Signal Sampling and Reconstruction Methods and Devices

A signal sampling method comprising: sampling an electrical signal to be measured using a pre-determined sampling method to obtain a plurality of first sampling points, each of which is represented by a first amplitude and a corresponding first time; measuring a second amplitude of the electrical signal to be measured, wherein the second amplitude is different from the plurality of the first amplitudes; and delaying the electrical signal to be measured, and using the delayed electrical signal to determine a second time when the amplitude of the electrical signal to be measured reaches the second amplitude in order to obtain a second sampling point, which is represented by the second amplitude and the second time. A greater number of sampling points can be sampled, such that the precision of sampling and also the accuracy of subsequent signal restoration may be improved.

The application claims the priority of Chinese patent application 202010000182.8 filed on Jan. 2, 2020, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The application relates to the technical field of signal processing, and in particular to signal sampling and reconstruction methods and devices.

BACKGROUND

Positron Emission Tomography (PET) is a technique that adopts radioactive elements for clinical imaging by labeling positron-emitting radionuclides on compounds that may participate in the blood flow or metabolism of living tissues and then injecting the compounds labeled with radionuclides into the subject. The positron emitted by the radionuclide in the body combines with the negative electron in the subject to annihilate the electron pair and produce gamma photons, and the gamma photons released may be received by the scintillation crystal and converted into visible light, and then converted into electrical signals by the photomultiplier element for reconstruction, thereby helping determine the enrichment site of radionuclides, and helping locate the area of vigorous metabolism and assess activity.

In traditional techniques, an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) is usually used to digitally sample the electrical signals generated by the PET detectors. However, the use of the ADC to digitally sample the electrical signals is difficult to implement with an extremely expensive cost.

In the field of radiation detection and imaging, the multi-voltage threshold (MVT) sampling method is typically used in the prior art, in order to reduce the cost of digital sampling of electrical signals. However, only a limited number of the sampling points may be sampled using the method, and it is incapable of determining whether the sample points sampled are those of signal extreme amplitude value points, which may affect the precision of sampling and also the accuracy of subsequent signal restoration.

SUMMARY

The object of the embodiments of the present application is to provide signal sampling and reconstruction methods and devices to solve at least one technical problem in the prior art.

In order to solve the above technical problems, provided in embodiments of the present application is a signal sampling method, comprising:

sampling an electrical signal to be measured using a pre-determined sampling method to obtain a plurality of first sampling points, each of which is represented by a first amplitude and a corresponding first time;

measuring a second amplitude of the electrical signal to be measured, wherein the second amplitude is different from the plurality of the first amplitudes; and

delaying the electrical signal to be measured, and using the delayed electrical signal to determine a second time when the amplitude of the electrical signal to be measured reaches the second amplitude in order to obtain a second sampling point, which is represented by the second amplitude and the second time.

Optionally, the step of determining the second time comprises:

measuring a first delay time and a second delay time when the amplitude of the delayed electrical signal reaches any of the first amplitudes and the second amplitude, respectively;

calculating a difference between the first delay time and the second delay time; and

calculating the second time corresponding to the second amplitude using the difference and the first time corresponding to the first amplitude.

Optionally, the pre-determined sampling method comprises a multi-amplitude threshold sampling method or a time interval sampling method.

Optionally, the electrical signal to be measured comprises one of the following types of pulse signals generated by a PET detector: a sine wave signal, a cosine wave signal, a triangle wave signal, a sawtooth wave signal, a step wave signal, or a square wave signal.

Optionally, the second amplitude comprises a maximum or minimum amplitude of the electrical signal to be measured.

Further provided in the embodiments of the present application is a signal reconstruction method, comprising:

conducting a reconstruction with the first sampling points and the second sampling point of the electrical signal to be measured which are sampled by means of the above-mentioned signal sampling method to obtain a reconstructed waveform of the electrical signal to be measured.

Optionally, the step of conducting a reconstruction with the first sampling points and the second sampling point comprises:

conducting a fitting to the first sampling points and the second sampling point;

conducting an interpolation of the first sampling points and the second sampling point; or

conducting an interpolation of the first sampling points and the second sampling point, and a fitting to all the sampling points after interpolation,

wherein the interpolation comprises a linear interpolation and/or a spline interpolation.

Further provided in embodiments of the present application is a signal sampling device, comprising:

a first sampling unit configured to sample an electrical signal to be measured using a pre-determined sampling method to obtain a plurality of first sampling points, each of which is represented by a first amplitude and a corresponding first time;

a measuring unit configured to measure a second amplitude of the electrical signal to be measured, wherein the second amplitude is different from the plurality of the first amplitudes; and

a second sampling unit configured to delay the electrical signal to be measured, and use the delayed electrical signal to determine a second time when the amplitude of the electrical signal to be measured reaches the second amplitude in order to obtain a second sampling point, which is represented by the second amplitude and the second time.

Optionally, the measuring unit comprises a voltage retaining circuit consisting of a capacitor, a diode and an inductor, wherein one end of the capacitor and one end of the inductor are connected in parallel and grounded, the other end of the capacitor and one end of the diode are connected in parallel, and the other end of the diode and the other end of the inductor are connected in series.

Further provided in embodiments of the present application is a signal reconstruction device used for conducting a reconstruction with the first sampling points and the second sampling point sampled by the above-mentioned signal sampling device to obtain a reconstructed waveform of the electrical signal to be measured.

As can be seen from the above-mentioned technical solution provided in the embodiments of the application, the embodiments of the present propose sampling an electrical signal to be measured using a pre-determined sampling method to obtain a plurality of first sampling points, measuring a second amplitude of the electrical signal to be measured, delaying the electrical signal to be measured and using the delayed electrical signal to determine a second time when the amplitude of the electrical signal to be measured reaches the second amplitude in order to obtain a second sampling point, which increases the number of the sampling points as sampled, such that the precision of sampling and the accuracy of subsequent signal restoration may be improved.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

In the following, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be clearly and completely described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are only parts of the embodiments of the application for construing the application, not all of them, and are not intended to limit the scope of the application or the claims. It should be understood that various alternatives to the embodiments described herein may be employed by those skilled in the art without creative work involved and without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Notably, when an element is referred to as being “disposed on” another element, it can be directly disposed on another element or there may be an intermediate element. When an element is referred to as being “connected or coupled” to another element, it may be directly connected or coupled to the other element or there is an intermediate element. The term “connection or coupling” used herein may include electrical connection or coupling and/or mechanical or physical connection or coupling. The term “comprise or include” used herein refers to the existence of features, steps or elements, but does not exclude the existence or addition of one or more further features, steps or elements. The term “and/or” used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more of the related listed items.

Unless otherwise indicated, all the technical and scientific terms used herein have general meaning as commonly understood by those skilled in the technical field related to the disclosure. The terms used herein are for the purpose of describing specific embodiments, but not intended to limit the invention.

In addition, the terms “first”, “second”, “third” or the like used herein are only for the purpose of description and to distinguish similar objects from each other, which do not express the sequence thereof, nor can they be understood as indication or implication of relative importance. In addition, in the description in the disclosure, unless otherwise specified, “a plurality of” means two or more.

Hereinafter, a signal sampling method, a reconstruction method, and devices thereof according to the embodiments of the application will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

As shown inFIG.1, an embodiment of the present application provides a signal sampling method, which may comprise the following steps of:

S1: sampling an electrical signal to be measured using a pre-determined sampling method to obtain a plurality of first sampling points.

The electrical signal to be measured, after being obtained, may be sampled using the pre-determined sampling method, such as multi-amplitude threshold sampling (e.g., MVT) method or time interval sampling method to obtain the plurality of the first sampling points. For example, the electrical signal to be measured may be sampled with a plurality of pre-set first amplitudes, to determine the first times when the amplitude of the electrical signal to be measured reaches the first amplitudes, such that the plurality of first sampling points may be obtained. For example, the electrical signal to be measured may be sampled by a pre-set time interval, to determine the first amplitudes corresponding to a plurality of first times corresponding to the pre-set time interval, such that the plurality of first sampling points may also be obtained. Each of the first sampling points may be represented by one first amplitude and one corresponding first time, such as (T1, V1), (T2, V2), (T3, V2), or (T4, V1).

It is noted that the plurality of first amplitudes may be different from each other, and also the plurality of first times may be different from each other. Furthermore, in the multi-amplitude threshold sampling method the first amplitudes may be pre-set amplitude thresholds, while the first times may be the times as measured corresponding to the amplitude thresholds; while in the time interval sampling method, the first amplitudes may be the measured amplitudes of the electrical signal to be measured, and the first times may be the times calculated according to the pre-set time interval. In general, one first amplitude corresponds to two first times.

It may refer to the relevant description in the prior arts on how to sample the electrical signal using the multi-amplitude threshold sampling method and the time interval sampling method, which will not be further elaborated herein.

The electrical signal to be measured may be a pulse signal generated by a PET detector, e.g., a periodic signal, such as a sine wave signal, a cosine wave signal, a triangle wave signal, a sawtooth wave signal, a step wave signal, or a square wave signal, or other electrical signals which need to be measured and will not be limited herein.

S2: measuring a second amplitude of the electrical signal to be measured.

After the electrical signal to be measured is obtained, a second amplitude of the electrical signal to be measured may be measured using a voltage retaining circuit. The second amplitude may be different from the plurality of the first amplitudes. Further, the second amplitude may be any amplitude different from the first amplitudes, preferably the maximum amplitude of the electrical signal to be measured. Further, if the electrical signal to be measured is a signal of which the amplitude decreases first and then increases, e.g., a cosine wave signal, the second amplitude may also be the minimum amplitude.

The voltage retaining circuit may be designed in advance according to actual needs or experiences, which may hold the voltage of the output thereof unchanged when the amplitude of the electrical signal to be measured reaches the internally set amplitude threshold thereof, or may hold the voltage of the output thereof when the amplitude of the electrical signal to be measured reaches a peak value i.e., the maximum amplitude or minimum amplitude of the electrical signal to be measured. By means of the pre-designed voltage retaining circuit, the second amplitude of the electrical signal to be measured may be different from the first amplitudes.

In the case that the second amplitude is the maximum amplitude of the electrical signal to be measured, the voltage retaining circuit may comprise a capacitor, a diode, an inductor, and the like component. One end of the capacitor and one end of the inductor are connected in parallel and grounded, the other end of the capacitor and one end of the diode are connected in parallel, and the other end of the diode and the other end of the inductor are connected in series, as shown inFIG.2. The diode may be conducted before the amplitude of the electrical signal to be measured reaches the peak value, and be disconnected when the amplitude of the electrical signal to be measured reaches the peak value, such that the voltage of the capacitor may stay stabilized for a period of time. During the measuring, when the voltage across the capacitor suddenly changes, for example, by jumping from Vi to Vj where i and j are different positive integers, the current amplitude of the electrical signal to be measured is recorded as the second amplitude. For example, for the electrical signal to be measured as shown inFIG.3, the electrical signal output by the voltage retaining circuit is shown inFIG.4, where Vmax is the second amplitude as measured.

When the second amplitude is the minimum amplitude of the electrical signal to be measured, the voltage retaining circuit may also be of other components or circuit structures for holding the voltage, and will not be limited herein.

It shall be noted that in the disclosure there is no limitation to the execution order of the step S1and step S2, such that the step S1may also be executed after the execution of the step S2.

S3: delaying the electrical signal to be measured, and using the delayed electrical signal to determine a second time when the amplitude of the electrical signal to be measured reaches the second amplitude in order to obtain a second sampling point.

The electrical signal to be measured, after being obtained, may be delayed, e.g., by 30 ns. It may refer to the relevant description in the prior arts on how to delay the electrical signal, which will not be further elaborated herein.

It shall be noted that in the disclosure there is no limitation to the execution order of measuring a second amplitude of the electrical signal to be measured and delaying the electrical signal to be measured, such that the two may be executed sequentially or simultaneously.

After delaying the electrical signal to be measured, it may use the delayed electrical signal to determine a second time when the amplitude of the electrical signal to be measured reaches the second amplitude in order to obtain a second sampling point, which is represented by the second amplitude and the second time. If the second amplitude is the maximum or minimum amplitude, the second sampling point as sampled will be the extreme amplitude value point (i.e., peak or trough) of the electrical signal to be measured.

Using the delayed electrical signal to determine a second time when the amplitude of the electrical signal to be measured reaches the second amplitude, may comprise: first, measuring a first delay time and a second delay time when the amplitude of the delayed electrical signal reaches any of the first amplitudes and the second amplitude, respectively; second, calculating a difference between the first delay time and the second delay time; and finally calculating the second time corresponding to the second amplitude using the difference and the first time corresponding to the first amplitude. The calculation process may be expressed in the following equation:

wherein Tjrepresents the second time, Tirepresents the first time, which may be either of the two first times corresponding to the selected first amplitude, Tj′ represents the second delay time, and Ti′ may be the first delay time corresponding to the first time Ti.

In the foregoing embodiment, the first amplitudes and the second amplitude may be of voltage, current or the like, and may also be other physical quantities for expressing the amplitude.

As can be seen from the above description, the embodiments of the present application propose sampling an electrical signal to be measured using a pre-determined sampling method to obtain a plurality of first sampling points, measuring a second amplitude of the electrical signal to be measured, delaying the electrical signal to be measured and using the delayed electrical signal to determine a second time when the amplitude of the electrical signal to be measured reaches the second amplitude in order to obtain a second sampling point, which increases the number of the sampling points as sampled, such that the precision of subsequent signal restoration may be improved. By means of the technical solution of the application, moreover, it may self-adaptively sample the amplitude value point (i.e., peaks or troughs) of the electrical signal, which facilitates to improve the precision of the subsequent signal restoration, thereby increasing the energy resolution.

Further provided in the embodiments of the present application is a signal reconstruction method, comprising conducting a reconstruction with the first sampling points and the second sampling point of the electrical signal to be measured which are sampled by means of the signal sampling method described in the above embodiments.

The first sampling points and the second sampling point of the electrical signal, after being obtained, may be used for conducting the reconstruction to obtain a reconstructed waveform of the electrical signal. This step may specifically comprise: conducting a fitting directly to the first sampling points and the second sampling point using a priori model or a characteristic function of the electrical signal (e.g., y(t)=a*exp(−(t−d)b)*(1−exp(−(t−d)c))); or alternatively, conducting an interpolation of the first sampling points and the second sampling point directly; or alternatively, conducting an interpolation of the first sampling points and the second sampling point to obtain more sampling points, and then a fitting to the sampling points after interpolation. The interpolation may comprise, but is not limited to, a linear interpolation and/or a spline interpolation. It may refer to the relevant description in the prior arts on the specific process of the interpolation of the sampling points, which will not be further elaborated herein.

By means of the signal reconstruction method provided in the embodiments of the application, the precision of the signal restoration can be improved.

Further provided in embodiments of the present application is a signal sampling device as shown inFIG.5, comprising:

a first sampling unit510used for sampling an electrical signal to be measured using a pre-determined sampling method to obtain a plurality of first sampling points, each of which is represented by a first amplitude and a corresponding first time;

a measuring unit520used for measuring a second amplitude of the electrical signal to be measured, wherein the second amplitude is different from the plurality of the first amplitudes;

a second sampling unit530used for delaying the electrical signal to be measured, and using the delayed electrical signal to determine a second time when the amplitude of the electrical signal to be measured reaches the second amplitude in order to obtain a second sampling point, which is represented by the second amplitude and the second time.

In an embodiment, the measuring unit520comprises a voltage retaining circuit consisting of a capacitor, a diode and an inductor. One end of the capacitor and one end of the inductor are connected in parallel and grounded, the other end of the capacitor and one end of the diode are connected in parallel, and the other end of the diode and the other end of the inductor are connected in series. The voltage retaining circuit may measure the maximum amplitude of the electrical signal to be measured.

In an embodiment, the second sampling unit530may specifically include (not shown):

a measuring subunit used for measuring a first delay time and a second delay time when the amplitude of the delayed electrical signal reaches any of the first amplitudes and the second amplitude, respectively; and

a calculating subunit used for calculating a difference between the first delay time and the second delay time and then calculating the second time corresponding to the second amplitude using the difference and the first time corresponding to the first amplitude.

Reference may be made to the detailed description of the signal sampling method in the foregoing embodiments for the description of the signal sampling device, which will not be elaborated herein.

As can be seen from the above description, the signal sampling device provided in the embodiments of the present application may use a first sampling unit to sample an electrical signal to be measured using a pre-determined sampling method to obtain a plurality of first sampling points, use a measuring unit to measure a second amplitude of the electrical signal to be measured, use a delay unit to delay the electrical signal to be measured and use a second sampling unit, based on the delayed electrical signal, to determine a second time when the amplitude of the electrical signal to be measured reaches the second amplitude in order to obtain a second sampling point, which increases the number of the sampling points as sampled, such that the precision of sampling and the accuracy of subsequent signal restoration for the electrical signal may be improved, and it is also possible to obtain other required information, e.g., energy, directly from the information of the sample points as sampled.

Further provided in embodiments of the present application is a signal reconstruction device used for conducting a reconstruction with the first sampling points and the second sampling point sampled by the signal sampling device described in the above embodiments to obtain a reconstructed waveform of the electrical signal to be measured.

Reference may be made to the detailed description of the signal reconstruction method in the foregoing embodiments for the description of the signal reconstruction device, which will not be elaborated herein.

Further provided in the embodiments of the application is a signal processing system, which may comprise the signal sampling device and the signal reconstruction device mentioned above.

The systems, devices, units, etc. described in the above embodiments may be specifically implemented by semiconductor chips, computer chips and/or components, or implemented by products with specific functions. For the convenient purpose, the description of the devices is made respectively of individual units by functions. Apparently, the functions of the individual units may be implemented in one chip or multiple chips when embodying the present application.

Although the method steps described in the above-mentioned embodiments or flowcharts are provided in the disclosure, more or fewer steps may be included in the method with conventional or routine work. Steps, in which there is no necessary causal relationship logically, may be executed in a sequence other than those provided in the embodiments in the disclosure.

The various embodiments in this specification are described in a progressive manner with the same or similar parts to be referred across the various embodiments, while the description of the embodiments focus on differences among different embodiments.

The above-mentioned embodiments are described to facilitate those skilled in the art to understand and practice the application. It is also apparent to those skilled in the art to make various modifications to these embodiments and apply the general principles described herein to other embodiments without creative work. Therefore, the application is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments, and improvements and modifications may be made by those skilled in the art according to the disclosure without departing from the scope of this application under the spirit of the invention.