such that when a time duration elapses from the beginning of the discharge to the time when the reference and discharge voltages are equal, the time duration is logarithmically proportional to the voltage being measured. A counter is enabled to provide a digital indication of the signal level measured in decibels, which indication is stored in a latch circuit displayed or coupled out.

Abstract: A data acquisition and display device for acquiring and displaying the time history of the variations in an analog value includes digital circuitry which employs a staircase voltage generator operated at a first frequency to quantize a range of analog voltages which correspond to the expected variations in the analog value. When the staircase voltage equals an analog voltage corresponding to the instantaneous value of the analog value, a memory device is conditioned to receive data corresponding to the staircase value. The memory acquires the data at a second frequency selected by the operator to acquire a fixed number of data inputs over a selected time period for which the time history is desired, and the circuitry automatically terminates data acquisition when the fixed number of data inputs is acquired. The data is read out at a third frequency selected by the operator.

Abstract: A circuit for determining on a half-wave cycle basis the maximum and minimum voltages of input cyclic line voltages for selected time periods in which the line voltages are rectified to half-waves, and an integrating voltage to frequency converter provides output pulses proportional to the voltage magnitudes of the half-waves with the pulses being counted and placed in a memory and then compared with minimum and maximum previous counts for previous half-waves, to provide an updated minimum and maximum voltage for such half-waves over a period of time or period of half-waves, with provisions for providing resetting strobe pulses at zero voltages of the half-waves and for providing accurate measuring of the pulse outputs in the integrating voltage to frequency converter by modulating the integrator sense voltage and achieving substantially accurate compensation for the effects of timing errors in the V/F converter.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of measuring a voltage with the aid of an analogue-digital converter comprising an integrator and a comparator, in which a first voltage maintaining the integrator on a certain reference potential, a second voltage, bringing the output of the integrator to a certain potential, and a third voltage, discharging the voltage at the output of the integrator are applied to the converter. In this method for measuring instantaneous values of measurement voltages, the first voltage is the measurement voltage and the second voltage is the auxiliary voltage.

Abstract: In the ion gauge system disclosed herein, the ion current obtained from an ion gauge tube is directly converted to a signal having a frequency proportional to the ion current so that a digital measurement of vacuum may be obtained. The ion current charges an integrating capacitor which is periodically discharged after reaching a preselected threshold. Preferably, the threshold is adjusted in proportion to the ion gauge emission current so that automatic compensation for variation in the emission current is obtained, the output frequency being proportional to the ratio of the ion current to the emission current. The variable frequency output signal generated by the integration and discharge process is counted by a scaling circuit which automatically changes the timing interval to provide the desired number of significant figures while incrementing the exponent value in a scientific notation display in keeping with the active time base.

Abstract: A novel method for detecting charge on large bodies such as the earth is accomplished by means of disclosed apparatus which includes a vertical column of mercury having an associated electrode which is capacitively coupled to the mercury column when the mercury level is above the position of the electrode. By establishing an initial unipotential state for the apparatus by short circuit connection of the electrode and mercury column to the earth and an electrometer connected between the electrode and the earth which is initially short-circuited across its terminals the apparatus is conditioned to sense the charge of the large body to which it is connected (the earth) by moving the mercury column up and down past the position of the electrode with the electrometer open-circuited and thus connected between the electrode and earth during the passage of the mercury in one direction past the electrode.

Abstract: A voltmeter having multiple voltage ranges comprises substantially linear elements such that the transfer functions of the elements can be independently measured and logically combined to derive the transfer function of a given combination of elements configured to obtain a given voltage range.

Abstract: A digital exposure meter display circuit for a camera includes a first oscillator 1 whose output controls the charging of an integrating capacitor 28 from a constant current source 3. When the capacitor charge reaches the level of a reference voltage from source 7, as detected by a first comparator 6, a counter 10 is enabled and begins to register clock pulses from a second oscillator 8 through an AND gate 31. When the capacitor charge subsequently reaches the output level of a light measuring circuit 4, which is proportional to the apex value of the sensed object brightness, a second comparator 5 disables the AND gate and enables an LED display 12 supplied with the decoded counter value.

Abstract: An electronic three-phase four-wire system watt-hour meter equipped with a single operational circuit which multiplies the voltage and the current of each phase of a three-phase alternating current power source of which electric energy is to be measured. Electronic switches are provided which work on voltage and electronic switches are provided which work on current in each phase. Said electronic switches are cyclically opened and closed by three-phase pulse signals provided for control. The operational circuit produces, in the form of a current, an output corresponding to the sum of the electric power of each phase of said three-phase alternating current source.

Abstract: A circuit for performing dual slope integration to provide a digital measurement of an input voltage of either positive or negative polarity employs a single source of reference potential in combination with a switchable resistive network as a source of reference current.

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: The output voltage of a power source is converted into a time signal by a circuit comprising a capacitor to which the voltage is applied, an MOS-FET connected across the capacitor and controlling its discharge rate in accordance with the voltage of the power source and a switching circuit which controls the MOS-FET. The time period representing the voltage of the power source is displayed digitally by counting the number of standard pulses occurring during the time period and digitally displaying the pulse count.

Abstract: An analog to digital converter suitable for fabrication according to integrated circuitry technology. The voltage to be converted is applied to a storage capacitor which is pulse discharged in discrete equal amounts determined by a voltage controlled constant current source. The pulses are counted and the total represents the input voltage. The current of the constant current source, and concomitantly the discrete pulsed discharge amounts, is varied during a calibrate mode depending upon any detected error. A known reference voltage is applied to the storage capacitor which is then pulsed down by the voltage controlled current source. Any deviation in the time of discharge, as compared to the known time (number of pulses) to discharge the capacitor, varies the voltage which controls the current magnitude of the constant current source.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method and apparatus for processing yarn defect signals of a plurality of yarns on the on-line base.For this purpose and in the case of the signal processing apparatus according to this invention a large number of yarn defect signals are processed through a scanning device for signal sampling, means is provided for placing possible drop-out signals into respective provisional memories, and preferably in the form of a binary "1" from a binary "0" and for reading out the contents from the memories at the beginning the next succeeding sampling period and for further processing these read-out yarn defects signals, together with regular yarn defects signals under processing through regular samplings.

Abstract: A digital voltage level measuring device includes an amplifier having a capacitive feedback the output voltage of which is brought to a value dependent upon the integration result reached within a given interval of time of a voltage to be measured. After disconnection of the voltage which is to be measured, the output voltage is fed back to the amplifier input. The interval of time from the beginning of the feedback phase until the reaching of a given voltage value by the exponentially changing output voltage is then digitally measured.

Abstract: The tester does not require any external power source as it derives its energy from the pulse being measured. It includes circuitry which produces a signal proportional to the energy without directly calculating the energy. This is accomplished by generating a current portional to E.sup.2 with a diode network and then integrating the current in a capacitor thus indirectly measuring the true energy. The results are read directly upon a linear meter or can be connected to an oscilloscope or the like for inspection or recording. A bridge rectifier can be used so that the circuit is responsive to both polarities of input pulse or it can be made responsive only to the unipolar signal.

Abstract: An apparatus for measuring small currents in which the current is applied to an integrator. The integrator output is applied to a slope detecting means, preferably differentiator and the integrator output is reduced at intervals to zero.