Patent ID: 7095353

Claim:
A method of processing an input signal having an input signal phase including: determining a number of transitions of the input signal within a period having a start and an end; and determining a relative beginning phase of the input signal at the start of the period including: generating a first reference signal having a first reference signal frequency and a first reference signal phase synchronized with the start of the period; and detecting a first time interval required for the input signal phase to have a first specified relationship to the first reference signal phase; determining a relative ending phase of the input signal at the end of the period including: generating a second reference signal having a second reference signal frequency and a second reference signal phase synchronized with the end of the period; and detecting a second time interval required for the input signal phase to have a second specified relationship to the second reference signal phase; determining an input signal temporal characteristic from the number of transitions and the relative beginning phase and the relative ending phase.