Patent ID: 7401007

Claim:
A signal monitoring device for rapidly extracting a data file sample from an unknown signal with automatically adjusted decimation ratios, comprising: an antenna connected to a communications receiver; said communications receiver collects said unknown signal; said unknown signal having a plurality of analog data; a means for over-sampling digitizes said plurality of analog data to provide a digitized data sample to a means for data storage; a stored digitized data sample is sent to a means for data processing, said data processing means further comprising a signal decimation module, a data buffer, a signal analyzer, and a working space buffer working space buffer having a limited size; said signal analyzer provides a signal analysis output to a Graphic Users Interface (GUI), said GUI reports a maximum number of samples to define a starting sample and an ending sample of said digitized data sample; said signal analyzer provides a decimation rate output to a means for decimating data files, said decimating means provides a decimated data sample; a means calculating calculates a first decimation ratio for said limited size of the working space buffer; said decimated data sample and said first decimation ratio being loaded into said working space buffer; a desired data segment is selected from said decimated data sample; said calculating means calculates said starting sample and said ending sample to include said desired data segment; a means for zooming-in extracts said desired data segment from between said starting sample and said ending sample; said calculating means automatically calculates a second decimation ratio to adjust said first decimation ratio; and said decimating means decimates said desired data segment with said second decimation ratio and generates a decimated data segment that is loaded into said working space buffer and provides an improved resolution data segment for further signal processing and display on a means for display allowing a user to rapidly and accurately identify said unknown signal.