FPGA-based (field programmable gate array based) signal time difference measurement method and FPGA-based time-to-digital converter

Abstract

The invention relates to an FPGA-based (field programmable gate array based) signal time difference measurement method. The method includes the steps: on receiving a first signal, a slow clock signal is generated, and cycles of the slow clock signal are counted meanwhile; on receiving a second signal, a fast clock signal is generated, level of the slow clock signal is detected with a rising edge of the fast clock signal, and cycles of the fast clock signal are counted meanwhile; if changes in the level of the slow clock signal are detected with the rising edge of the fast clock signal, an identifier signal is generated, and counting the cycles of the fast clock signal and those of the slow clock signal is stopped; a time difference between the first signal and the second signal is correspondingly calculated, according to the fact that whether the level of the slow clock signal is on the rising edge or a falling edge when the identifier signal is generated and according to the cycles of the slow clock signal, the counted number of the cycles of the slow clock signal, the cycles of the fast clock signal and the counted number of the cycles of the fast clock signal. Compared with the prior art, the method has the advantage that time measurement accuracy is higher.

Description

technical field [0001] The invention relates to the field of signal time measurement, in particular to an FPGA-based signal time difference measurement method and a time-to-digital converter for measuring the time difference between two signals. Background technique [0002] Time is one of the fundamental properties of matter's existence and motion. Precise time, as the basic physical parameter of scientific research, scientific experiments and engineering technology, provides the necessary time-base coordinates for the measurement and quantitative research of all dynamical systems and time series processes. It is used in aerospace, deep space communication, address mapping Applied research fields such as navigation, communication and scientific metrology are particularly important. [0003] TDC (Time-to-Digital Converter, time-to-digital converter) is a commonly used electronic circuit for time interval measurement. Early TDC circuits usually consisted of discrete compone...

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Problems solved by technology

[0006] The present invention aims at the technical problem in the prior art that the signal time difference is easily affected by environmental conditions such as temperature and working voltage, resulting in inaccurate measurement results, and provides an FPGA-based signal time difference measurement method and a time-to-digital converter

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