摘要:
Automatic gain control circuit for controlling the gain of a photomultiplier. Successive pulsed reference light beams are directed onto the photomultiplier while a dc voltage is supplied thereto causing the photomultiplier to produce successive output current signals. Each current signal is transformed to a voltage signal which is then processed to derive a maximum-amplitude signal having a value related to the maximum amplitude of the signal. A differential operational amplifier circuit then compares the value of the maximum-amplitude signal with the value of a reference signal representative of a desired output current signal produced by the photomultiplier. When the value of the maximum-amplitude signal is less than the value of the reference signal, indicating that the photomultiplier requires an increasing value of dc voltage for increasing the value of its gain, an output signal of a first polarity and having a value proportional to the difference between the two compared signals is produced by the amplifier circuit. When the value of the maximum-amplitude signal is greater than the value of the reference signal, indicating that the photomultiplier requires a decreasing value of dc voltage for decreasing the value of its gain, an output signal of a second polarity and having a value proportional to the difference between the two compared signals is produced by the amplifier circuit. A dc voltage supply control circuit coupled to the amplifier circuit receives the output signals produced by the amplifier circuit and operates in response to an output signal of the first polarity to supply a dc voltage to the photomultiplier in an increasing direction and varying at a rate determined by the value of the output signal, and in response to an output signal of the second polarity to supply a dc voltage to the photomultiplier in a decreasing direction and varying at a rate determined by the value of the output signal. The supply of dc voltage to the photomultiplier is controlled until the value of a maximum-amplitude signal is equal to the value of the reference signal.
摘要:
A system for identifying a carrier vehicle and piggyback vehicles positioned thereon. Each of the vehicles is equipped with an information-coded label, the information encoded in the carrier vehicle label and in the piggyback vehicle labels including features distinguishing the two types of labels and, therefore, the two types of vehicles, from each other. As the carrier and piggyback vehicles move through a label-reading area, a scanning apparatus senses the information encoded in the various labels and produces successive signals representative of the information. These signals are then processed by signal processing circuitry and applied to and stored in succession in a main data register. The signals stored in the main data register are examined by detection logic circuitry to determine the nature thereof, that is, whether carrier vehicle information or piggyback vehicle information, and, based on these determinations, selectively steered into a ''''carrier'''' register or into a ''''piggyback'''' register and stored therein. Each signal applied to and stored in the ''''piggyback'''' register is read out therefrom shortly after being stored therein but prior to the departure of the carrier and piggyback vehicles from the labelreading area. The signal stored in the ''''carrier'''' register is read out in response to the departure of the carrier and piggyback vehicles from the label-reading area. Timing circuitry is also provided in the system for preventing multiple readings of a piggyback vehicle label.