Importance

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Abstract

A device (10) for determining the number of discrete events represented by an input signal is provided. The input signal may, for example, comprise pulses representing photons arriving at a detector. The device (10) may comprise a plurality, n, of comparator circuits (14) for reading the signal. For each comparator circuit (14) from i=1 to i=n, the comparator circuit (14) has a corresponding threshold value which the amplitude of a pulse representing i discrete events will exceed, but which the amplitude of a pulse representing i-1 discrete events will not exceed. Each comparator circuit (14) is arranged to output a first value when the input signal exceeds its threshold value and a second value when the input signal is less than its threshold value. The device (10) includes a counter (16) for counting the number of outputs of the first value that have been output by the plurality of comparator circuits (14).

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First Claim