Hybrid methods for function generation

A method of function generation is discussed based on the use of hybrid digital analogue techniques. A brief description of a quantizer is given together with some experimental results. The purpose of this unit is to give the derivative with respect to time (in quantized form) of a variable. Units of this type used in conjunction with pulse modulators, which are also described, are shown to be capable of performing a wide variety of analytic functions. The application to correlation functions, using magnetic core storage for time delays, is also discussed. Another application is a fast analogue/digital converter with an incremental bit resolution time of one micro-second. The possibility of extending the application to generation of arbitrary functions of one or more variable is considered and one possible form of instrumentation, based on the use of magnetic core storage, is described.