Patent ID: 6865241

Claim:
A constant rate sampling system, comprising: expander logic that samples at least one input signal at a virtually constant rate, said expander logic containing at least one storage element for each of said at least one input signal, said expander logic receiving a data sample based on said at least one input signal upon an occurrence of a periodic event that occurs at said virtually constant rate, said expander logic temporarily storing at least one of said data samples for each of said at least one input signal, said expander logic having a first plurality of output data lines for each of said at least one input signal; a plurality of memory elements that arc capable of being written to and read from, said first plurality of output data lines for each of said at least one input signal from said expander logic being in communication with said plurality of memory elements through which said at least one data sample for each of said at least one input signal is transferred into said plurality of memory elements, said plurality of memory elements having a second plurality of output data lines for each of said at least one input signal through which said at least one data sample for each of said at least one input signal is transferred out from said plurality of memory elements; control logic which determines when said at least one data sample for each of said at least one input signal is transferred into said plurality of memory elements trough said first plurality of output data lines, and which determines when said at least one data sample for each of said at least one input signal is transferred out from said plurality of memory elements through said second plurality of output data lines; said control logic causing said data transfer into said plurality of memory elements at first time intervals that occur less often than an occurrence of said periodic event at said virtually constant rate; said control logic causing said data transfer out from said plurality of memory elements at second time intervals that occur less often than an occurrence of said periodic event at said virtually constant rate, in which said second time intervals may not be substantially consistent; and wherein an effective throughput of said at least one data sample being transferred out from said plurality of memory elements at said second time intervals is greater than or equal to an effective throughput of said at least one input signal at said virtually constant rate.