Estimation of high count rate signals with a digital filter

A methodology for estimating the magnitude of signals generally found in a high-count-rate (HCR) system is presented. An analog system which is presently used for estimating such HCR signals has a moderate resolution and poor throughput. In order to enhance these performance measures, a digital signal processor design which maximizes the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the sequence of measurements is used. The signal to be considered is deterministic and assumed to be known, and is corrupted by colored noise due to inherent sensor imperfections and the environment. By using the digital filter the improvement in resolution is marginal, whereas the expected improvement in throughput is considerable. The performance of the digital signal processor is evaluated for a SNR value of approximately 65 dB.<>