Abstract: AM receiver comprising a tuning oscillator (T0), a first phase detector (PD1) and a first loop filter (LP1) successively arranged in a first phase control loop. The tuning oscillator (T0) is synchronized with a reference oscillator (VCX0) coupled to the first phase detector (PD1) and applies a mixing frequency to a mixer stage (M) for conversion of a received AM signal into an IF-AM signal. The mixer stage (M) is coupled to an AM demodulator (SD) for demodulation of the base-band modulation signal. The reference oscillator (VCX0) is controllable and is disposed between a second loop filter (LP2) and a second phase detector (PD2) of a second phase control loop coupled to the mixer stage (M) for applying a local detection carrier synchronized with the IF-AM signal carrier to the AM demodulator (SD).

Abstract: An electronic device for rapidly tuning a voltage controlled oscillator to the radar carrier frequency of each of the individual radar pulses. A frequency discriminator (1) of the quadricorrelator type is supplied with the incoming pulses and with the output of the VCO (5) to provide the control voltage to the VCO (5) via amplifying stages (2), (4) and a sample-and-hold circuit (3) that maintains the tuned frequency for time durations greater than 100 usec. The operating frequency range of the device is between 6GHz-18GHz.

Abstract: A frequency synthesizer of the fractional N type comprising a primary voltage controlled oscillator for producing an output signal which is afforded to a phase detector via a divider to provide a control signal for the primary voltage controlled oscillator in the presence of a phase difference between a reference signal from a reference source and the signal afforded thereto from the divider, the division ratio of which may be varied in a fractional N mode to vary the frequency of the output signal in frequency steps smaller than the frequency of the reference signal and wherein a ripple signal tending thereby to be produced and causing frequency modulation of the output signal is compensated by a phase modulator, arranged to couple the divider and the phase detector and to receive a drive signal in antiphase to the ripple signal, wherein the synthesizer further comprises a subsidiary phase lock loop arranged to provide an enhanced representation of the ripple signal in dependence upon the signal afforded to

Abstract: A voltage controlled oscillator includes a VCO chip that is a monolithic circuit with a Gunn diode and varactor diode intercoupled by a resonant circuit. A detector/discriminator/power divider chip is coupled to the VCO chip through a directional coupler and is a monolithic circuit having a pair of discriminator diodes and amplitude detector diode on a semi-insulating substrate with associated circuit components. Connected-together electrodes of the discriminator diodes are connected to one output of the power divider. An electrode of the amplitude detector diode is connected to the other output of the power divider. Stagger-tuned resonant circuits are coupled to the other electrodes of the discriminator diodes. Conducting portions forming low pass filters couple the amplitude detector diode and the discriminator detector diodes to respective outputs.

Abstract: A phase-locked loop is constituted by a controllable oscillator coupled through a phase detection arrangement and a low-pass filter to receive an input carrier applied to a signal input of the phase detection arrangement. In order to decrease the phase synchronization between a carrier locally generated in the loop and an input carrier, an unwanted DC offset generated during phase detection is reduced. The phase detection arrangement has first, second and third cascade-coupled mixer stages. An auxiliary mixing signal is applied from a signal generator to the first and third mixer stages. An input of one of the first and second mixer stages is coupled to the signal input of the phase detection arrangement and an input of the other of the two last-mentioned stages is coupled to an output of the controllable oscillator. The low-pass filter has a cut-off frequency lower than the fundamental frequency of the auxiliary mixing signal, and the fundamental frequency is lower than the frequency of the input carrier.

Abstract: A phase-locked loop frequency synthesizer apparatus for providing an output signal whose frequency jumps from one value to another, at regular intervals of time. Coarse tuning circuitry couples a prescribed signal to the apparatus' voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO), to drive the VCO immediately to the correct frequency each time a new frequency is selected, thereby substantially reducing the apparatus' settling time. In addition, adaptive coarse tuning circuitry continuously updates the values of stored coarse tuning information for each possible frequency, to correct for any drifts in the VCO's voltage/frequency characteristic. A VCO gain normalizer circuit amplifies the error signal coupled to the VCO by an amount that varies with the selected frequency, so as to correct for any non-uniformities in the apparatus' various elements, particularly the VCO, and to thereby provide a uniform loop gain.

Abstract: A phase lock loop having an instruction input to which is applied the output signal of the frequency-modulated variable frequency oscillator. The pass band of the loop is regulated in order to obtain at its output, a frequency-filtered signal corresponding to the frequency-modulated signal applied to the instruction input. A phase demodulator having inputs coupled to the instruction input of the loop and to the output of the loop supplies a signal corresponding to the modulation index of the signal supplied by the oscillator. This signal is compared with a reference signal by a comparator circuit, which supplies a control signal to means for adjusting the amplitude of the modulating signal applied to the input of the oscillator, in order to permanently adjust the modulation index of the frequency-modulated signal, produced at the output of the oscillator, to the value of the desired modulation index corresponding to the reference signal.

Abstract: A frequency discriminator having a wide capture band is shown to comprise, in addition to a conventional phase detector having two channels fed by a signal whose frequency is to be determined (the first one of the channels containing a tuned circuit operative to shift the phase of the signal in accordance with the difference between the frequency of the signal and the center frequency of the tuned circuit and the second one of the channels containing a phase shifter operative to shift the phase of the signal by 90.degree. regardless of the frequency of the signal), a compensating circuit operative substantially to equalize the amplitudes of the signals applied to the phase detector, the compensating circuit including an amplifier in the first one of the channels to amplify the signal out of the tuned circuit, the gain of the amplifier being controlled by a signal indicative of the difference between the amplitudes of the signals fed to the phase detector.

Abstract: A phase locked loop is disclosed which subtracts an estimated signal from an input signal and operates upon the residual signal. The residual signal is demodulated and applied to a controlled oscillator which produces feedback signals approximately the sine and cosine of the input signal. The cosine feedback signal is multiplied by the residual signal whose resultant signal is a frequency correction signal. The sine feedback signal is multiplied by the residual signal for multiplication again by the sine feedback signal to produce the estimated signal which is amplitude and frequency controlled. This signal is then subtracted from the input signal to reduce the residual signal to near zero.

Abstract: In a control circuit for a voltage-controlled oscillator including the combination of: (a) a source of D.C. power, the voltage out of such source being adjustable in discrete steps to provide a coarse frequency control signal; (b) a control loop, responsive to the signal out of the voltage-controlled oscillator, to provide a fine frequency control signal; and (c) a summer to combine the coarse and fine frequency control signals into a single frequency control signal for the voltage-controlled oscillator, an improvement is shown wherein the control loop comprises an interferometer wherein noise extant on the signal out of the voltage-controlled oscillator is degenerated by dividing a portion of such signal into a reference path, a delayed path and a parallel path, the signals in the latter two paths being processed to produce an amplitude corrected signal for combination with the signal, shifted by 90.degree., in the reference path, finally to produce the fine frequency control signal.

Abstract: A modulated carrier signal, the amplitude variations of which are smaller than the amplitude of the unmodulated carrier, is not very suitable for transmission over radio links because the required use of non-linear components, such as class-C amplifiers, result in an unwanted widening of the transmitted spectrum. According to the invention an arrangement for amplifying such a signal comprises two oscillators (16, 17) the desired relative phase of which is adjusted in a loop including a control circuit 22. On combining the oscillator signals v'.sub.k and v'.sub.g, there is produced a resulting signal r which is a replica of the input signal v having the amplitude variations. As the oscillators 16 and 17 produce signals having a constant amplitude, these signals can be easily amplified, for example by class-C amplifiers.

Abstract: A limiter includes an amplifying stage with its operating point determined by a bias voltage developed across a capacitance associated with a charging path and a discharging path. With alternate disabling and enabling of one of the paths controlled by a switching device with a duty cycle reflective of the limiter output duty cycle, the average potential across the capacitance varies in accordance with changes in the duty cycle of the limiter output. The variation sense is selected such that the resultant alterations of the operating point oppose deviations of the duty cycle from a chosen norm (e.g., 50%).

Abstract: A circuit for speeding acquisition in a phase and frequency locked loop utilizing a plurality of R-C circuits having differing time constants, interconnected with diodes.