The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 19, 2008
Filed:
Mar. 24, 2005
Brian E Frazier, Santa Rosa, CA (US);
Brian E Frazier, Santa Rosa, CA (US);
L-3 Communications Sonoma EO, Inc., Santa Rosa, CA (US);
Abstract
A method and apparatus provides for accurately synchronizing a plurality of sensors, as well as for providing accurate timing information (e.g. timing metadata) associated with the synchronized data capture. According to one aspect of the invention, an apparatus includes a synchronization circuit that stores a counter having a value corresponding to the delay characteristics of an associated sensor. The counter is used to provide a synchronization pulse to the associated sensor which is offset from a desired synchronization time by an amount that will compensate for the delay characteristics. In one example, one counter is provided for each associated sensor, allowing a high degree of accuracy in synchronization among a plurality of sensors. According to another aspect of the invention, the synchronization pulses are locked onto and derived from a pulse received from a GPS receiver. The GPS receiver is also used to mark time associated with the generated synchronization pulses, and thus obtain highly accurate time information (e.g. metadata) associated with the synchronization pulses provided to the sensors.