Patent ID: 6026418
Filing Date: 2000-02-15
Classification: G06F,H03M

Abstract:
A method for estimating the frequency of a periodic signal, wherein said method comprises the steps of:sampling said periodic signal, wherein said sampling step comprises sampling at a plurality of sampling rates to obtain a plurality of time-domain sample sets of said periodic signal;converting each of said plurality of time-domain sample sets into respective frequency-domain sample sets;determining, for each of said plurality of frequency-domain sample sets, an alias frequency associated with the respective frequency-domain sample set;selecting a subset of said plurality of alias frequencies; anddetermining said frequency of said periodic signal based upon said selected subset of alias frequencies,wherein said selecting step further comprises the step of selecting the subset of said plurality of alias frequencies so as to reduce errors in the subsequent determination of the frequency of said periodic signal such that the frequency of the periodic signal can be determined even though the frequency of the periodic signal exceeds the largest nyquist frequency established by said plurality of sampling rates.