Patent ID: 7257173

Claim:
A method of characterizing a work signal's behavior during a time interval, the method comprising the steps of: (a) defining a time interval by START and END timing signal transitions; (b) comparing the work signal to a first threshold voltage to produce a logical first comparison value; (c) comparing the work signal to a second threshold voltage to produce a logical second comparison value; (d) capturing as a first term the logical first comparison value upon an occurrence of the START transition; (e) capturing as a second term the logical second comparison value upon an occurrence of the START transition; (f) capturing as a third term the logical first comparison value upon an occurrence of the END transition; (g) capturing as a fourth term the logical second comparison value upon an occurrence of the END transition; and (h) producing at least one characterization signal indicative of the occurrence in the first through fourth terms of a selected combination thereof.