[time-nuts] Method for comparing oscillators

[Lux, Jim (337C)]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: time-nuts-bounces at febo.com [mailto:time-nuts-bounces at febo.com] On
> Behalf Of Lux, Jim (337C)
> Sent: Tuesday, August 04, 2009 5:01 PM
> To: Discussion of precise time and frequency measurement
> Subject: Re: [time-nuts] Method for comparing oscillators
> 
> >
> > Bruce,
> >
> > Thanks, that looks interesting. I found the manual here...
> > http://www.symmetricom.com/media/files/support/ttm/product-
> > manual/5120A-MAN.pdf
> >
> > But I haven't figured out where to get a list of related patents. Can
> > anyone provide key number(s) or point me to a list?
> 
> 
> http://www.uspto.gov/
> 
> patent search
> quick
> symmetricom in "Assignee Name"
> 
> 
> 47 patents assigned to symmetricom.
> 
> To be honest, though, none of the titles look relevant.
> 
> You might need to search on the name of someone who worked on it, or
> the company that originally developed it.
> 
> For instance, S.R. Stein signed the DoC, and is also a co-author of the
> paper they cite.


Try patent 5,128,909.

Advanced Clock Measurement System, July 1992 (so it's still in force)
(Assigned to Ball Corp.. although S.R. Stein is in Boulder).  Didn't Ball used to be in the clock business? Ball-Efratom seems to ring a bell.


The present invention relates to a method and system for measuring the time difference between a plurality of high-precision clocks. More particularly, the present invention relates to a simplified extended dual mixer time difference measurement system which employs a common oscillator as opposed to a synthesizer, thereby reducing the cost of the system and eliminating noise produced by a synthesizer.


Following links, one might also want to look at
6,194,918 and 6,172,533, both titled "Phase and Frequency detector with high resolution"
The latter refers to 4,634,967 and 4,912,734