Pulse Processing Device Parallel Signal Analysis

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional radiation measuring instruments experience counting loss and reduced capacity due to dead time caused by processing standby intervals, leading to missed pulses and decreased accuracy in nuclide identification.

Innovation Solution

A pulse processing device with a high-speed AD conversion unit, peak value data detection, and signal processing units that perform parallel processing to continuously convert and analyze linear pulse signals, reducing dead time and increasing counting capacity by identifying and discarding noise, thereby enhancing nuclide identification accuracy.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If conventional sequential processing is used for pulse detection, AD conversion, and CPU processing, then processing can be completed with simple circuit design, but dead time increases and counting capacity decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecounting capacityVSAvoiddead time
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The pulse processing function is divided into three independent parallel processing paths: pulse detection unit, high-speed AD conversion unit, and signal processing unit. Each unit operates independently on the same input signal, eliminating the sequential dependency that causes dead time. The pulse detection unit continuously detects pulses while the AD conversion unit converts signals and the signal processing unit analyzes wave heights, all simultaneously without interfering with each other's operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The pulse detection unit continuously monitors and detects pulse signals in advance, maintaining readiness to detect the next pulse without waiting for the current pulse processing to complete. The high-speed AD conversion unit is prepared to immediately convert detected pulses, and the signal processing unit is ready to analyze converted signals, ensuring no time is lost between processing stages.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Productivity

If processing standby interval is reduced to increase counting capacity, then more pulses can be detected, but processing accuracy may deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecounting capacityVSAvoidnuclide identification accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system creates multiple independent processing copies that operate in parallel on the same input signal. The pulse detection unit, AD conversion unit, and signal processing unit each process the signal independently and simultaneously, ensuring that processing accuracy is maintained while counting capacity increases. No single processing path needs to be rushed, as all paths operate concurrently with full processing time available to each.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

3Reliability

If threshold filtering is applied to remove noise, then false detection is prevented, but fine noise signals equal to or lower than threshold are eliminated

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedetection reliabilityVSAvoidfine noise signal
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The signal processing unit applies different processing qualities to different signal characteristics. For signals exceeding the threshold, standard threshold filtering is applied to ensure reliable detection. For signals at or below the threshold, the system maintains higher sensitivity to preserve fine noise signals that may contain important information. This localized quality adjustment allows the system to filter noise effectively while preserving potentially significant low-amplitude signals.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP2728379B1Pulse processing device and radiation analysis apparatus
Publication Date: 2016.08.17 FUJI ELECTRIC CO LTD
  • EP2728379B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2728379B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2728379B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Provided is a pulse processing device that accelerates signal processing and prevents counting loss. Provided also is a radiation measuring instrument in which counting loss is prevented and counting capacity is increased by installing the pulse processing device. The processing device is provided in a form of a pulse processing device (100) including: a pulse detection unit (1) that outputs a linear pulse signal in response to a physical event and; a high-speed AD conversion unit (2) that converts the linear pulse signal into digital pulse data; a threshold data setting unit (3) that outputs preset threshold data; a peak value data detection unit (4) that compares the digital pulse data with the threshold data and outputs the maximum digital pulse data, from among the digital pulse data continuously exceeding the threshold data, as maximum peak value data; and a signal processing unit (5) that inputs the peak value data as a pulse wave height.