Patent ID: 6973152

Claim:
Circuitry for exploiting a shortest path in a system in which a signal may take a plurality of simultaneous paths between a source device and a destination device, comprising: a detector comprising: a data input for receiving signals from the source device; a control input; and an output; a processor comprising: memory means; switch means comprising: a controllable switching terminal coupled to an input of the memory means; a first switched terminal coupled to the output of the detector; and a second switched terminal coupled to an output of the memory means; and comparator means for comparing the level of the output of the detector with a threshold level, the comparator means comprising: a first input coupled to the output of the detector; a second input coupled to receive a threshold level; and an output coupled to control the switching terminal of the switch means; a low pass filter comprising an input coupled to the switching terminal of the switch means of the processor; and an oscillator comprising: an input coupled to receive an output of the low pass filter; and a signal output coupled to the control input of the detector; whereby: when the output of the detector has a level which is less than the threshold level, the output of the detector is coupled through the switch means to the input of the low pass filter; and when the output of the detector has a level which is greater than the threshold level, the output of the memory means is coupled through the switch means to the input of the low pass filter.