counting 'waves' or 'ticks' ...

gistfile1.r

has_waves <- function(c,try2=FALSE,try3=FALSE){
  lc <- length(c)-1 
	if (lc < 3) {
		return(NA) 
	}
	notnas <- diff(which(!is.na(c)))
	notnas <- notnas[notnas>1]
	lnotnas <- length(notnas)
	lunotnas <- length(unique(notnas))
	if (lunotnas==1 & 2 < lnotnas & lnotnas < lc){
		return (lnotnas) # spaces between  are all equal length
	}
	else {
		nas <- diff(which(is.na(c)))
		nas <- nas[nas>1]
		lnas<-length(nas)
		lunas<-length(unique(nas))
		if (lunas ==1 & 2 < lnas & lnas < lc){
			return (lnas) # value groups are all equal length
		}
		else {
			require('e1071') # dep on kurtosis
			knas <- kurtosis(nas)
			if (!is.na(knas)){
				knotnas <- kurtosis(notnas)
				if (!is.na(knotnas)){
					if (knotnas > knas) { # choose 'better' return value
						return (knotnas/lnotnas)
					}
					else {
						return (knas/lnas)
					}
				}
				else{
					return (knas/lnas)
				}
			}
			else{
				knotnas <- kurtosis(notnas)
				if (!is.na(knotnas)){
					return (knotnas/lnotnas)
				}
				else{
					if (!try2) {
						return (NA)
					}
					else {
						mc <- median(c,na.rm=TRUE)
						tmp <- ifelse(!is.na(c),c,mc) # fill gaps with some value, median as now
						tmp <- diff(tmp)
						tmp <- tmp>-1
						for(j in which(tmp == FALSE)) { #make waves
		  					tmp[j] <- tmp[j+1] == FALSE
						}
						tmp <- ifelse(tmp,1,NA)
						return (has_waves(tmp,try3))
					}
				}
			}
		}
	}
}

#test
has_waves(1)
has_waves(c( 1, 1,NA, 1, 1,NA, 1, 1))