Digital signal gating apparatus and method in a pulse receiver system

1. A digital signal gating apparatus of a preprocessor in a detection system; the detection system including a central processing unit, a main memory and a receiver; the apparatus comprising:

(a) a first digital signal delaying element, responsive to the receiver, wherein the first digital signal delaying element delays an RF signal data from the receiver;

(b) a signal detection generator, responsive to the receiver;

(c) a second digital signal delaying element, responsive to the signal detection generator;

(d) a data acquisition window enable signal generator, responsive to the second digital signal delaying element; and

(e) a digital data recording element, responsive to the first digital signal delaying element and the data acquisition window enable signal generator, wherein the digital date recording element records the RF signal data delayed by the first digital signal delaying element.

2. A digital signal gating apparatus of a preprocessor in a detection system; the detection system including a central processing unit, a main memory and a receiver; the apparatus comprising:

(a) first delaying means, responsive to the receiver, for delaying one or more digital signals;

(b) signal detecting means, responsive to the receiver, for generating a detection signal;

(c) second delaying means, responsive to the signal detecting means, for delaying the detection signal;

(d) gating means, responsive to the second delay means, for asserting an enable signal representing a data acquisition window; and

(e) memory means, responsive to the first and second delaying means, for recording the digital signals in response to the assertion of the enable signal.

3. A digital signal gating apparatus of a preprocessor in a pulsed radiation detection system for acquiring a RF waveform; the radiation detection system including a central processing unit, a main memory and a digital receiver for generating RF signal data; the apparatus comprising:

(a) first delaying means, responsive to the digital receiver, for delaying the RF signal data a number of clock cycles given by M;

(b) signal detecting means, responsive to the digital receiver, for generating a detection signal when a RF waveform is detected;

(c) second delaying means, responsive to the signal detecting means and central processing unit, for delaying the detection signal by a number of clock cycles given by N such that M−N is less than the time for the signal detecting means to assert a detection signal;

(d) gating means, responsive to the second delay means, for asserting an enable signal representing a data acquisition window; and

(e) memory means for causing the RF signal data delayed by the first delaying means to be recorded in response to the assertion of the enable signal wherein M and N are integers.

4. The digital signal gating apparatus of claim 3 wherein the first delaying means includes one or more shift registers.

5. The digital signal gating apparatus of claim 3 wherein the memory means is a first-in-first-out memory device.

6. The digital signal gating apparatus of claim 3 wherein the second delaying means is a counter device for counting off the clock cycles given by M.

7. The digital signal gating apparatus of claim 3 wherein the second delaying means is operatively coupled to the central processing unit from which N is downloaded.

8. The digital signal gating apparatus of claim 3 wherein the apparatus further includes a read counting means, responsive to the gating means, for counting a quantity of data recorded in the memory means.

9. The digital signal gating apparatus of claim 8 wherein the apparatus further includes a write counting means, responsive to the read counting means, for causing the memory means to write to main memory the quantity of data recorded in the memory means.

10. The digital signal gating apparatus of claim 3 wherein the apparatus further includes an interrupt means, responsive to the central processing unit, for postponing a system interrupt signal to avoid loss of RF signal data.

11. The digital signal gating apparatus of claim 3 wherein the signal detecting means, responsive to one or more amplitude measurements, further includes magnitude detection means for comparing the one or more amplitude measurements to a threshold value.

12. The digital signal gating apparatus of claim 3 wherein the signal detection means further includes durational detections means for asserting the detection signal on the condition that the RF signal exceeds the threshold value for two or more clock cycles.

13. A method for gating RF signal data in a pulse radiation detection system including a central processing unit and digital receiver for generating digital signals, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) inputting digital signals from the digital receiver;

(b) generating, with signal detector generator, a detection signal upon detection of RF signal data;

(c) delaying, with a first digital signal delaying element, the detection signal for a period of time given by a first delay input;

(d) generating, with a data acquisition window enable signal generator, a gating signal in response to a detection signal from the first digital signal delaying element;

(e) delaying, with second digital signal delaying element, the digital signals from the digital receiver for a period of time given by a second delay input;

(f) storing, with a data recording element, the RF signal data from the digital signals delayed by the second digital signal delaying element in response to the gating signal; and

(g) outputting RF signal data from the data recording element.