Abstract:
A programmable system includes a programmable analog device including an operational amplifier to generate an output voltage based on input voltages at terminals of the operational amplifier. The programmable system also includes a system controller to direct the programmable analog device to reconfigure analog circuitry providing the input voltages to the operational amplifier. The reconfiguration of the analog circuitry allows the programmable analog device to implement discrete-time or continuous-time functions.
Abstract:
The disclosure is directed to an electronic circuit and method for counting input electrical signals. An embodiment of the method of the invention includes the following steps: providing a device having a current versus voltage characteristic with a plurality of peaks, and negative resistance regions between the peaks; generating a triggering pulse in response to each input signal to be counted, and applying said triggering pulse to the device to change the voltage across the device; and outputting the voltage across the device as an indication of the number of received input signals. The device may be a resonant tunneling diode with multiple peaks in its current versus voltage characteristic. The preferred embodiment of the method of the invention includes the step of providing a load resistance means across the device. In this embodiment, the triggering pulse is operative to change the voltage across the device to a stable operating point of the device in conjunction with the load resistance means. Also in this embodiment, the step of providing a triggering pulse comprises providing a current pulse whose magnitude depends on the present stable operating point of the device in conjunction with the load resistance means. The counting technique and apparatus of the present invention operates at high speed and without undue complexity.
Abstract:
A device for counting the edges of electric pulses is disclosed and comprises a first capacitor connected in series with a pump circuit, which comprises a first resistance in series with a first diode connected in parallel with a second resistance, and a second capacitor connected in parallel with the first resistance. When a voltage, which is caused by one of the edges of an electric pulse, is applied across the first capacitor and the pump circuit, the first and second capacitors are charged in series with a charge that is essentially determined by the second capacitor. A first input of a comparator is connected to the connection point between the first capacitor and the pump circuit and a second input of the comparator is connected to a comparison potential, in order to indicate that a given approximate number of pulses have been counted when the voltage across the first capacitor exceeds a threshold level determined by the comparison potential.
Abstract:
A dynamically reconfigurable linear core logic gate is a device that allows logical outputs dependent upon configurable parameters set within device. The device is comprised of three blocks: The first block receives at least one input signal and determines whether the signal or signals are low or high in comparison with a threshold reference signal. The second block sums the logic signals of the first block with an offset signal. The third block determines if the sum realized in the second block is a low or high by checking whether the sum falls within a predetermined interval.
Abstract:
A programmable device includes an operational amplifier and circuitry. The operational amplifier is configured to generate an output voltage based on input voltages at input terminals thereof. The circuitry is configured to provide the input voltages to the operational amplifier. The configuration of the circuitry allows the programmable device to implement discrete-time or continuous-time functions. The circuitry includes a resistor network and a capacitor network configured to be selectively coupled to the operational amplifier.
Abstract:
In the disclosed frequency converter, a pulse shaper receives pulses at the input frequency and changes their pulse widths to a predetermined value. An integrator integrates the reshaped pulses. An ultra high resistance triggering stage applies the voltage output of the integrator to a monostable multivibrator which is fired each time the voltage output of the integrator exceeds a predetermined value. The multivibrator forms pulses which turn on a discharge circuit that rapidly resets the integrator with each multivibrator output pulse. The multivibrator output pulses appear at the attenuated frequency which is established by, and can be infinitely varied by, stepless change of the predetermined pulse widths.