Selectivity Or Bandwidth Control Patents (Class 455/266)
  • Patent number: 5956620
    Abstract: An analog processor for use with digital satellites. The analog processor is connected between the receiving circuitry of the satellite and a pool of digital on-board processors, and segments the bandwidth of uplink RF beams into sub-bands that can be processed more readily with standard, low-risk, low-power digital processors. Using the present invention, the risk of employing a particular digital processor technology can be managed and optimized. The present invention also provides for the dynamic allocation and reallocation of the available on-board digital processing bandwidth based on the anticipated traffic pattern and changes in the traffic pattern. In addition, the present invention facilitates the use of standard and non-standard redundancy schemes at minimal hardware expense.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 21, 1999
    Assignee: COM DEV Limited
    Inventors: Ken Lazaris-Brunner, Gary Beauchamp, Bharat Tailor
  • Patent number: 5949832
    Abstract: A digital data receiver includes a tunable analog matched filter circuit having a variable bandwidth responsive to the bit error rate (BER) of the decoded data. The bandwidth of the analog filtering circuit is controlled by a tuning control signal that includes a coarse tuning signal combined with a fine tuning signal. The coarse tuning signal is generated by a frequency-to-current converter and the fine tuning signal is generated by a current-scaling digital-to-analog converter (DAC). The DAC input signal is produced by a DAC control circuit that includes a BER comparator and a DAC control state machine. The BER comparator determines whether the BER has improved or degraded in response to a previous tuning command. To optimize the BER in the decoded data signal, the state machine increments or decrements the value of the fine tuning signal, which in turn alters the filter bandwidth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 7, 1999
    Assignee: SiCom, Inc.
    Inventors: John Michael Liebetreu, Eric Martin Brombaugh, Wyn T. Palmer
  • Patent number: 5933769
    Abstract: In a portable telephone, a voice filter is connected to an antenna through a receiving circuit. A filter is connected to the voice filter through a switching circuit and filters the voice signal from the voice filter to produce a filtered voice signal. The filter has a first cut-off frequency when the filter is supplied with a first clock signal. The filter has a second cut-off frequency smaller than the first cut-off frequency when the filter is supplied with a second clock signal. A telephone receiver is connected to the filter through an amplifier. A clock generating circuit is connected to the filter and generates the first clock signal when is supplied with a first frequency control signal. The clock generating circuit generates the second clock signal when is supplied with a second frequency control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 3, 1999
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Yasuhiro Kaneko
  • Patent number: 5926752
    Abstract: A system (10) for remote convenience control of performance of a function includes a portable transmitter unit (14) and a receiver unit (18). In one embodiment, the system (10) is a remote convenience vehicle system. The transmitter unit (14) transmits a signal (16). The signal has a RF frequency at an unknown value within a range of values and conveys a message that contains a function request. Within the receiver unit (18) is superheterodyne circuitry (32) that has a mixer (44). The mixer (44) mixes a RF signal (42) coming from an antenna (28) and a reference frequency signal from a reference oscillator (46), and outputs an intermediate frequency signal (50) conveying the message. A bandpass filter (66) filters the intermediate frequency signal to pass a range of frequency values smaller than a known range of intermediate frequency values. Tuning control circuitry (70) automatically adjusting the bandpass range of the bandpass filter (66) to vary the bandpass range over the intermediate frequency range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 20, 1999
    Assignee: TRW Inc.
    Inventor: Xing Ping Lin
  • Patent number: 5893025
    Abstract: The present invention aims to provide a CATV converter which can receive both of analog and digital signals. The CATV converter comprises a second mixer (10) coupled with a first filter (13) which attenuates approximately equal frequency to an audio carrier of an upper adjacent channel and approximately equal frequency to a video carrier of a lower adjacent channel, a first amplifier (14) coupled with an output terminal of the first filter (13), and a second filter (15) coupled with the output terminal of the first amplifier (14). The second filter (15) attenuates a video carrier of the upper adjacent channel and an audio carrier of the lower adjacent channel. When an input signal is within a predetermined frequency range, the input signal fed to the input terminal (1) can short-circuit the input and output terminals of the second filter with a high frequency of the input signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 6, 1999
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaki Bessho, Fumihiro Hamada, Hitoshi Hirano
  • Patent number: 5881369
    Abstract: A dual mode transceiver architecture suitable for adaptation in either a handset or a base station and capable of operating in both Frequency Division Duplex (FDD) mode or in Time Division Duplexing (TDD) mode is disclosed. Such a transceiver has an up conversion path capable of up converting an Intermediate Frequency (IF) to a Radio Frequency (RF) signal in either an upper band frequency range or a lower band frequency range. Also the transceiver has a down conversion path, used for receiving, for down converting a RF signal in either the upper band or lower band to a desirable IF frequency. The transceiver includes a switch array capable of switching the up conversion path to either the upper band port or the lower band port of a diplexer and the switch array also switches the upper band port and lower band port of the diplexer to the down conversion path depending on whether the transceiver is operating in TDD mode or FDD mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 9, 1999
    Assignee: Northern Telecom Limited
    Inventors: Stuart James Dean, David William Park
  • Patent number: 5864750
    Abstract: A microcomputer in a radio frequency (RF) signal receiver, such as a cordless telephone set, periodically samples a received baseband audio signal to determine its frequency content. The microcomputer uses at least one predetermined frequency threshold value, and determines that the RF signal is present if the output signal contains signals no higher in frequency the frequency threshold value, and determines that the RF signal is absent if the output signal contains signals higher in frequency than the frequency threshold value. The circuit is useful in either a base unit or a handunit of a cordless telephone set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 26, 1999
    Assignee: Thomson Consumer Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: John Mark Fossaceca, Dennis Ronald McCarthy
  • Patent number: 5835853
    Abstract: A receiver comprises; an input TERM (11) for receiving a radio wave signal including at least one of 1st and 2nd radio wave components from an antenna; a 1st SW (12); a 1st BPF (13) for extracting the 1st radio wave component; a 2nd BPF (14) for extracting the 2nd radio wave component; a 2nd SW (17), the 1st and 2nd SW to selectively forming 1st and 2nd SIG passages through the 1st BPF in a 1st mode and the 2nd BPF in a 2nd mode respectively; a 1st LO (19) for generating 1st and 2nd LO SIGs (30a, 30b) in the 1st and 2nd modes respectively; a 1st mixer (18) for mixing an output of the 2nd SW with the 1st and 2nd LO SIGs in the 1st and 2nd modes respectively; a 1st FLT (21) for filtering an output of the 1st mixer to output 1st and 2nd IF SIGs having the same FRQ; a 2nd LO (22), 2nd mixer (23), a 2nd FLT (25) for generating 3rd and 4th IF SIGs corresponding to the 1st and 2nd radio wave components from an output of the 1st FLT in the 1st and 2nd modes, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 10, 1998
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Enoki, Fujio Sasaki
  • Patent number: 5822687
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for automatic tuning calibration of electronically tuned filters which comprises a programmable frequency generator for producing a calibration frequency signal, a filter for filtering the calibration frequency signal, a detector for producing a detector voltage, a processor for programming the frequency generator to specific test frequencies and for producing a stepped filter tuning voltage and storing the detector voltage in response to the stepped filter tuning voltage, and a converter for digital-to-analog conversion of the stepped filter tuning voltage. Calibration frequency signal versus tuning voltage responses are stored for a number of calibration iterations within the usable range of the filter and the resulting table can be used to determine the correct tuning voltage for the filter when operating at any frequency within the usable filter range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 13, 1998
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Henry Bickley, Michael Newton Pickett
  • Patent number: 5809399
    Abstract: The strength of the signal or carrier in one or more transfer channels near the receiving channel of a radio device operating in a radio telephone system is measured, for example, with a MAHO measurement. The measurement result is used to calculate the disturbance caused by the transfer channel to the receiving channel, and, based on the acquired result, the frequency response of a filter included by the receiver is adjusted, for example, by changing the width or slope of the passband.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 15, 1998
    Assignee: Nokia Mobile Phones Limited
    Inventors: Mika Tuutijarvi, Raimo Klemetti, Jorma Savolainen, Eero Makikallio
  • Patent number: 5794130
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a wireless communication system having improved PLL circuits in the RF transmitter and receiver sections. The PLL circuits in the wireless communication system according to the present invention include time constant controllable filters. A series circuit of capacitor and resistor detects turn-on of the power switch for the PLL circuits to generate an output signal to be applied to the filters, thereby controlling the time constant of the filters in the PLL circuits to a lower value than normal for a given time after power-on of the PLL circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 11, 1998
    Assignee: Funai Electric Engineering Company Limited
    Inventors: Tsutomu Abe, Takayuki Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 5761617
    Abstract: In a radio paging receiver which is for receiving call signals and which includes a control section (5) for making each of a PLL synthesizer section (4), a frequency converter section (2), and a demodulator section (3) carry out intermittent operation selectively in a short intermittent operation cycle synchronized with the call signals and in a long intermittent operation cycle longer than the short intermittent operation cycle, the PLL synthesizer has first and second loop filters (7 and 8) having first and second time constants, respectively. The second time constant is larger than the first time constant. One of the first and the second loop filters is selectively operable at a time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 2, 1998
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventors: Kunitoshi Yonekura, Masahiro Matai
  • Patent number: 5758296
    Abstract: A mobile telephone receiver, utilized in a cellular communications system, is provided with a group of IF bandpass filters which are arranged in parallel and which respectively have different passbands with each other. The IF filter group allows an incoming IF signal to be filtered out using one of the IF bandpass filters. A signal contamination determiner is operatively coupled to the IF filter group and detemines a degree of signal contamination by examining a signal which has passed through the IF. bandpass filter selected for filtering the incoming IF signal. The selector changes the selection of the IF bandpass filters according to the degree of signal contamination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 26, 1998
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Taisuke Nakamura
  • Patent number: 5752179
    Abstract: A selective RF circuit for a double conversion tuner includes three sections: low and mid band double tuned bandpass sections and a high band double tuned bandpass section. Each section includes tuning varactors and one or more coupling varactors. The varactors are operated in a first tuning mode for exhibiting a variable capacitance and in a second mode for presenting a substantial low impedance across their terminals. A microprocessor controlled circuit arrangement applies DC potentials to the tuning and coupling varactors and to two pairs of switching diodes simultaneously for selecting and tuning the desired bandpass section. The varactors in each bandpass section are complemented with fixed capacitors selected so that the product of the loaded Q and the coupling factor of any active double tuned bandpass filter is maintained substantially equal to unity over the entire tuning range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 12, 1998
    Assignee: Zenith Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Pierre Dobrovolny
  • Patent number: 5745856
    Abstract: A radio receiver is disclosed for demodulating both wideband and narrowband frequency-modulated signals. The radio receiver improves the capacity of a system by reducing the bandwidth occupancy of analog frequency modulation systems. The radio receiver comprises a superheterodyne frequency device which converts the received frequency-modulated signal to a fixed intermediate frequency signal. A filter then filters the intermediate frequency signal with a first filter bandwidth adapted to a wideband frequency-modulated signal. The filtered wideband frequency-modulated signal is demodulated in a demodulator using a frequency discriminator. The intermediate frequency signal is then filtered using a second and third filter bandwidth adapted to a narrowband frequency-modulated signal. Finally, the further-filtered intermediate frequency signal is demodulated using a frequency discriminator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 28, 1998
    Assignee: Telefoanktiebolaget LM Ericsson
    Inventor: Paul W. Dent
  • Patent number: 5732337
    Abstract: A digital mixer-filter-decimator (MFD) is disclosed which is reconfigurable so that it can be used in both modes of operation of a dual mode receiver such as an AM/FM receiver. In either mode of operation the MPD performs filtering and decimation operations on separate data streams containing alternate samples of a digital input data stream. In the FM mode a mixing operation is also enabled to produce a complex output comprising in-phase and quadrature components. The mixing operation is disabled in the AM mode and the filtered and decimated outputs are combined to provide a real output. The same decimator filter can be used in both modes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 24, 1998
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: James Alfred Wargnier, J. William Whikehart
  • Patent number: 5715529
    Abstract: An FM receiver having an RF section, a first tunable mixer stage for the frequency conversion of a desired RF FM reception signal into a first intermediate frequency signal, an IF device and an FM demodulator. In order to enhance the integration of the apparatus, while maintaining a signal processing ability which is free from distortion, the FM receiver includes circuitry incorporated in the signal path for converting a single-phase signal into a pair of signals in mutual phase quadrature. The pair of phase-quadrature signals is applied to in-phase and quadrature signal paths of the IF device. The IF device having a polyphase IF filter incorporated in the in-phase and quadrature signal paths and has a bandpass characteristic which is symmetrical around its resonance frequency. The polyphase IF filter is coupled to the FM demodulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 3, 1998
    Assignee: U.S. Philips Corporation
    Inventors: Kaveh Kianush, Wolter Bijker, Wolfdietrich G. Kasperkovitz, Hendricus C. De Ruyter, Willem A. Sloof
  • Patent number: 5691666
    Abstract: A FM (Frequency Modulated) DCFB (Deviation Compression Feedback) signal demodulator can be achieved by utilizing FM deviation compression feedback techniques. An FM signal is coupled to a mixer (10) wherein a signal from a local oscillator is mixed with the input signal. The output of the mixer is then coupled to a variable selective IF amplifier. The IF amplifier couples the signal to a limiter amplifier, the output of the limiter amplifier is FM demodulated and fed to an output. The output signal is simultaneously fed back through a variable Frequency Compensation Network (FCN) (Loop Filter). The output signal of the FCN is then fed back to a local oscillator (17). The output of the local oscillator (17) is in turn fed back into the original mixer (10). The improved demodulated signal is sampled at an output (26).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 25, 1997
    Inventor: Joseph C. Owen
  • Patent number: 5678214
    Abstract: In a radio-frequency receiver, a received RF signal is converted to an intermediate frequency (IF) signal and band-limited by a first IF filter to a channel bandwidth. The level of the output of the IF filter is detected by a detector and compared with a threshold to produce a first and a second output when the detected level is lower or higher than the threshold, respectively. A switching circuit applies the output of the IF filter to a demodulator via an IF amplifier in response to the first output and directly applies it to the demodulator in response to the second output. To prevent interference from adjacent channels, a second intermediate frequency filter is connected between the band-limiting IF filter and the detector. The second IF filter has a passband corresponding to a center frequency portion of the passband of the band-limiting IF filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 14, 1997
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Tomohiro Azuma
  • Patent number: 5673003
    Abstract: An amplifier circuit (204) having a variable bandwidth comprises an amplifier (300), a capacitive element (304), a first npn transistor (302), and a switch control circuit (306). The first npn transistor (302) has a base coupled to an output terminal (205) of the amplifier (300), a collector coupled to a first reference voltage (113), and an emitter coupled to the capacitive element (304) and the switch control circuit (306). When the first npn transistor (302) is switched off by the switch control circuit (306), a first cutoff frequency is determined by a maximum operating frequency of the amplifier (300). When the first npn transistor (302) is switched on by the switch control circuit (306), a second cutoff frequency is determined by a capacitance of the capacitive element (304). For high frequency operation, the amplifier (300) includes at least a second npn transistor for amplification and the first cutoff frequency is determined by a Miller capacitance of the amplifier circuit (204).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 30, 1997
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventor: Andrew Gerald Zocher
  • Patent number: 5640694
    Abstract: An integrated RF avionics system having a common IF interface for diverse functions, such as radar, electronic waveform(EW) and communications/navigation/identification(CNI). The interface uses a segmented band of IF frequencies which are subdivided into two or more individual band segments separated by a guard band segment. The lower frequency band segment comprises a narrow band segment which is assigned to radar functions while the other or upper band segment comprises a wideband segment assigned to other functions such as EW and CNI functions. The guard band is not used for signal transmission, but is left unused to permit bandpass filters to reject signals in the adjacent unwanted segment, thus achieving frequency separation across the IF band while allowing the use of common hardware. The total IF range is sufficiently wide that radar, EW and CNI signals can be separated from each other with practical filters while being routed through a common IF switch network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 17, 1997
    Assignee: Northrop Grumman Corporation
    Inventor: Curtis E. Milton, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5630220
    Abstract: A radio communication apparatus having a reception system having an automatic gain control circuit, which includes a first band-pass filter with a wide band inserted into a signal supplying passage to a digital demodulator located in the subsequent stage of a variable gain type intermediate frequency amplifier. The automatic gain control circuit further includes a second band-pass filter with a narrow-band set narrower than that of the first band-pass filter, inserted in a circuit that forms an automatic gain control (AGC) loop. Received analog signals are modulated and subjected to digital demodulation by the digital demodulator after passing through the first band-pass filter. Received intermediate-frequency signals which have passed through the second band-pass filter are supplied to a detector provided in the AGC loop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 13, 1997
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Ryuji Yano
  • Patent number: 5613231
    Abstract: An oscillator includes an active component or amplifier and a stabilizing reactive component. The active component is a bipolar transistor in a common base circuit and the reactive component is a dielectric resonator totally coupled to the collector of the transistor. A super-reactive receiver includes a bipolar transistor the base of which is connected to one pole of a power supply via a first resistor and to a common point via a second resistor and the emitter of which is connected to the same pole via a third resistor. The core of a ceramic tubular coaxial dielectric resonator is connected between the collector of the transistor and the common point. Its screen is connected to the common point. A capacitor is connected between the base of the transistor and the common point which is connected to the other pole of the power supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 18, 1997
    Inventor: Gilles Morey
  • Patent number: 5604927
    Abstract: A radio receiver has a frequency down conversion stage including a first passive filter tuned to a lower frequency. An amplifier functioning as a voltage-to-current converter includes a resistor (60) which can be shunted by a second passive filter in response to actuation of symmetrically arranged switching devices. When the second passive filter shunts the resistor, the overall pass band is raised to a higher frequency. Additionally, the amplifier has a lower noise figure when the second passive filter shunts the transconductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 18, 1997
    Assignee: U.S. Philips Corporation
    Inventor: Paul A. Moore
  • Patent number: 5604746
    Abstract: A digital data receiver having a converter for frequency conversion of the input high frequency digital orthogonal modulation signal in a fixed intermediate frequency band, a demodulator for orthogonally demodulating an intermediate frequency signal output from the conversion signal based on a fixed frequency, and a controller for matching a frequency of the oscillation signal to a central frequency of the intermediate frequency band based on a frequency control signal generated to perform an orthogonal detection process by the demodulator. The central frequency of the oscillation signal is offset to correspond to a carrier frequency of the digital data orthogonal modulation signal in the state that a plurality of digital orthogonal modulation signal is frequency division multiplexed in the intermediate frequency band.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 18, 1997
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Hideki Oto
  • Patent number: 5602847
    Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus for digitizing an electromagnetic input signal having frequency components within at least first and second segregated frequency bands, particularly useful in a wireless communications system. The apparatus includes a filtering circuit arrangement for passing only frequency components of the input signal substantially within the first and second frequency bands, to provide a filtered signal having a spectrum with spectral components below a predetermined power level within a frequency gap between the first and second frequency bands. An analog to digital (A/D) converter samples the filtered signal at a sampling rate sufficient to provide a digitized output signal with a frequency spectrum corresponding to that of the filtered signal and also with a replica of spectral components of one of the frequency bands appearing within the frequency gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 11, 1997
    Assignee: Lucent Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Carmine J. Pagano, Jack C. Wen
  • Patent number: 5584063
    Abstract: The invention concerns an I.F. filter arrangement in a receiver for receiving FM signals. An I.F. filter arrangement is to be provided which no longer contains the disadvantageous effects of a control loop from which a control value is extracted from the MPX signal to be used for tracking the I.F. filter. The solution according to the invention is an I.F. filter arrangement having a filter device which comprises a defined, in particular, a fixed adjusted bandpass region and at least two outputs having center frequencies staggered with respect to one another or I.F. frequencies staggered with respect to one another at the same center frequency. The signals from the outputs are fed to a weighting device which is regulated by a control value extracted from the demodulated FM signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 10, 1996
    Assignee: Becker GmbH.
    Inventor: Stefan Brinkhaus
  • Patent number: 5584056
    Abstract: A dual-bandwidth cellular telephone switching apparatus comprising a signal receiver, the signal receiver including an antenna for receiving radio frequency signals on a field corresponding to frequency bands of at least two different cellular telephone systems, a duplexer for passing a desired frequency band component of output signals from the antenna, a low-noise amplifier for amplifying a feeble signal from the duplexer, a band pass filter for passing a desired frequency band component of an output signal from the low-noise amplifier, a synthesizer for detecting a channel being presently serviced and a mixer for mixing an output signal from the band pass filter with an output signal from the synthesizer to produce an intermediate frequency signal. The dual-bandwidth cellular telephone switching apparatus further comprises a switching section including first and second switching circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 10, 1996
    Assignee: Hyundai Electronics Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jong-Han Kim
  • Patent number: 5564093
    Abstract: A frequency modulation receiving apparatus comprises a signal-converting circuit for converting a signal received by an antenna into a signal consisting of wave clusters having various frequencies, first limiting circuit for limiting those of the wave clusters which have frequencies outside a first frequency range, second limiting circuit for limiting those of the wave clusters which have frequencies outside a second frequency range narrower than the first frequency range, shearing circuit for combining and outputting a ratio of a signal output by the first limiting circuit and a signal output by the second limiting circuit, frequency-demodulating circuit for frequency-demodulating a signal output by the selecting circuit, detecting circuit for detecting whether or not an adjacent interfering wave exists in a signal output by the frequency-demodulating circuit, and for outputting a signal indicating whether or not an adjacent interfering wave exists in the signal, and control circuit for delaying a signal out
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 8, 1996
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kasiha Toshiba
    Inventor: Yutaka Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 5564099
    Abstract: In a radio receiver a PLL oscillator generates a phase locked oscillation signal with a controllable frequency and a frequency multiplier multiplies the controllable frequency with a controllable factor into a local oscillation frequency to provide a local oscillation signal for mixing into an IF signal with a radio signal reaching the receiver, the IF signal is monitored to raise the controllable frequency and to reduce the controllable factor when a spurious signal coexists with the radio signal. This coexistence is detected by monitoring a level difference between the IF signal and an output signal of an IF filter. Preferably, the oscillator comprises in a PLL two VCO's for generating phase locked oscillation signals of higher and lower oscillation frequencies, such as 260 and 65 MHz, and a controllable prescaler supplied with high and low voltage signals when the VCO's are put in operation at the higher and the lower oscillation frequencies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 8, 1996
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventors: Kunitoshi Yonekura, Masahiro Matai
  • Patent number: 5555453
    Abstract: A CW (Continuous Wave) radio frequency signal converted to an IF (Intermediate Frequency) signal is mixed with a local oscillator signal by an IF mixer, and the obtained signal is converted to a digital signal by an ADC (Analog-to-Digital Converter). A digital bandpass filter passes only the target component in the output of the ADC. The passed IF signal is demodulated by a digital demodulator, and the demodulated signal is converted to an analog signal before being output as a sound. When pitch control to increase the reception pitch by .DELTA.f is instructed, an MPU (Microprocessor Unit) alters the frequency of the local oscillator signal by .DELTA.f as well as the center frequency of the digital bandpass filter by .DELTA.f, so that the center frequency of the input signal to a narrow-band filter coincides with the center frequency of the digital bandpass filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 10, 1996
    Assignee: Icom Incorporated
    Inventors: Shigeki Kajimoto, Weimin Sun
  • Patent number: 5548831
    Abstract: An FM receiver includes an RF section, a first mixer stage for converting a desired RF reception signal into a first IF signal having a carrier frequency located on average at a first intermediate frequency, a first IF section for selecting the first IF signal, and a second mixer stage for converting the first IF signal into a second IF signal having a carrier frequency located on average at a second intermediate frequency. The second intermediate frequency is below the first intermediate frequency. A second IF section selects the second IF signal and is coupled to an FM demodulator for demodulating the baseband modulation signal of the desired RF reception signal, followed by a low-pass filter for selecting the baseband modulation signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 20, 1996
    Assignee: U.S. Philips Corporation
    Inventors: Wolter Bijker, Wolfdietrich G. Kasperkovitz, Hendricus C. De Ruyter, Willem A. Sloof
  • Patent number: 5519887
    Abstract: A cellular telecommunications device and method for achieving dual-mode cellular communications. The cellular telecommunication device comprises switchable loop filters, a loop filter switch controller, a programmable frequency synthesizer, and a voltage controlled oscillator arranged in a phase-locked loop configuration. The switchable loop filters comprise low-pass filters to optimize the performance of the device in both the analog and digital modes of cellular communications. Mode changes are facilitated by the switch controller which automatically configure the loop filters arrangement in response to a mode code sent to the cellular device from a cellular base station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 21, 1996
    Assignee: AT&T Corp.
    Inventor: Winston H. Lieu
  • Patent number: 5511235
    Abstract: A receiver has a channel scan mode of operation and a communication mode of operation. In the channel mode of operation, the passband of a filter is narrowed relative to the passband of the filter in the communication mode. According to another aspect of the circuit, a local oscillator is selectively phase locked to an internal clock during channel scanning and locked to the incoming signal during a communication mode operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 23, 1996
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Minh H. Duong, Donald A. Dorsey, Robert M. Johnson, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5507025
    Abstract: A satellite receiver having first and second stages that are serially coupled so that an output of the first stage feeds into an input of the second stage is provided. Each of the first and second stages includes a tunable oscillator for providing a reference frequency, a means coupled to the input and the tunable oscillator for mixing a frequency modulated (FM) signal on that stage's input with the reference frequency to provide an intermediate frequency (IF) FM signal, and a bandpass filter for filtering the IF FM signal and providing the filtered IF FM signal to that stage's output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 9, 1996
    Assignee: Winegard Company
    Inventor: Charles E. Rodeffer
  • Patent number: 5499394
    Abstract: A filter switching circuit for switching between two or more filters. The filter switching circuit may be integrally formed upon an integrated circuit chip and may be advantageously utilized as a portion of a dual bandwidth receiver, such as employed in a radiotelephone, operable to receive both narrowband and wideband signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 12, 1996
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Gary F. Kaatz, John E. Becker
  • Patent number: 5498998
    Abstract: Adjustment of the output frequency of a frequency synthesizer can be optimized in the following manner. Once a frequency adjustment request is detected, which indicates a selected frequency, a frequency difference is calculated between the selected frequency and the present frequency. A frequency scaling factor is then determined. Once the frequency difference and the frequency scaling factor are determined, a frequency adjustment time is calculated based on a proportional relationship between the frequency difference and the frequency scaling factor. The bandwidth of a multi-bandwidth filter is adjusted to a second bandwidth for the duration of the calculated frequency adjustment time. The output frequency of the frequency synthesizer is adjusted from the present frequency to the selected frequency prior to the expiration of the frequency adjustment time. Upon expiration of the frequency adjustment time, the bandwidth of the multi-bandwidth filter is adjusted from the second bandwidth to the first bandwidth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 1992
    Date of Patent: March 12, 1996
    Inventors: James K. Gehrke, Robert J. Sarocka
  • Patent number: 5499396
    Abstract: Wired into the transmission path (2) of a transmission arrangement (1) to transmit a useful signal (NS), especially an audio or data signal, that is modulated onto a carrier signal (TS), is a bandpass filter (5) whose filter quality (G) can be adjusted. An error signal circuit (9) connected to the transmission path on the output side of the bandpass filter detects missing or excessively low amplitudes of the carrier signal and produces therefrom an error frequency signal (FS) with which, by means of a characteristic curve (G=f(FS)), the quality of the bandpass filter (5) is set and thereby the bandpass filter (5) is switched, in the manner of a cross-fade, from a wide transmission bandwidth to a high voltage superelevation in order to regenerate the amplitude of the carrier signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 12, 1996
    Assignee: Nokia Technology GmbH
    Inventor: Gerd Reime
  • Patent number: 5493717
    Abstract: FM radio receivers, particularly in moving vehicles, are subject to intermittent adjacent-channel interference. It is known to detect such interference and suppress it by narrowing bandwidth in the Intermediate Frequency (IF) signal path. However, it is desirable to again broaden the bandwidth once the interference has subsided. An improved system, which automatically and dynamically adjusts the bandwidth, employs first and second signal level evaluation circuits (11, 12), a comparison stage (13) which compares their outputs, and a variable-bandwidth filter stage (6, 14) controlled by the comparison stage. The comparison stage is programmed with a set of signal difference threshold values and corresponding filter bandwidth values, and controls the filter stage (6, 14) to adjust the bandwidth to the appropriate value, indicated by which signal difference threshold value has been exceeded. In a preferred embodiment, a second IF filter (15) does "double duty" as part of the variable-bandwidth filter stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 20, 1996
    Assignee: Blaupunkt-Werke GmbH
    Inventor: Detlef Schwarz
  • Patent number: 5493721
    Abstract: The apparatus includes a mobile receiver for digital audio broadcasting. The transmission process is substantially entirely digital and a whole frequency range is used for the terrestrial transmission. The apparatus includes a receiver for a digital radio signal, particularly wherein the filter coefficient is changeable by a control circuit which generates a first value for the filter coefficient to get the real signal component and thereafter generates a second value for the imaginary signal component, whereby with the switching over of the first and second values for the filter coefficient a simultaneous downsampling of the digital signal is performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 20, 1996
    Assignee: Grundig E.M.V.
    Inventor: Johannes Reis
  • Patent number: 5483209
    Abstract: The invention provides a filter circuit for use in a double-conversion TV tuner exhibiting low diode insertion loss, in which intermodulation distortion does not occur even when an incoming signal has a large amplitude. In the filter circuit according to one preferred embodiment of the invention, there are provided three bandpass filters (BPFs) which allow corresponding RF signals in different frequency bands to pass through them, and six variable attenuation diodes whose impedance is controlled by an AGC voltage applied to an AGC terminal (16). There are also provided switching diodes (20) disposed between an input terminal (1) and the inputs of three BPFs so that the switching diodes (20) select exclusively one of three BPFs so as to apply an RF signal received at the input terminal (1) only to the selected BPF (it will be assumed hereinbelow that the BPF (21) is selected).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 9, 1996
    Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Akira Takayama
  • Patent number: 5475871
    Abstract: A communications system (10) comprising a base station (12) for controlling a control channel signal and a plurality of traffic channels and a communications device (17) responsive to the control channel signal (16) and receptive to the plurality of traffic channels. The communications device comprises a tuneable filter (48), having an adjustable characteristic, which substantially filters all but a selected traffic channel of the plurality of traffic channels. The communications device further comprises a tuning circuit (24, 38, 40, 44, 46, 52) for adjusting the filter characteristic. The tuning circuit (24, 38, 40, 44, 46, 52) uses the control channel signal (16) as an accurate central frequency (F.sub.o) for a passband of the tuneable filter (48) and adjusts the filter characteristic to substantially a minimum insertion loss at the accurate central frequency, thereby substantially optimizing selectivity and sensitivity for the communications device (17).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 1993
    Date of Patent: December 12, 1995
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Doron Shalev, Gadi Shirazi
  • Patent number: 5465410
    Abstract: An FM receiver (100) that includes a plurality of filtering elements (120-124) that have various center frequencies and bandwidths that adjust to maximize the signal quality of a desired signal (104) recovers the desired signal (104) by inputting the desired signal (104) to each of the plurality of filtering elements (120-124). Signal recovery is performed on an output of each of the filtering elements (120-124) to obtain a plurality of recovered signals. The recovered signals are then measured to obtain a plurality of signal quality metrics for the desired signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 7, 1995
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Bradley M. Hiben, Donald G. Newberg, Robert D. Logalbo
  • Patent number: 5448763
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for operating a phase locked loop frequency synthesizer responsive to radio frequency channel spacing. The phase locked loop (PLL) frequency synthesizer (300) tunes a radio frequency transceiver (100) to a radio frequency channel. A processor (110) in the transceiver (100) determines the channel spacing of the radio frequency channels in a portion of a radio frequency band including the radio frequency channel, and controls the PLL frequency synthesizer (300) responsive to the determined channel spacing. The present invention advantageously provides the PLL frequency synthesizer (300) with faster lock time and lower noise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 1993
    Date of Patent: September 5, 1995
    Assignee: Motorola
    Inventor: Steven F. Gillig
  • Patent number: 5369470
    Abstract: An FM receiver includes an IF unit followed by an LF unit, the IF unit having an IF filter arrangement. The center frequency of the IF filter arrangement, which is relatively narrow-banded with respect to the channel bandwidth, is controlled in dependence on the receiving conditions. The receiver has circuitry for changing the signal transmission characteristic of the IF and/or LF units, including a detector module with detector circuits for detecting values characteristic of receiving or interference states, with the inputs of said circuits each being connected with a circuit point of the IF or LF unit carrying the signal to be processed, and with the outputs of these circuits providing signals characterizing receiving and interference states.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 1990
    Date of Patent: November 29, 1994
    Assignee: H.u.C. Elektronik GmbH
    Inventor: Jens Hansen
  • Patent number: 5341431
    Abstract: A synchronous AM detector and processor requiring a reduced number of external components and fewer integrated circuit pins comprises an audio processor having a first filter operation controlled by a control voltage and an AM stereo decoder including a lock detector and a phase locked loop having a second filter operation controlled by the control voltage. A single control node is coupled to the audio processor and the phase locked loop, the control node providing the control voltage for the audio processor and the phase locked loop. The voltage at the control node is biased normally high, capable of being pulled low by the audio processing circuit and capable of being pulled low by the lock detector. An RC circuit decays the rise time of the control voltage at the control node after the control voltage has been pulled low. Circuitry is added to control the first filter operation of the audio processing circuitry responsive to the control voltage at the control node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 23, 1994
    Assignee: Delco Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Detlef Griessman, Gregory J. Manlove, Thomas G. Block, Gordon P. Howlett
  • Patent number: 5339454
    Abstract: A radio receiver simultaneously achieves maximum sensitivity and minimum susceptibility to intermodulation distortion by employing wideband and narrowband automatic gain control which further selects the automatic gain control response in dependence on the detection of intermodulation distortion. An AGC signal is modified to improve sensitivity in the event of a low narrowband signal level except when intermodulation distortion is detected above a predetermined distortion level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 1991
    Date of Patent: August 16, 1994
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: Yao H. Kuo, John F. Kennedy
  • Patent number: 5339455
    Abstract: A mobile radio receiver, for example, a car radio, needs a circuit to detect and suppress adjacent-channel interference. This can be done by using bandpass filters (14) of differing bandwidth. The present invention dynamically adjusts bandwidth to an optimum value by continuously comparing (13) a first signal level, upstream of the bandpass filter, to a second signal level, downstream of the bandpass filter, to derive a difference value representative of adjacent-channel interference, then uses an electronically controlled selector switch (6) to select a particular filter (14.sub.N) whose bandwidth is sufficiently narrow to cut out the interfering broadcast signal. A table associating each magnitude range of interference with a particular filter bandwidth assures that bandwidth is broadened as interference diminishes, thereby assuring sufficient reception signal strength.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 16, 1994
    Assignee: Blaupunkt Werke GmbH
    Inventors: Lothar Vogt, Stefan Bartels, Rainer Arnold, Detlef Schwarz
  • Patent number: 5303404
    Abstract: The frequency of a first local oscillator signal (1.LO) is offset in reference to the center frequency of a first bandpass filter (4), and the frequency of a second local oscillator signal (2.LO) is offset in reference to the center frequency of a second bandpass filter (7). The frequency offsets are selected so that only a portion (x, y) of the filter (4, 7) bandwidths (bw, BW) will add to an "imaginary" effective narrow bandwidth (NBW). The amounts of frequency offset are continuously adjustable by programmable controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 1991
    Date of Patent: April 12, 1994
    Assignee: Nokia Mobile Phones Ltd.
    Inventor: Seppo K. Kivela
  • Patent number: 5303394
    Abstract: A Q multiplier circuit which is automatically feedback stabilized through the use of phase and gain control loops and thereby adapted for use as an amplifier and filter. In a typical embodiment, a variable gain amplifier and band pass filter are provided in a forward signal path while a phase shifter is provided in a feedback signal path. The output of the circuit is sampled and compared to a fixed reference in order to generate a gain control signal for application to the variable gain amplifier. The input signal on the forward signal path is sampled along with the signal on the feedback signal path and the phases of these samples are compared in order to generate a phase control signal for application to the phase shifter. The variable gain amplifier is controlled to maintain a predetermined power output level while the phase shifter is controlled to maintain positive feed back.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 1991
    Date of Patent: April 12, 1994
    Assignee: Rockwell International
    Inventor: Dennis J. Hrncirik