Abstract:
A precision pulse detection system for time-of-flight sensors detects a zero axis crossing of a pulse after it crosses above and then falls below a threshold. Transmit and receive pulses flow through a common expanded-time receiver path to precision transmit and receive pulse detectors in a differential configuration. The detectors trigger on zero axis crossings that occur immediately after pulse lobes exceed and then drop below a threshold. Range errors caused by receiver variations cancel since transmit and receive pulses are affected equally. The system exhibits range measurement accuracies on the order of 1-picosecond without calibration even when used with transmitted pulse widths on the order of 500 picoseconds. The system can provide sub-millimeter accurate TDR, laser and radar sensors for measuring tank fill levels or for precision radiolocation systems including digital handwriting capture.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to radar detection circuits and more particularly to baseband pulse detection circuits for expanded time electromagnetic ranging systems. The invention can be used to accurately detect the time of occurrence of pulses for impulse and pulsed radar, Time Domain Reflectometers (TDR), pulsed laser sensors and radiolocation systems. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Short range, high resolution pulse-echo ranging systems, such as impulse radar, TDR and pulsed laser rangefinders often transmit a sub-nanosecond wide pulse. Guided wave radars (GWR), also known as “electronic dipsticks” since they employ a single-wire electromagnetic guide wire, also often transmit a sub-nanosecond wide pulse and can be found in, for example, industrial pulse-echo TDR systems used to measure liquid levels in tanks. These systems usually operate in an expanded time mode, whereby a transmit pulse rate is slightly higher than a receive gate frequency, or sampling rate, to produce a stroboscopic effect in the form of a down-sampled, expanded-time signal. 
     The stroboscopic effect produces detected output pulses that resemble realtime sub-nanosecond pulses, but they occur on a vastly expanded time scale. Time expansion factors of 100,000 to 1-million are common. Accordingly, a 1-nanosecond wide realtime transmit pulse can produce a sampled output replica pulse having a 1-millisecond expanded time duration. At 1 ms duration, pulse detection and other processing is vastly easier. Examples of expanded time GWR architectures are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,609,059, “Electronic Multi-Purpose Material Level Sensor,” by the present inventor, Thomas E. McEwan, and in U.S. Pat. No. 6,452,467, “Material Level Sensor Having a Wire-Horn Launcher,” also by the present inventor. An example of an expanded time laser ranging system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,767,953, “Light Beam Range Finder,” by the present inventor. An example of an expanded time radar is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,137,438, “Precision Short-Range Pulse-Echo Systems with Automatic Pulse Detectors,” to the present inventor. 
     High accuracy range determination depends on precisely detecting a time duration between a transmit pulse and a receive pulse. However, the transmit and receive pulses are often coupled to a receiver through different networks and thus may have different waveshapes. This makes precise range measurement extremely difficult, if not impossible. For example, a transmit pulse may be coupled to a receiver through a distortion-free coupler, while receive pulses may travel through, for example, an antenna, which can differentiate a pulse multiple times. Consequently, the transmit pulse waveform may consist of a single lobe of a half sinewave while the receive pulse waveform may have degenerated into several alternating polarity lobes. For high ranging precision, it is beneficial to detect the same point on transmit and receive pulse waveforms that have the same waveshape as they issue on a common line from the receiver. Preferably, this point is also independent of pulse amplitude variations, i.e., a zero axis crossing point. 
     One prior approach to the detection problem is a fixed threshold detector that triggers on the first pulse lobe to cross a threshold. Unfortunately, variations in received signal amplitude and pulse shape make this approach unattractive. In order to maintain 1-picosecond detection accuracy on an pulse having a 100 ps risetime, the detection point would need to be consistent to 1% of the pulse amplitude. Receive signals rarely have such consistency. 
     Another prior approach is time-of-peak (TOP) detection. U.S. Pat. No. 5,457,990, “Method and Apparatus for Determining a Fluid Level in the Vicinity of a Transmission Line,” by Oswald et al, discloses the use of a threshold detector combined with a TOP detector. When a pulse exceeds a threshold, a TOP detector is enabled and the pulse peak is detected by differentiating the pulse and then detecting the zero-axis crossing of the derivative to find the exact time-of-peak. This approach, as disclosed in the &#39;990 patent, has serious limitations. First, the transmit pulse has a substantially different shape, a monocycle shape, than the receive pulse, which has a “W” shape. Consistent, precision time-interval detection is difficult if not impossible between two different pulse shapes. Second, TOP detection itself has inherent limitations: (1) the peak region of a pulse has the slowest voltage rate of change and is therefore the most susceptible region on the pulse to noise, and (2) the peak region is the least accurate for range timing since it is nearly flat and a small voltage error can result in a large timing error upon detection. 
     Another prior approach has been disclosed in co-pending U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 11/355,845, “Carrier Phase Detection System for Radar Sensors,” filed on Feb. 16, 2006 by the present inventor filed on Feb. 16, 2006, now U.S. patent 7,379,016. This system operates by detecting the TOP of an expanded time RF burst envelope within an analysis window of time and then using that detection event to gate a carrier phase detector. The carrier phase detector detects the zero axis crossings of each sinewave cycle within a burst. A zero axis crossing of a selected cycle is gated by the TOP detection. Therefore, the accuracy of the detection is directly tied to the selected sinewave zero axis crossing, which is highly accurate, and not to the TOP detection accuracy. Limitations to this approach include: (1) the requirement for an envelope detector to detect an envelope of a plurality of detected cycles, i.e., a multi-cycle sinusoidal burst, and (2) changes in envelope shape due to target characteristics can produce jumps to another cycle within the burst, resulting in large errors. 
     Prior pulse detection approaches present hurdles to ranging precision on the order of 1 ps, particularly when transmitting and receiving mono-lobe or monocycle pulses having a duration of, for example 0.1 to 1 ns. Thus, a new pulse detector is needed. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention is a pulse detector for an electromagnetic ranging system, which can include: (1) a transceiver for transmitting and receiving pulses and for producing a detected pulse; (2) a threshold detector for producing a threshold pulse when the detected pulse exceeds a threshold level; (3) an window generator responsive to the threshold pulse for producing an analysis window pulse; (4) a zero crossing detector for producing a trigger pulse when the detected pulse crosses the zero axis; and (5) a latch responsive to the trigger pulse during the analysis window pulse for producing a range measurement pulse. The detector can further include a gate for gating the analysis window pulse with a gate signal for producing a gated window pulse, wherein the latch is responsive to the trigger pulse during the gated window pulse. The transceiver can be a radar or laser transceiver for transmitting and receiving pulses and for producing a detected pulse. The transceiver can also be a TDR transceiver for transmitting pulses and receiving echo pulses on a transmission line immersed in a liquid or in proximal contact with a material for producing a detected pulse. Furthermore, the transceiver can also be a radiolocation transceiver for transmitting and receiving pulses and for producing a detected pulse. The radiolocation transceiver can also include a transmitter for transmitting pulses and a plurality of receivers for producing a plurality of detected radiolocation pulses; or it can be include a plurality of transmitters, each sequentially transmitting pulses, and a receiver for producing a plurality of sequentially detected radiolocation pulses. The detector can also include a processor responsive to the range measurement pulse and a reference pulse for producing a range measurement output, wherein the range measurement output can be a PWM pulse having a width proportional to range. 
     A further aspect of the invention is a pulse detector for an electromagnetic ranging system that includes: (1) a transceiver for transmitting and receiving pulses and for producing a detected reference pulse and a detected range pulse; (2) a reference threshold detector for producing a reference threshold pulse when the reference pulse exceeds a threshold level; (3) a reference window generator responsive to the reference threshold pulse for producing a reference analysis window pulse; (4) a zero crossing reference detector for producing a reference trigger pulse when the detected reference pulse crosses the zero axis; (5) a reference latch responsive to the reference trigger pulse during the reference analysis window pulse for producing a reference output pulse; (6) a range threshold detector for producing a range threshold pulse when the detected range pulse exceeds a threshold level; (7) a range window generator responsive to the range threshold pulse for producing a range analysis window pulse; (8) a zero crossing range detector for producing a range trigger pulse when the detected range pulse crosses the zero axis; and (9) a range latch responsive to the range trigger pulse during the range analysis window pulse for producing a range output pulse. The pulse detector can include a gate for gating the range analysis window pulse with a gate signal produced by a delayed reference output pulse and for producing a gated range window pulse, wherein the range latch is responsive to the range trigger pulse during the gated range window pulse. The transceiver can be a radar or laser transceiver for transmitting and receiving pulses and for producing a detected reference pulse and a detected range pulse. The transceiver can also be a TDR transceiver for transmitting pulses and receiving range pulses on a transmission line immersed in a liquid or in proximal contact with a material for producing a detected reference pulse and a detected range pulse, or the transceiver can be a TDR transceiver for transmitting realtime pulses having a single lobe on a transmission line immersed in a liquid or in proximal contact with a material, and for producing expanded time detected reference and range pulses, each having two or more lobes. 
     The present invention can be used in expanded time radar, laser, TDR and radiolocation ranging systems as a detection system that exhibits high accuracy, high dynamic range and excellent immunity to noise. Applications include, but are not limited to, pulse echo radar and laser rangefinders for tank fill level measurement, environmental monitoring, industrial and robotic controls, imaging radars, vehicle backup and collision warning, and universal object detection and ranging. TDR applications include, but are not limited to, industrial tank and vat fill level sensing, automotive fuel tank fill level sensing, river level sensing, and hydraulic piston position sensing. Radiolocation applications can include digital handwriting pen location, robotic and general object location, and digital surgery. 
     One object of the present invention is to provide a precision pulse detection system for pulsed radar, TDR and laser ranging systems. A further object is to provide a precision pulse detection system for pulsed RF radar with high immunity to noise, interference and baseline clutter. Another object of the present invention is to provide a precision pulse detection system for TDR systems transmitting mono-lobe pulses. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram of a precision pulse detector of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2   a  diagrams a processor for use with the precision pulse detector. 
         FIG. 2   b  depicts range measurement waveforms. 
         FIG. 3  is a waveform diagram for the system of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a block diagram of a precision differential pulse detector. 
         FIG. 5  is a block diagram of a TDR transceiver. 
         FIG. 6   a  is a block diagram of a plurality of precision pulse detectors in a radiolocation system. 
         FIG. 6   b  is a block diagram of precision pulse detector in a multi-transmitter radiolocation system. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     A detailed description of the present invention is provided below with reference to the figures. While illustrative component values and circuit parameters are given, other embodiments can be constructed with other component values and circuit parameters. 
     General Description 
     The present invention overcomes the limitations of the various prior detection techniques by detecting a selected zero axis crossing of an expanded time pulse. The selected zero axis crossing is detected immediately after a pulse lobe crosses above and then falls below a threshold and subsequently crosses the zero axis, which is the detection point. The threshold crossings are a precondition to zero axis crossing detection, thereby eliminating false triggering on sub-threshold noise. The accuracy of detection can be extremely high since the zero point is amplitude independent and often exhibits the highest voltage rate of change. Furthermore, a point where the voltage rate of change is highest is also the point of greatest immunity to noise. Noise can include random thermal noise, RF interference, and baseline clutter from unwanted echoes. 
     This preconditioned zero axis detection arrangement is highly accurate in itself. However, in any ranging system accurate detection of both a reference pulse and a range pulse is needed to trigger, respectively, start and stop inputs to a range counter. In contrast, systems having limited accuracy often employ a reset signal or a clock-derived signal to start the range counter and then a detected echo to stop the counter. This approach can exhibit large errors and drift since timing skews in the transmitter and receiver are included in the measurement. 
     One embodiment of the present invention eliminates timing skews by detecting a transmit pulse, or other reference pulse, and an echo, or range, pulse as these pulses issue sequentially from a receiver. Timing skews identically affect both the reference and the range pulses, so the time interval between them remains precisely constant. For high precision, it is necessary to accurately detect both the reference and the range pulses, which may have differing amplitudes. Accordingly, the present invention employs zero axis detection for amplitude independence. 
     Specific Description 
     Turning now to the drawings,  FIG. 1  is a block diagram of a precision pulse detector, generally  10 . Transceiver  12  transmits pulses and receives echo, or range, pulses in response to a timing control circuit  40 . The transmit pulse rate can be on the order of 10 kHz to 100 MHz. Transceiver  12  is a transmitter-receiver and can be a monostatic, bistatic or multistatic transmitter-receiver. The receiver portion of transceiver  12  operates by taking samples in response to timing circuit  40 . The sample rate can be a slightly lower rate than the transmit pulse rate to produce a stroboscopic expanded time output. An exemplary receiver output pulse  200  can often have an expanded time period of 1-millisecond while its corresponding realtime input pulse can have a 1-nanosecond period. Pulse  200  is a received expanded time pulse. The expanded time pulses can repeat at a rate on the order of 1-1000 times per second, i.e., at the sweep rate. For clarity, one sweep of the range gate, i.e., the sampling point in time, can produce one expanded time pulse or pulse set, which may include, for example, a transmit, or reference pulse, and an echo, or range, pulse. Often, multiple range pulses can occur due to clutter or multiple targets. For simplicity of the examples herein, only one range pulse is considered, although it is readily possible to configure the detector of the present invention to handle multiple echoes. 
     Zero crossing comparator  24  compares output pulse  200  from transceiver  12  on line  14  to zero, i.e., ground, and produces a zero crossing pulse, which can be termed a trigger pulse, on line  26  whenever a pulse on line  14  crosses the zero axis. It should be understood that the term “zero” in this context can also refer to an arbitrary reference voltage. One such reference for single power rail systems is the rail mid-voltage. Accordingly, line  25  may be connected to another reference instead of ground as shown in  FIG. 1 . Zero axis crossing comparator  24  can also be referred to as zero axis crossing threshold detector  24 , since comparator  24  operates as a threshold detector with its reference level generally set to zero. 
     Zero crossing comparator  24  compares output pulse  200  from transceiver  12  on line  14  to zero, i.e., ground, and produces a zero crossing pulse, which can be termed a trigger pulse, on line  26  whenever a pulse on line  14  crosses the zero axis. It should be understood that the term “zero” in this context can also refer to an arbitrary reference voltage. One such reference for single power rail systems is the rail mid-voltage. Accordingly, line  25  may be connected to another reference instead of ground as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
     Latch  28  outputs a range pulse on line  30  when it receives a trigger pulse on line  26  during the time that a gated window pulse is applied to its D input. The requirement to toggle latch  28  only during the time that a gated window pulse is present prevents latch  28  from toggling on baseline noise. Elements  16 ,  18 ,  20  (optional),  24  and  28 , which lie inside dashed box  100 , comprise a precision pulse detector. 
     Range measurements require a start reference pulse  210 , labeled REF, and a range pulse  220 , labeled RANGE. The REF pulse of  FIG. 1  is derived from the timing system. It can be, for example, a start-of-sweep reset pulse or a pulse derived from the timing circuit  40 . Such a reference is often simple to derive but often does not yield high ranging precision. 
       FIG. 2   a  depicts optional processor  60  which receives REF and RANGE pulses on lines  50  and  30  respectively. The processor can convert the REF to RANGE time difference to distance and can apply other processing such as averaging, scaling, memory, etc. The processor outputs on line  62 , which can be a bus, to a readout, a controller, or other function. 
       FIG. 2   b  shows example timing relations between REF pulse  210  and RANGE pulse  220 . A range measurement can be made from the time difference between these two pulses. Pulse  250  is a pulse width modulation (PWM) pulse having a width proportional to range. The PWM pulse can be output from processor  60  on line  62 . 
       FIG. 3  is a timing diagram for the detection system of  FIG. 1 . The traces are numbered at the left. Trace  1  depicts an exemplary detected pulse  200  from transceiver  12  on line  14  that includes at least one positive lobe and one negative lobe. Additional trailing lobes, as indicated by dashed waveform  201 , may occur but can be ignored. Impulse radar, TDR and laser systems can produce monocycles, e.g., pulse  200  without the dotted lobes, whereas high bandwidth pulsed RF radars often produce one or more trailing lobes  201 . Routine logic control circuitry can prevent latch  28  of  FIG. 1  from retriggering on trailing lobes or other pulses, e.g., radar clutter. Latch  28  triggers, i.e., changes state, once per radar range sweep and triggers on an edge of pulse  208 . Trace  2  shows the output on line  17  of threshold comparator  16 , which produces a threshold pulse  204  whenever pulse  200  crosses a threshold level  203 , set by voltage Vth, which is the reference for comparator  16 . Window generator  18  produces pulse  206  on line  21  in response to pulse  204 . Pulse  206  can be formed by stretching or delaying pulse  204  using, for example, a resistor-capacitor network coupled to a logic buffer, or it can be stretched using a monostable multivibrator or a resettable latch. Window pulse  206  may include pulse  204  so its duration is the combined duration of pulse  204  and pulse  206 , or it may simply include the duration of pulse  206 , as indicate by a dotted line that begins at the end of pulse  204 . After passing through gate  20 , pulse  206  appears on line  23  and is applied to the D-input of latch  28  if gate line  19  is high. Trace  3  depicts the output of zero crossing comparator  24  on line  26 , which produces a pulse  208  whenever pulse  200  is above zero axis  202 . When pulse  208  drops low, at the zero axis crossing of pulse  200 , and when window pulse  206  is high at the D-input, then latch  28  triggers and produces a RANGE output  220  on line  30 , as shown in trace  4 . 
     Whether the width of pulse  206  includes the width of pulse  204  is generally unimportant. Window pulse  206  must span zero axis crossing point  205 , which is the detection point, in order to enable a detection output from latch  28 . Detection point  205  is also indicated at the end of threshold pulse  208  and at the start of RANGE pulse  220 . The detection point is independent of the amplitude of pulse  200 . 
       FIG. 4  is a block diagram of a differential detector configuration, generally  60 , employing two precision detectors  100 , referenced as  100   a  and  100   b , in a time differencing configuration. A benefit to the differential configuration is timing variations in transceiver  12  affect both the reference and range detection times equally and thus differentially subtract out of the range measurement. Accordingly, realtime offset errors of less than 1-picosecond, or 0.15 mm in radar range, can be realized without recourse to calibration. 
     Transceiver  12  outputs a pulse sequence on line  14  that contains both an expanded time reference pulse and an expanded time range pulse, as indicated by waveform  160 . Timing circuit  40  can be set to sweep over a range that includes the reference pulse. In contrast, the timing circuit  40  of  FIG. 1  need not necessarily sweep over such a range. The reference pulse can be the transmit pulse, often called the “main bang” in radar parlance, or it can be a reflection pulse such as an antenna reflection or a discontinuity reflection at the top of a TDR “electronic dipstick” probe. The temporal location of the reference pulse defines the physical start of the range measurement. 
     Pulses  160  on line  14  are input to a precision reference detector  100   a , which detects the reference pulse zero axis crossing and outputs a REF pulse on line  50 . Elements  100   a  and  100   b  contain the same elements and perform in the same way as element  100  of  FIG. 1 . However, zero crossing comparator  24  may serve both elements  100   a  and  100   b , rather than using separate comparators. Similarly, threshold comparators  16  in each of boxes  100   a  and  100   b  can be formed by just one comparator so that the threshold for both the reference and the range pulses can be the same. Pulses  160  are also input to a precision range detector  100   b , which detects the range pulse zero axis crossing and outputs a RANGE pulse on line  30 . Gate input line  19   a  to detector  100   a  can be optional or can carry a gate signal used to enable or disable the entire detector system  60 . Gate input line  19   b , in this example, carries a delayed REF pulse from line  50  via delay element  32 . This gate input prevents range detector  100   b  from triggering before detector  100   a  triggers. The delay provided by element  32  can also be set to prevent range detector  100   b  from triggering on close-in clutter. The REF and RANGE pulses can be input to processor  60  to produce a range measurement. 
     A precision detector prototype was tested using a National Instruments LM339comparators for elements  16  and  24 , a resistor-capacitor-diode network for elements  18  and  20 , and a Fairchild 74HC74 D-input flip-flop for element  28 . Transmit pulse  152  was set relatively very wide, e.g., about 500ps wide. Such wide TDR pulses are often preferred in industrial tank fill level measurements since wide pulses can integrate over contaminants clinging to the probe. The prototype exhibited a REF to RANGE interval stability of 1-picosecond over a temperature range of −55 to +65 degrees C. The prototype was configured differentially according to  FIG. 4  using the TDR transceiver  12   a  with a metal reflector at 1-meter on a coaxial probe. Timing circuit  40  was built according to co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/343,049, “Rate Locked Loop Radar Timing Circuit,” filed on Jan. 30, 2006 by the present inventor filed Jan. 30, 2006. A stability of 1-picosecond is quite remarkable considering comparators  16  and  24  were embodied by 1975 vintage low bandwidth analog integrated circuits having nearly 1-million times lower bandwidth than what would be required of a realtime circuit. The test data confirm the efficacy of the present invention. High precision is readily achieved since comparator input offset voltages are low compared to pulse amplitudes, and comparator propagation delay versus overdrive is minimal in an expanded time system. 
     A precision detector prototype was tested using a National Instruments LM339 comparators for elements  16  and  24 , a resistor-capacitor-diode network for elements  18  and  20 , and a Fairchild 74 HC74D-input flip-flop for element  28 . Transmit pulse  152  was set relatively very wide, e.g., about 500 ps wide. Such wide TDR pulses are often preferred in industrial tank fill level measurements since wide pulses can integrate over contaminants clinging to the probe. The prototype exhibited a REF to RANGE interval stability of 1-picosecond over a temperature range of −55to +65 degrees C. The prototype was configured differentially according to  FIG. 4  using the TDR transceiver  12   a  with a metal reflector at 1-meter on a coaxial probe. Timing circuit  40  was built according to co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/343049 , “Rate Locked Loop Radar Timing Circuit,” filed on Jan.30, 2006 by the present inventor. A stability of 1-picosecond is quite remarkable considering comparators  16  and  24  were embodied by 1975 vintage low bandwidth analog integrated circuits having nearly 1-million times lower bandwidth than what would be required of a realtime circuit. The test data confirm the efficacy of the present invention. High precision is readily achieved since comparator input offset voltages are low compared to pulse amplitudes, and comparator propagation delay versus overdrive is minimal in an expanded time system. 
       FIGS. 6   a  and  6   b  are block diagrams of precision detectors  100  with transceivers used for radiolocation.  FIG. 6   a  includes a controller  80  coupled to a transmitter  82  which transmits electromagnetic pulses to a plurality of N receivers  84 . Receivers  84  are coupled to a plurality of precision detectors  100 N, each of which detect pulses as described with reference to  FIG. 1  and output a plurality of N RANGE pulses on a plurality of lines  220 N. Controller  80  contains timing circuitry and can output an optional reference pulse, labeled REF, on line  210 . The physical location of transmitter  82  can be determined by time-of-flight range information between the REF and RANGE pulses, or by time-of-arrival information using one of the RANGE pulses, e.g., RANGE  1 , as a reference pulse. 
       FIG. 6   b  includes a plurality of N transmitters  92  which transmit a plurality of sequential or multiplexed signals to receiver  94 . Receiver  94  sequentially outputs range pulses to precision detector  100 , which operates as described with reference to  FIG. 1  and which outputs N sequential RANGE pulses on line  220 . Controller  90  provides timing to the transmitters and can optionally provide a reference pulse, labeled REF, on line  210 . Control circuitry to set which transmitter is active at a particular time is not shown for simplicity in this example. The location of receiver  94  can be computed by time-of-flight range information between the REF and RANGE pulses, or by time-of-arrival information using one of the RANGE pulses, e.g., RANGE  1 , as a reference pulse. RANGE  1 , RANGE 2 , . . . RANGE N pulses appear sequentially on line  220 . 
     The use of the word “radar” herein refers to electromagnetic radar that employs microwaves or millimeter waves, and it also refers to optical radar, i.e., laser rangefinders, as well as guided wave radar, wherein radar pulses are guided along a electromagnetic guide wire or other conductor, as in TDR. “Radar” includes monostatic, bistatic and multistatic systems, as well as radars having a single antenna/transducer. A multistatic radar can also include, for example, a handwriting acquisition pen based on time-of-flight or time-of-arrival signals using multiple antennas to determine pen location, as disclosed in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,747,599,“Radiolocation System Having Writing Pen Application,” to the present inventor. The term pulse can refer to a single lobe pulse, e.g., an impulse, or a pulse having two lobes, i.e., a positive and a negative lobe forming a monocycle, or other transient waveforms, such as damped sinewaves. It can also refer to a step-like pulse or a pulse edge. The terms transceiver, receiver, and transmitter can also include their associated radiating or conducting elements, e.g., antennas, lenses, photoemitters and detectors, and TDR probes. Swept timing, or range sweep refers to sweeps of a receive gate, or a sampling gate, over a range of delays. During one complete sweep, a large number of realtime pulses are often transmitted and received, and often integrated in the receiver, while often only one detected transmit and one detected echo, or range pulse is produced in expanded time by the gated, sampling receiver; this occurring as a result of down-sampling, expanded time operation. A pulsed RF radar, a laser, a TDR or a radiolocation system can transmit RF sinusoids that can include a pulse burst having a plurality of sinusoids. A detector converts an analog pulse signal into a digital timing signal which can be used to trigger a range counter, for example. A latch can be a flip-flip, a flag, or a memory element. 
     Changes and modifications in the specifically described embodiments can be carried out without departing from the scope of the invention which is intended to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.