MEASUREMENT METHOD AND SYSTEM

摘要

Measurement system for resolving a digital measurement of an unknown analog variable in a noise spectrum in which the spectrum is greater than or less than the least significant weighted value of the digital system. The measurement method of binary approximation is employed until the measuring system indicates once that on a comparison of vote counts the ratio of the unknown analog variable to the binary approximation has a given relationship to a predetermined criteria related to the noise spectrum. Thereafter, an incremental approximation is utilized once the criteria has been initially met to carry out a comparison of the unknown analog variable with an incremented reference and within the predetermined criteria until a voting procedure indicates that the criteria has been successively met for a given number of times. While this voting procedure takes place, the values resulting from the approximations are accumulated for the given number of succesive votes. From this accumulation, the value of the unknown variable is calculated. A look-ahead procedure is also included in the system for accelerating the realization of the initial comparison with the prescribed criteria.