Filing Information

Inventor(s)	Gilbert P. Hyatt ·
Assignee(s)	HYATT GILBERT P ·  View assignee updates
Attorney/Agent(s)	Gilbert P. Hyatt ·
Primary Examiner	Thomas H. Tarcza ·
Assistant Examiner	Ian J. Lobo ·
Application Number	US7084718
Filing date	08/10/1987
Issue date	07/24/1990
Predicted expiration date	07/24/2007
U.S. Classifications	367/43  · 367/59  ·
International Classifications	G01V 100  ·
Kind Code	A
International Classifications	26741;43;59 ·
Related U.S. Application Data	CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation in part of copending partent application FILTERING SYSTEM FOR PROCESSING SIGNATURE SIGNALS S/N 425,131 filed on Sept. 27, 1982 and now U.S. Pat. No. 4,686,655 issued on Aug. 11, 1986 which parent application is a continuation in part of each application in the following chain of parent patent applications copending therebetween: (A) MEMORY SYSTEM USING FILTERABLE SIGNALS S/N 160,872 filed on Jun. 19, 1980 and now U.S. Pat. No. 4,491,930 issued on Jan. 1, 1985 and (B) COMPUTER SYSTEM ARCHITECTURE S/N 860,257 filed Dec. 14, 1977 and now U.S. Pat. No. 4,371,923 issued on Feb. 1, 1983; all by Gilbert P. Hyatt; wherein said parent application S/N 160,872 is a continuation in part of each application in the following chain of parent patent applications copending therebetween: (1) FACTORED DATA PROCESSING SYSTEM FOR DEDICATED APPLICATIONS S/N 101,881 filed on Dec. 28, 1970; proceedings therein having been terminated; (2) CONTROL SYSTEM AND METHOD S/N 134,958 filed on Apr. 19, 1971; still pending in the PTO; (3) CONTROL APPARATUS S/N 135,040 filed on Apr. 19, 1971; still pending in the PTO; (4) APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING HIGH REGISTRATION PHOTO-MASKS S/N 229,213 filed on Apr. 13, 1972 and now U.S. Pat. No. 3,820,894 issued on Jun. 28, 1974; (5) MACHINE CONTROL SYSTEM OPERATING FROM REMOTE COMMANDS S/N 230,872 filed on Mar. 1, 1972; now U.S. Pat. No. 4,531,182 issued on Jul. 23, 1985; (6) COORDINATE ROTATION FOR MACHINE CONTROL SYSTEM S/N 232,459 filed on Mar. 7, 1972 and now U.S. Pat. No. 4,370,720 issued on Jan. 25, 1983; (7) DIGITAL FEEDBACK CONTROL SYSTEM S/N 246,867 filed on Apr. 24, 1972 and now U.S. Pat. No. 4,310,878 issued on Jan. 12, 1982; (8) COMPUTERIZED SYSTEM FOR OPERATOR INTERACTION S/N 288,247 filed on Sept. 11, 1972 and now U.S. Pat. No. 4,121,284 issued on Oct. 17, 1978; (9) A SYSTEM FOR INTERFACING A COMPUTER TO A MACHINE S/N 291,394 filed on Sept. 22, 1972 and now U.S. Pat. No. 4,396,976 issued on Aug. 2, 1983; (10) DIGITAL ARRANGEMENT FOR PROCESSING SQUAREWAVE SIGNALS S/N 302,771 filed on Nov. 1, 1972; still pending in the PTO; (11) ELECTRONIC CALCULATOR SYSTEM HAVING AUDIO MESSAGES FOR OPERATOR INTERACTION S/N 325,941 filed on Jan. 22, 1973 and now U.S. Pat. No. 4,060,848 issued on Nov. 29, 1977; (12) ILLUMINATION CONTROL SYSTEM S/N 366,741 filed on Jun. 4, 1973 and now U.S. Pat. No. 3,986,922 issued on Oct. 12, 1976; (13) DIGITAL SIGNAL PROCESSOR FOR SERVO VELOCITY CONTROL S/N 339,817 filed on Mar. 9, 1973 and now U.S. Pat. No. 4,034,276 issued on Jul. 5, 1977; (14) HOLOGRAPHIC SYSTEM FOR OBJECT LOCATION AND IDENTIFICATION S/N 490,816 filed on Jul. 22, 1974 and now U.S. Pat. No. 4,029,853 issued on Jun. 24, 1980; (15) COMPUTERIZED MACHINE CONTROL SYSTEM S/N 476,743 filed on Jun. 5, 1974 and now U.S. Pat. No. 4,364,110 issued on Dec. 14, 1982; (16) SIGNAL PROCESSING AND MEMORY ARRANGEMENT S/N 522,559 filed on Nov. 11, 1974 and now U.S. Pat. No. 4,209,852 issued on Jun. 24, 1980; (17) METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SIGNAL ENHANCEMENT WITH IMPROVED DIGITAL FILTERING S/N 550,231 filed on Feb. 14, 1975 and now U.S. Pat. No. 4,209,843 issued on Jun. 24, 1980; (18) ILLUMINATION SIGNAL PROCESSING SYSTEM S/N 727,330 filed on Sept. 27, 1976; now abandoned; (19) PROJECTION TELEVISION SYSTEM USING LIQUID CRYSTAL DEVICES S/N 730,756 filed on Oct. 7, 1976; now abandoned; (20) INCREMENTAL DIGITAL FILTER S/N 754,660 filed on Dec. 27, 1976 and now U.S. Pat. No. 4,486,850 issued on Dec. 4, 1984; (21) MEANS AND METHOD FOR COMPUTERIZED SOUND SYNTHESIS S/N 752,240 filed on Dec. 20, 1976; now abandoned; (22) VOICE SIGNAL PROCESSING SYSTEM S/N 801,879 filed on May 13, 1977 and now U.S. Pat. No. 4,144,582 issued on Mar. 13, 1979; (23) ANALOG READ ONLY MEMORY S/N 812,285 filed on Jul. 1, 1977 and now U.S. Pat. No. 4,371,953 issued on Feb. 1, 1983; (24) DATA PROCESSOR ARCHITECTURE S/N 844,765 filed on Oct. 25, 1977; now U.S. Pat. No. 4,523,290 issued on Jun. 11, 1985; (25) DIGITAL SOUND SYSTEM FOR CONSUMER PRODUCTS S/N 849,812 filed on Nov. 9, 1977; now pending in the PTO; (26) ELECTRO-OPTICAL ILLUMINATION CONTROL SYSTEM S/N 860,278 filed on Dec. 13, 1977 and now U.S. Pat. No. 4,471,385 issued on Sept. 11, 1984; and (27) MEMORY SYSTEM HAVING SERVO COMPENSATION S/N 889,301 filed on Mar. 23, 1978 and now U.S. Pat. No. 4,322,819 issued on Mar. 30, 1982; all by Gilbert P. Hyatt; where the benefit of the filing dates of all of the above-listed applications are herein claimed in accordance with the United States Code such as with 35 USC 120 and 35 USC 121.

Patent Family

Abstract

A filtering system is provided for acquiring and processing signals using a sampled filter for signal separation and signal enhancement; such as for determing locations, distances, and times in a geophysical exploration system. Signature signals permit mixing and seperation with sampled filters, such as for sharing common circuitry and for increasing the amount of acquired information. A sampled filter, such as a digital correlator, is provided for generating high resolution output data in response to low resolution input data processed with low resolution computation circuits. A real-time time-domain correlator is provided with single-bit resolution computational elements to provide improved correclation filtering. A high speed real-time correlator is provided to enhance signals with copositing-after-correlation and with correlation using a plurality of correlation operators.

Independent Claims | See all claims (47)

1. 1. An acoustic filtering system comprising:a plurality of signature signal generators being spaced apart, each signature signal generator generating an overlapping signature signal that is overlapping the signature signal generated by at least one of the other spaced apart signature signal generators, each signature signal having a signature that is different from the signature of the signature signal of each of the other spaced apart signature signal generators for propagating through a propagation medium anda signature signal processor being spaced apart from each of said plurality of signature signal generators and generating output signal samples in response to the overlapping signature signals propagating through said propagation medium from said plurality of signature signal generators, said signature signal processor including(a) a receiver generating single bit resolution input signature signal samples in response to the overlapping signature signals propagating through said propagation medium from said plurality of signature signal generators,(b) a plurality of single bit resolution reference signal generators each corresponding to a different one of said signature signal generators in said plurality of signature signal generators and each generating single bit resolution reference signal samples having a signature that is different from the signature of the single bit resolution reference signal samples generated by each of the other reference signal generators and each having a signature that is the same as the signature of the overlapping signature signal generated by the corresponding one of said plurality of signature signal generators, and(c) a plurality of single bit resolution filter processors each corresponding to and coupled to a different one of said single bit resolution reference signal generators in said plurality of single bit resolution reference signal generators and each coupled to said receiver and each generating output signal samples by filter processing the single bit resolution input signature signal samples in response to the single bit resolution reference signal samples generated by the corresponding one of the reference signal generators.
2. 4. A filtering system comprising:a plurality of signature signal generators each generating a signature signal having a signature that is different from the signature of the signature signal of each of the other signature signal generators;a combiner coupled to said plurality of signature signal generators and generating a combined signature signal by combining the signature signals generated by said plurality of signature signal generators;a transmitter coupled to said combiner and transmitting the combined signature signal through a propagation medium; anda signature signal processor being spaced apart from said transmitter and generating output signal samples by processing the combined signature signal transmitted by said transmitter, said signature signal processor including(a) a receiver generating single bit resolution input signature signal samples in response to receiving the combined signature signal transmitted by said transmitter,(b) a plurality of single bit resolution reference signal generators each corresponding to one of said signature signal generators included in said plurality of signature signal generators and each generating single bit resolution reference signal samples having a signature that is different from the signature of the single bit resolution reference signal samples generated by each of the other single bit resolution reference signal generators and having a signature that is the same as the signature of one of the signature signals generated by the corresponding one of said plurality of signature signal generators, and(c) a plurality of filter processors each coupled to said receiver and each corresponding to and coupled to the corresponding one of said single bit resolution reference signal generators and each generating output signal samples by filter processing the single bit resolution input signature signal samples in response to the single bit resolution reference signal samples generated by the corresponding one of the single bit resolution reference signal generators.
3. 5. A filtering system comprising:a first signature signal generator located at a first position and generating a first signature signal having a first signature to propagate through a propagation medium from said first position;a second signature signal generator located at a second position that is different from said first position and generating a second signature signal having a second signature that is different from said first signature to propagate through said propagation medium from said second position; anda signature signal processor located a third position that is different from said first position and said second position and processing signature signals, said signature signal processor including(a) a receiver generating a signature input signal in response to the first signature signal propagating from said first position and the second signature signal propagating from said second position,(b) a single bit resolution input circuit coupled to said receiver and generating single bit resolution input signature signal samples in response to the signature input signal,(c) a first single bit resolution reference signal generator generating first single bit resolution reference signal samples having said first signature,(d) a second single bit resolution reference signal generator generating second single bit resolution reference signal samples having said second signature,(e) a first correlation filter coupled to said first single bit resolution reference signal generator and to said single bit resolution input circuit and generating first correlation output signal samples related to said first signature signal generated by said first signature signal generator by correlation processing the single bit resolution input signature signal samples in response to the first single bit resolution reference signal samples,(f) a second correlation filter coupled to said second single bit resolution reference signal generator and to said single bit resolution input circuit and generating second correlation output signal samples related to said second signature signal generated by said second signature signal generator by correlation processing the single bit resolution input signature signal samples in response to the second reference signal samples,(g) a first output circuit coupled to said first correlation filter and determining position of said signature signal processor relative to said first signature signal generator in response to the first correlation output signal samples, and(h) a second output circuit coupled to said second correlation filter and determining position of said signature signal processor relative to said second signature signal generator in response to the second correlation output signal samples.
4. 6. A filtering system comprising:a first signature signal generator located at a first position and generating a first signature signal having a first signature to propagate through a propagation medium from said first position;a second signature signal generator located at a second position that is different from said position and generating a second signature signal having a second signature that is different from said first signature to propagate through said propagation medium from said second position; anda signature signal processor located a third position that is different from said first position and said second position and processing signature signals, said signature signal processor including(a) a receiver generating a signature input signal in response to the first signature signal propagating from said first position and the second signature signal propagating from said second position,(b) a single bit resolution input circuit coupled to said receiver and generating single bit resolution input signature signal samples in response to the signature input signal,(c) a first single bit resolution reference signal generator generating first single bit resolution reference signal samples having said first signature,(d) a second single bit resolution reference signal generator generating second single bit resolution reference signal samples having said second signature,(e) a first correlation filter coupled to said first single bit resolution reference signal generator and to said single bit resolution input circuit and generating first correlation output signal samples related to said first signature signal generated by said first signature signal generator by correlation processing the single bit resolution input signature signal samples in response to the first single bit resolution reference signal samples, wherein said first correlation filter includes a first product circuit generating first product signal samples as a product of the input signature signal samples generated by said input circuit and the first single bit resolution reference signal samples generated by said first single bit resolution reference signal generator and a first summing circuit coupled to said first product circuit and adding the first product signal samples to generate the first correlation output signal samples,(f) a second correlation filter coupled to said second single bit resolution reference signal generator and to said single bit resolution input circuit and generating second correlation output signal samples related to said second signature signal generated by said second signature signal generator by correlation processing the single bit resolution input signature signal samples in response to the second reference signal samples, wherein said second correlation filter includes a second product circuit generating second product signal samples as a product of the input signature signal samples generated by said input circuit and the second single bit resolution reference signal samples generated by said second single bit resolution reference signal generator and a second summing circuit coupled to said second product circuit and adding the second product signal samples to generate the second correlation output signal samples,(g) a first output circuit coupled to said first correlation filter and determining position of said signature signal processor relative to said first signature signal generator in response to the first correlation output signal samples, and(h) a second output circuit coupled to said second correlation filter and determining position of said signature signal processor relative to said second signature signal generator in response to the second correlation output signal samples.
5. 8. A filter processing system comprising:a plurality of signature signal generators being located at different positions, each signal signature generator generating an overlapping signature signal propagating through a propagation medium and overlapping the signature signal generated by at least one of the other signature signal generators, each signature signal having a signature that is different from the signature of the signature signal of each of the other signature signal generators and having a signature that is separable from the signature of the signature signal of each of the other signature signal generators anda signature signal processor being located at a position different from the position of each of said plurality of signature signal generators and generating output signal samples in response to the overlapping signature signals propagating through said propagation medium from said plurality of signature signal generators, said signature signal processor including(a) a receiver generating single bit resolution input signature signal samples in response to the overlapping signature signals propagating through said propagation medium from said plurality of signature signal generators,(b) a plurality of single bit resolution reference signal generators each corresponding to one of said signature signal generators in said plurality of signature signal generators and each generating single bit resolution reference signal samples having a signature that is different from the signature of the reference signal samples generated by each of the other reference signal generators and having a signature that is the same as the signature of the overlapping signature signal generated by the corresponding one of said plurality of signature signal generators,(c) a plurality of correlation filter processors each coupled to said receiver and each corresponding to and coupled to a different one of said single bit resolution reference signal generators in said plurality of single bit resolution reference signal generators and each generating correlation output signal samples by correlation filter processing of the single bit resolution input signature signal samples in response to the single bit resolution reference signal samples, and(d) an output circuit coupled to said plurality of correlation filter processors and determining position of said signature signal processor relative to each of said plurality of signature signal generators in response to the correlation output signal samples.
6. 15. An acoustic signal processing system comprising:a first acoustic signal generator located at a first shotpoint and generating a first acoustic signal to propagate from said first shotpoint, said first acoustic signal generator including a first signature circuit generating said first acoustic signal having a first signature;a second acoustic signal generator located at a second shotpoint that is different from the first shotpoint and generating a second acoustic signal to propagate from said second shotpoint, said second acoustic signal generator including a second signature circuit generating the second acoustic signal having a second signature that is different from said first signature and that is overlapping with said first acoustic signal; andan acoustic signal processor located at a position that is different from the first shotpoint and the second shotpoint and processing acoustic signals, said acoustic signal processor including(a) a receiver generating a single bit resolution acoustic input signal in response to the first acoustic signal propagating from said first acoustic signal generator and the second acoustic signal propagating from said second acoustic signal generator, where the first acoustic signal and the second acoustic signal are overlapping therebetween,(b) a first single bit resolution reference signal generator generating a first single bit resolution reference signal having said first signature,(c) a second single bit resolution reference signal generator generating a second single bit resolution reference signal having said second signature,(d) a first filter processor coupled to said receiver and to said first single bit resolution reference signal generator and generating a first output signal related to said first acoustic signal generated by said first acoustic signal generator by processing the single bit resolution acoustic input signal in response to the first single bit resolution reference signal, and(e) a second filter processor coupled to said receiver and to said second single bit resolution reference signal generator and generating a second output signal related to said second acoustic signal generated by said second acoustic signal generator by processing the single bit resolution acoustic input signal in response to the second single bit resolution reference signal.
7. 18. A filter processing system comprising:a first signature signal generator located at a first position and generating a first signature signal to propagate from said first position, said first signature signal generator including a first circuit generating said first signature signal having a first signature;a second signature signal generator located at a second position that is different from said first position and generating a second signature signal to propagate from said second position, said second signature signal generator including a second circuit generating the second signature signal having a second signature that is different from said first signature and that is overlapping with said first signature signal; anda signature signal processor located at a third position that is different from said first position and that is different from said second position and processing signature signals, said signature signal processor including(a) a receiver generating a signature input signal in response to the first signature signal propagating from said first signature signal generator and the second signature signal propagating from said second signature signal generator having overlapping therebetween,(b) a first single bit resolution reference signal generator generating a first single bit resolution reference signal having said first signature,(c) a second single bit resolution reference signal generator generating a second single bit resolution reference signal having said second signature,(d) a first correlation filter processor coupled to said receiver and to said first single bit resolution reference signal generator and generating a first correlated output signal by correlation processing the signature input signal in response to the first single bit resolution reference signal,(e) a second correlation filter processor coupled to said receiver and to said second single bit resolution reference signal generator and generating a second correlated output signal by correlation processing the signature input signal in response to the second single bit resolution reference signal,(f) a first position output circuit coupled to said first correlation filter processor and generating a first position output signal to identify position of said signature signal processor relative to said first signature signal generator in response to the first correlation output signal, and(g) a second position output circuit coupled to said second correlation filter processor and generating a second position output signal to identify position of said signature signal processor relative to said second signature signal generator in response to the second correlation output signal.
8. 21. A filtering system comprising:a signature signal generator generating a signature signal without a listening period;a transmitter coupled to said signature signal generator and transmitting the signature signal to propagate through a propagation medium without a listening period; anda signature signal processor generating output filtered signal samples without a listening period by processing the signature signal transmitted by said transmitter and propagating through the propagation medium, said signature signal processor including(a) a receiver generating single bit resolution input signature signal samples without a listening period in response to the signature signal transmitted by said transmitter,(b) a single bit resolution reference signal generator generating signature single bit resolution reference signal samples without a listening period,(c) a filter processor coupled to said receiver and to said single bit resolution reference signal generator and generating output filtered signal samples without a listening period by filter processing the single bit resolution input signature signal samples in response to the single bit resolution reference signal samples, and(d) a memory coupled to said filter processor and storing the output filtered signal samples generated by said filter processor.
9. 23. A filtering system comprising:a signature signal generator generating a sequence of a plurality of signature signals having different signatures therebetween to propagate through a propagation medium;a transmitter coupled to said signature signal generator and transmitting the sequence of the plurality of signature signals; anda signature signal processor generating an output filtered signal by processing the sequence of the plurality of signature signals transmitted by said transmitter, said signature signal processor including(a) a receiver generating a single bit resolution input signature signal in response to the sequence of the plurality of signature signals transmitted by said transmitter,(b) a single bit resolution reference signal generator generating a sequence of a plurality of single bit resolution reference signals having different signatures therebetween, where each of plurality of single bit resolution reference signals in the sequence of the plurality of single bit resolution reference signals has a signature the same as the signature of a corresponding sequential signature signal generated by said signature signal generator,(c) a filter processor coupled to said receiver and to said single bit resolution reference signal generator and generating an output filtered signal by filter processing the single bit resolution input signature signal in response to the sequence of the plurality of single bit resolution reference signals, and(d) a memory coupled to said filter processor and storing the output filtered signal.
10. 31. A filtering system comprising:an input circuit generating a single bit resolution input signal having a plurality of different overlapping signature signal components, each component having a different signature;a single bit resolution reference circuit generating a plurality of single bit resolution reference signals each having a different signature corresponding to the signature of one of the plurality of different overlapping signature signal components in the single bit resolution input signal generated by said input circuit; anda plurality of correlation processors each coupled to said input circuit and to said single bit resolution reference circuit and separating the different overlapping signature signal components in the single bit resolution input signal, wherein each of said correlation processors includes(a) a single bit resolution product circuit generating a single bit resolution product signal as a product of the single bit resolution input signal and a corresponding one of the single bit resolution reference signals and(b) a summing circuit coupled to said single bit resolution product circuit and adding the single bit resolution product signal to generate an output signal related to a corresponding one of the plurality of different overlapping signature signal components in the single bit resolution input signal.
11. 32. A filtering system comprising:a first signature signal generator located at a first position and generating a first signature signal to propagate from said first position, said first signature signal generator including a first circuit generating said first signature signal having a first signature;a second signature signal generator located at a second position that is different from said first position and generating a second signature signal that is overlapping with said first signature signal to propagate from said second position, said second signature signal generator including a second circuit generating the second signature signal having a second signature that is different from said first signature and that is overlapping with said first signature signal; anda signature signal processor processing signature signals, said signature signal processor including(a) a receiver generating a signature input signal in response to the first signature signal propagating from said first signature signal generator and the second signature signal propagating from said second signature signal generator, said first signature signal and said second signature signal being combined together and overlapping therebetween,(b) an input circuit coupled to said receiver and generating single bit resolution digital input signature signal samples in response to the signature input signal,(c) a first single bit resolution reference circuit generating a first single bit resolution reference signal having said first signature,(d) a second single bit resolution reference circuit generating a second single bit resolution reference signal having said second signature,(e) a first filter coupled to said input circuit and to said first single bit resolution reference circuit and generating a first output signal related to said first signature signal generated by said first signature signal generator by processing the single bit resolution digital input signature signal samples in response to the first single bit resolution reference signal, and(f) a second filter coupled to said input circuit and to said second single bit resolution reference circuit and generating a second output signal related to said second signature signal generated by said second signature signal generator by processing the single bit resolution digital input signature signal samples in response to the second single bit resolution reference signal.
12. 34. A filtering system comprising:an input circuit generating a single bit resolution input signal having a plurality of different overlapping signature signal components, each component having a different signature;a single bit resolution reference circuit generating a plurality of single bit resolution reference signals each having a different signature corresponding to the signature of one of the plurality of different overlapping signature signal components in the single bit resolution input signal generated by said input circuit; anda plurality of correlation processors each coupled to said input circuit and to said single bit resolution reference circuit and separating the different overlapping signature signal components in the single bit resolution input signal, wherein each of said correlation processors includes(a) a single bit resolution product circuit generating a single bit resolution product signal as a product of the single bit resolution input signal and a corresponding one of the single bit resolution reference signals and(b) a summing circuit coupled to said single bit resolution product circuit and adding the single bit resolution product signal to generate a multi-bit digital output signal related to a corresponding one of the plurality of different overlapping signature signal components in the single bit resolution input signal and having better digital resolution than said single bit resolution input signal.
13. 36. A filtering system comprising:a first signature signal generator located at a first position and generating a first signature signal and a second signature signal to propagate from said first position, said first signature signal generator including(a) a first signature circuit generating said first signature signal having a first signature,(b) a second signature circuit generating said second signature signal having a second signature that is different from said first signature,(c) a first combiner coupled to said first signature circuit and to said second signature circuit and generating a first combination signal by combining the first signature signal and the second signature signal, and(d) a first transmitter coupled to said first combiner and transmitting the first combination signal through a propagation medium;a second signature signal generator located at a second position that is different from said first position and generating a third signature signal and a forth signature signal to propagate from said second position, said second signature signal generator including(a) a third signature circuit generating said third signature signal having a third signature that is different from said first and second signatures,(b) a forth signature circuit generating said forth signature signal having a forth signature that is different from said first through third signatures,(c) a second combiner coupled to said third signature circuit and to said forth signature circuit and generating a second combination signal by combining the third signature signal and the forth signature signal, and(d) a second transmitter coupled to said second combiner and transmitting the second combination signal through a propagation medium; anda signature signal processor located at a third position that is different from said first position and said second position and processing signature signals, said signature signal processor including(a) a receiver generating an input signature signal in response to the first combination signal transmitted by said first transmitter combined together with the second combination signal transmitted by said second transmitter,(b) a single bit resolution input circuit generating single bit resolution input signature signal samples in response to the input signature signal generated by said receiver,(c) a first single bit resolution reference circuit generating a first single bit resolution reference signal having said first signature,(d) a second single bit resolution reference circuit generating a second single bit resolution reference signal having said second signature,(e) a third single bit resolution reference circuit generating a third single bit resolution reference signal having said third signature,(f) a forth single bit resolution reference circuit generating a forth single bit resolution reference signal having said forth signature,(g) a first filter processor coupled to said single bit resolution input circuit and to said first single bit resolution reference circuit and generating a first output signal related to said first signature signal generated by said first signature signal generator by processing the single bit resolution input signature signal samples in response to the first single bit resolution reference signal,(h) a second filter processor coupled to said single bit resolution input circuit and to said second single bit resolution reference circuit and generating a second output signal related to said second signature signal generated by said second signature signal generator by processing the single bit resolution input signature signal samples in response to the second single bit resolution reference signal,(i) a third filter processor coupled to said single bit resolution input circuit and to said third single bit resolution reference circuit and generating a third output signal related to said third signature signal generated by said third signature signal generator by processing the single bit resolution input signature signal samples in response to the third single bit resolution reference signal, and(j) a forth filter processor coupled to said single bit resolution input circuit and to said forth single bit resolution reference circuit and generating a forth output signal related to said forth signature signal generated by said forth signature signal generator by processing the single bit resolution input signature signal samples in response to the forth single bit resolution reference signal.
14. 39. A filter system comprising:a plurality of signature signal generators being spaced apart, each signature signal generator generating an overlapping signature signal that is overlapping the signature signals generated by all of the other spaced apart signature signal generators and that is propagating through a propagation medium, each signature signal having a signature that is different from the signature of the signature signal of each of the other spaced apart signature signal generators anda signature signal processor being spaced apart from each of said plurality of signature signal generators and generating output signal samples in response to the overlapping signature signals propagating through said propagation medium from said plurality of signature signal generators, said signature signal processor including(a) a receiver generating single bit resolution input signature signal samples in response to the overlapping signature signals propagating through said medium from said plurality of signature signal generators,(b) a plurality of single bit resolution reference signal generators each corresponding to one of the signature signal generators in said plurality of signature generators and each generating single bit resolution reference signal samples having a signature that is different from the signature of the single bit resolution reference signal samples generated by each of the other single bit resolution reference signal generators and each having a signature that is the same as the signature of the overlapping signature signal generated by the corresponding one of said plurality of signature signal generators,(c) a plurality of correlation filter processors each coupled to said receiver and each corresponding with and coupled to one of the single bit resolution reference signal generators in said plurality of single bit resolution reference signal generators and each generating output signal samples by filter processing the single bit resolution input signature signal samples in response to the single bit resolution reference signal samples generated by the corresponding one of the single bit resolution reference signal generators,(d) a memory coupled to said plurality of correlation filter processors and storing the output signal samples; and(e) a position circuit coupled to said memory and determining position of each of said plurality of signature signal generators relative to said signature signal processor in response to the output signal samples stored by said memory.
15. 42. A system determining location of a plurality of objects, said system comprising:a plurality of signature signal generators being spaced apart, each signature signal generator generating an overlapping signature signal that is propagating through a propagation medium and that is overlapping the signature signal generated by at least one of the other spaced apart signature signal generators, each signature signal having a signature that is different from the signature of the signature signal of each of the other spaced apart signature signal generators anda correlation signal processor being spaced apart from each of said plurality of signal generators and determining location of an object in response to the overlapping signature signals generated by said plurality of signature signal generators and propagating through said propagation medium from said plurality of signature signal generators, said correlation signal processor including(a) a receiver generating single bit resolution input signature signal samples in response to the overlapping signature signals propagating through said medium from said plurality of signature signal generators,(b) a plurality of single bit resolution reference signal generators each corresponding to one of said plurality of signature signal generators and each generating single bit resolution reference signal samples having a signature that is different from the signature of the single bit resolution reference signal samples generated by each of the other single bit resolution reference signal generators and each having a signature that is the same as the signature of the overlapping signature signal generated by a corresponding one of said plurality of signature signal generators,(c) a plurality of correlation filter processors each coupled to said receiver and to a corresponding one of said plurality of single bit resolution reference signal generators and each generating correlated output signal samples by correlation filter processing the single bit resolution input signature signal samples in response to the single bit resolution reference signal samples generated by the corresponding one of the plurality of single bit resolution reference signal generators that is different from the single bit resolution reference signal generators corresponding to the other filter processors in said plurality of filter processors, and(d) an output circuit coupled to said plurality of correlation filter processors and determining location of an object in response to the correlated output signal samples generated by each of the plurality of correlation filter processors.
16. 45. A filtering system, said system comprising:a plurality of signature signal generators being spaced apart, each generating a signature signal that is propagating through a propagation medium having a signature that is different from the signature of the signature signal of each of the other spaced apart signature signal generators;a correlation signal processor being spaced apart from each of said plurality of signal generators and generating correlated output signal samples in response to the overlapping signature signals generated by said plurality of signature signal generators and propagating through said propagation medium from said plurality of signature signal generators, said correlation signal processor including(a) a receiver generating single bit resolution input signature signal samples in response to the overlapping signature signals generated by said plurality of signature signal generators and propagating through said propagation medium,(b) a plurality of single bit resolution reference signal generators each generating single bit resolution reference signal samples having a signature that is different from the signature of the single bit resolution reference signal samples generated by each of the other single bit resolution reference signal generators,(c) a plurality of correlation filter processors each coupled to said receiver and to at least one of said plurality of single bit resolution reference signal generators and each generating multi-bit digital correlated output signal samples by correlation filter processing the single bit resolution input signature signal samples in response to the single bit resolution reference signal samples, and(d) a stored program digital computer coupled to said plurality of correlation filter processors and determining location of an object in response to the multi-bit digital correlated output signal samples.
17. 46. A filter system comprising:a first signature signal generator located at a first position and generating a first signature signal to propagate from said first position, said first signature signal generator including a first circuit generating said first signature signal having a first signature;a second signature signal generator located at a second position that is different from said first position and generating a second signature signal to propagate from said second position, said second signature signal generator including a second circuit generating the second signature signal having a second signature that is different from said first signature and that is overlapping with said first signature signal; anda signature signal processor located at a third position that is different from said first position and said second position and processing signature signals, said signature signal processor including(a) a receiver generating a signature input signal in response to the first signature signal propagating from said first signature signal generator and the second signature signal propagating from said second signature signal generator, said first signature signal and said second signature signal being combined together and overlapping therebetween,(b) a single bit resolution input circuit coupled to said receiver and generating a single bit resolution input signature signal in response to the signature input signal,(c) a first single bit resolution reference circuit generating a first single bit resolution reference signal having said first signature,(d) a second single bit resolution reference circuit generating a second single bit resolution reference signal having said second signature,(e) a first filter processor coupled to said single bit resolution input circuit and to said first single bit resolution reference circuit and generating a first filtered output signal related to said first signature signal generated by said first signature signal generator by processing the single bit resolution input signature signal in response to the first single bit resolution reference signal, and(f) a second filter processor coupled to said single bit resolution input circuit and to said second single bit resolution reference circuit and generating a second filtered output signal related to said second signature signal generated by said second signature signal generator by processing the single bit resolution input signature signal in response to the second single bit resolution reference signal.
18. 47.47. A filtering system comprising:an input circuit generating single bit resolution input signal samples having a plurality of different overlapping signature signal components, each component having a different signature;a single bit resolution reference circuit generating a plurality of single bit resolution reference signals each having a plurality of signature signal samples and each having a different signature corresponding to the signature of one of the plurality of different overlapping signature signal components in the single bit resolution input signal generated by said input circuit; anda plurality of correlation processors each coupled to said input circuit and to said single bit resolution reference circuit and separating the different overlapping signature signal components in the single bit resolution input signal, wherein each of said correlation processors includes(a) a single bit resolution product circuit generating single bit resolution product signal samples by multiplying the single bit resolution input signal samples and the single bit resolution reference signal samples,(b) a summing circuit coupled to said single bit resolution product circuit and adding the single bit resolution product signal samples to generate multi-bit digital output signal samples to separate the plurality of different overlapping signature signal components,(c) an output memory coupled to said summing circuit and storing the multi-bit digital output signal samples, and(d) an accessing circuit coupled to said output memory and accessing the multi-bit digital output signal samples stored by said output memory; anda stored program digital computer coupled to said accessing circuit and processing the output signal samples accessed from said output memory to determine location of said plurality of correlation processors.