With Synchronizing, Triggering Or Pulsing Circuits Patents (Class 331/172)
  • Patent number: 4730169
    Abstract: A four-diode bridge is positioned within the cavity of a Gunn diode oscillator. A subharmonic signal is applied to the diode bridge and the diode bridge couples an odd harmonic of the injected signal into the cavity. The cavity is thus caused to resonate at the odd harmonic of the injected signal. The injected signal can be changed using a frequency synthesizer in order to provide a microwave oscillator with multiple-channel operation. The diode bridge provides a feedback signal indicative of the phase of cavity oscillation. The feedback signal is applied to a varactor which pretunes the Gunn diode oscillator and thereby provides phase-locked control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 1986
    Date of Patent: March 8, 1988
    Assignee: Hughes Aircraft Company
    Inventor: Hsiu Y. Li
  • Patent number: 4694260
    Abstract: A microwave frequency discriminator, i.e. an electronic device for directly transforming frequency modulation on a microwave carrier into a demodulated lower frequency signal. The discriminator is similar to a Travis discriminator and includes an inlet microstrip line, two resonant circuits (R.sub.1, R.sub.2) constituted by dielectric resonators and coupled to said inlet microstrip line to receive the modulated microwave signal, two outlet microstrip lines coupling each resonator to a respective microwave detector circuit, said detector circuits including loads (r.sub.1, r.sub.2) in series-opposition in the manner of a Travis discriminator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 1986
    Date of Patent: September 15, 1987
    Assignee: Alcatel Thomson Faisceaux Hertziens
    Inventors: Lazare Argintaru, Denis Hebrard
  • Patent number: 4682178
    Abstract: The invention relates to a coherent radar comprising a magnetron (10), a modulator (12) for pulsed driving if the magnetron, a stable local oscillator (22) and mixer (20) for producing an intermedicate frequency signal of incoming echoes and an intermediate frequency oscillator (28) and phase sensitive detector (26) for detecting the echo pulses in order to generate a so called bipolar video signal. According to the invention a HF-signal derived from the stable oscillator (22) is fed to the tuning cavities of the magnetron (10), so called priming, at least in the transmission moment, and furthermore the modulator (12) and the intermediate frequency oscillator (28) are mutually time controlled in such manner that the leading edge of the modulator pulse and thereby of the magnetron pulse always appears in a given phase position of the output signal from the intermediate frequency oscillator, for example a zero passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 1985
    Date of Patent: July 21, 1987
    Assignee: U.S. Philips Corporation
    Inventors: Kjell S. Anflo, Jan W. I. Grabs
  • Patent number: 4642577
    Abstract: An injection-locked waveguide oscillator comprises a first diode (3) having a free-running fundamental frequency above the local cut-off frequency of the waveguide (1) and a second diode (4) having a fundamental frequency below and a higher harmonic above the local cut-off frequency. The first diode (3) may be an IMPATT diode and the second diode (4) a Gunn diode. The free-running fundamental frequency of the first diode (3) is close to the higher harmonic of the second diode (4) so that the second diode (4) injection-locks the first (3). Locking in the reverse sense is inhibited by the inherent loss in conversion from the higher harmonic to the fundamental in the second diode (4), thus avoiding the need for a circulator or isolator. The two diodes (3, 4) preferably are mounted in a common waveguide (1) for a simple compact structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 1986
    Date of Patent: February 10, 1987
    Assignee: U.S. Philips Corporation
    Inventor: Robert N. Bates
  • Patent number: 4583060
    Abstract: A frequency generator or filter which includes a signal source of simultaneous multiple frequencies, a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO), a circulator coupled between the signal source and frequency terminal of the VCO and a source of control voltage signals coupled to the control voltage terminal of the VCO. A control voltage corresponding to a desired one of the frequencies produced by the signal source is applied to the VCO causing it to produce a frequency approximating the desired frequency. Then the signal from the frequency source injection locks the VCO to exactly the desired frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 1983
    Date of Patent: April 15, 1986
    Assignee: RCA Corporation
    Inventor: Daniel D. Mawhinney
  • Patent number: 4575688
    Abstract: The output signal frequencies of two current controlled oscillators are made to track closely by matching timing currents with a current mirror. A frequency difference between the output signals is obtained by establishing an additional timing current for only one of said oscillators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 1985
    Date of Patent: March 11, 1986
    Inventor: Alan D. Whitefoot
  • Patent number: 4568890
    Abstract: A microwave oscillator suitable for millimeter wavelengths comprises a Gunn diode (3) coupled to a waveguide (1) by a resonant-cap structure (5,6). The diode (3) generates microwave energy both at a fundamental frequency f.sub.o which is below the cut-off frequency of the waveguide (1) and at a second harmonic frequency 2f.sub.o above cut-off. To control the generation of microwave energy at 2f.sub.o, energy at f.sub.o is coupled into the waveguide (1) from an adjacent further waveguide (9) above its cut-off, by means of an electric probe (8) extending close to the cap (5). The probe (8) may couple in a locking signal at or close to the free-running value of f.sub.o from another oscillator having better noise performance and electronic tuning, thereby locking 2f.sub.o to twice the frequency of the locking signal, or alternatively may couple to a varactor-tuned cavity resonant at f.sub.o.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 1983
    Date of Patent: February 4, 1986
    Assignee: U.S. Philips Corporation
    Inventor: Robert N. Bates
  • Patent number: 4500853
    Abstract: A phase-lock system including an oscillator providing a switching output that continuously switches between first and second states, a trigger circuit for inducing switching of the oscillator, a sensing circuit monitoring the switching output and providing an anticipating indication of an imminent switching thereof from the first to the second state, and a primary voltage source providing a variable voltage that periodically varies from and returns to a given voltage level. Also included is a detector circuit monitoring the variable voltage and detecting the presence of the given voltage level and a synchronizing circuit responsive to the sensing and detector circuits and providing an input to the trigger circuit, the synchronizing circuit being operative to cause switching of the oscillator in response to the simultaneous provision of the anticipating indication by the sensing circuit and detection of the given level by the detector circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 1984
    Date of Patent: February 19, 1985
    Assignee: Electronic Specialists
    Inventor: Francis J. Stifter
  • Patent number: 4468637
    Abstract: An oscillator unit having a charge storage device periodically rapidly charged through a small resistor and slowly discharged through a large resistor under control of a comparator for producing an oscillatory output and a switch actuatable by means of a frequency controlled zero-crossing multiplier to selectively discharge the storage device and thereby repeatedly resynchronize the oscillator unit with the frequency input to the multiplier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 1981
    Date of Patent: August 28, 1984
    Assignee: Polaroid Corporation
    Inventors: William R. Wray, James Burkhardt
  • Patent number: 4365212
    Abstract: A gated oscillator is disclosed wherein the first period of oscillation is substantially equal to the steady state period of oscillation. The gated oscillator is of the type wherein oscillations are produced by charging and discharging a capacitor between respective first and second voltage levels. When the oscillator is stopped, the capacitor potential is maintained at the first voltage level, so that when the oscillator is started, the capacitor begins its charging cycle at the first voltage level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1980
    Date of Patent: December 21, 1982
    Assignee: RCA Corporation
    Inventors: Carmine Gentile, Nicholas Kucharewski
  • Patent number: 4356456
    Abstract: A synchronous oscillator is provided to divide the frequency of an input signal by a noninteger number, the noninteger number being expressed as the ratio of two whole integers X/Y. The oscillator is tuned to the desired output frequency, whereby every Yth cycle of the output signal is synchronized by every Xth cycle of the input signal at the negative (and possibly positive) peak of the output signal, thereby effecting a simultaneous multiplication and division of the input frequency of Y and X respectively. A pulse forming network provides the input signal in the form of pulses, whereby synchronization is effected at precise points in time. Pulse width and amplitude are adjustable to vary the input signal energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 1980
    Date of Patent: October 26, 1982
    Assignee: Communications Satellite Corporation
    Inventor: Vasil Uzunoglu
  • Patent number: 4330760
    Abstract: Two variable-frequency microwave generators, i.e. a coaxial magnetron producing outgoing waves and a voltage-controlled oscillator emitting a heterodyning signal for incoming waves of a radar transceiver, are continuously tuned by a pilot signal modifying their operating frequencies with a predetermined constant separation. To maintain this correlation, the tuning circuit of at least one microwave generator responds to the pilot signal through the intermediary of a read-only memory which, on being directly or indirectly addressed by that signal, emits stored setting instructions for the respective generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 1980
    Date of Patent: May 18, 1982
    Assignee: Societa Italiana Telecomunicazioni Siemens S.p.A.
    Inventors: Guido Busacca, Vincenzo Meli, Antonio Rossi
  • Patent number: 4320360
    Abstract: The phase of a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) can be controlled and changed by a series of pulses applied through an isolating element such as a capacitor. A small amount of current injected into the reactive element distorts the waveform of the VCO during the period of injection. Depending on the power of the pulse of injected current, a corresponding phase shift in the output of the VCO will result during the period of injection. The pulses are applied at a frequency equivalent to the desired frequency. Assuming the waveform of the VCO to be sinusoidal or otherwise symmetrical, the injected current pulses result in one point on the waveform where the distortion will be symmetrical and stable. The injection of repeated pulses results in this stable point eventually occurring symmetrically about the peak of the VCO waveform thereby locking the phase of the VCO to correspond to the frequency of the injected pulses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 1980
    Date of Patent: March 16, 1982
    Assignee: Hazeltine Corporation
    Inventor: Robert M. Thomas
  • Patent number: 4309675
    Abstract: A control circuit is provided for controlling operation of an electrical or electromechanical system which oscillates at a basic frequency, such as a coil-operated compressor of a vehicle cooling system.The control circuit has a power output stage which feeds operating power to the oscillating system, and a generator which drives the power output stage and is synchronized with the oscillating system.The generator comprises an oscillator which produces a pulse sequence at twice the basic frequency of the oscillating system and a converter which modifies the pulse sequence of the oscillator so that every second pulse fed to the power stage has the same polarity. Feedback from the oscillating system is applied to an input of the oscillator to synchronize the oscillator with the oscillating system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 1979
    Date of Patent: January 5, 1982
    Assignee: Siegas-Metallwarenfabrik Wilhelm Loh GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Erich Rabe
  • Patent number: 4274067
    Abstract: A clock recovery network uses a voltage proportional to the incoming symbol rate as a coarse tuning signal to control the tuned center frequency of a voltage controlled oscillator. The incoming data is used to positively synchronize the oscillator to the incoming data stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 1979
    Date of Patent: June 16, 1981
    Assignee: Communications Satellite Corporation
    Inventor: Vasil Uzunoglu
  • Patent number: 4264875
    Abstract: In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a microwave signal is used to modulate a laser diode and the resultant modulated light output energy from the laser diode is applied through an optical fiber waveguide to the active solid state component in a microwave oscillator circuit such that the output signal from the microwave oscillator is phase locked to the modulation carried by the light energy. The invention allows optical injection phase locking to be achieved not only at the fundamental frequency of the modulating signal, but also at various harmonics thereof; and "on-off" switching of the microwave oscillator can be controlled simultaneously with phase locking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 1979
    Date of Patent: April 28, 1981
    Assignee: Hughes Aircraft Company
    Inventors: Robert G. Hunsperger, Michael K. Barnoski, Huan-Wun Yen
  • Patent number: 4247834
    Abstract: In a synthesizer system having a reference oscillator selectively operable in either a voltage-controlled or an injection-locked mode, a circuit for effecting the appropriate mode of operation. The circuit includes an analog gate coupled between the output of a crystal oscillator and the input of the reference oscillator. The analog gate is driven by a logic element responsive to a plurality of signals indicative of specific operating conditions. In particular, the circuit assures that the reference oscillator is coupled to the crystal oscillator, that is, the reference oscillator operates in the injection locked mode, while the synthesizer PLL achieves acquisition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 1979
    Date of Patent: January 27, 1981
    Assignee: GTE Products Corporation
    Inventors: Craig W. Brun, Wilfred L. Hand
  • Patent number: 4191188
    Abstract: A high frequency power oscillator is keyed on and off to provide high frequency signal bursts under the control of a pair of timers whose duty cycles are simultaneously and proportionally adjusted so that the signal bursts are constantly centered about the peak power point regardless of variations of the duty cycles. The timers and related circuits for generating control signals are low voltage circuits, whereas the power oscillator is a high voltage circuit, a simple interface structure being provided therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 1978
    Date of Patent: March 4, 1980
    Assignee: Macan Engineering & Manufacturing Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Kenneth W. Belt, Stuart G. McCarrell
  • Patent number: 4138679
    Abstract: A circuit is provided for synchronizing the oscillation U.sub.o of a pulsed oscillator with a reference oscillation U.sub.m of comparatively small amplitude. The reference oscillation is coupled into the oscillator and a phase control loop is provided in which a phase discriminator compares the phase relationship of both oscillations and provides a resulting control voltage for controlling an adjustable reactance for the frequency change of the pulsed oscillator during the leading edge of the pulse. A phase shifter, adjustable up to 180.degree., is connected between the oscillator and the phase discriminator. The output of the phase discriminator, which is highly resistive, is connected in a low-resistance manner to the adjustable reactance by way of an impedance converter, such as an emitter follower or a multi-stage wide-band amplifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 1976
    Date of Patent: February 6, 1979
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Dieter Leypold, Peter Schucht
  • Patent number: 4100511
    Abstract: An oscillator uses a delay line in a feedback loop to determine its frequency of operation. As the loop is capable of sustaining oscillations at more than one frequency the desired frequency is generated by an auxiliary delay line and is gated into loop at the correct instant by gating circuitry C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 1977
    Date of Patent: July 11, 1978
    Assignee: The Marconi Company Limited
    Inventor: Philip Henry Wisbey
  • Patent number: 4100505
    Abstract: A high frequency power oscillator is keyed on and off to provide high frequency signal bursts under the control of a pair of timers whose duty cycles are simultaneously and proportionally adjusted so that the signal bursts are constantly centered about the peak power point regardless of variations of the duty cycles. The timers and related circuits for generating control signals are low voltage circuits, whereas the power oscillator is a high voltage circuit, a simple interface structure being provided therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 1976
    Date of Patent: July 11, 1978
    Assignee: Macan Engineering & Manufacturing Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Kenneth W. Belt, Stuart G. McCarrell
  • Patent number: 4097823
    Abstract: An improved solid state transmitter (and elements therefor) adapted particularly well to pulsed operation at radio frequencies is disclosed. Such transmitter includes the combination of: A crystal-controlled oscillator producing a continuous wave output signal which, ultimately, determines the frequency of each transmitted pulse; a first oscillatory circuit, including a resonant cavity and at least one normally quiescent coaxial oscillator incorporating an IMPATT diode; a second oscillatory circuit, including a resonant cavity and a plurality of normally quiescent coaxial oscillators, each one of such oscillators incorporating an IMPATT diode; and an improved modulator for periodically actuating all of the IMPATT diodes in such a manner that a pulsed output of the first oscillatory circuit is produced which remains locked to the then existing continuous wave signal out of the crystal-controlled oscillator and the pulsed outputs of the coaxial oscillators in the second oscillatory circuit similarly are locked.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1977
    Date of Patent: June 27, 1978
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: George Jerinic, Glenn R. Thoren, Francis J. Sullivan, Jr., James L. Lampen
  • Patent number: 4070635
    Abstract: A phase locked oscillator provides an agile frequency signal source with low phase fluctuations for use in radar and communications systems wherein the phase fluctuations of a predetermined input signal are reduced by the phase locked oscillator by modulating the phase of a delayed feedback signal in response to the phase difference between the input signal and the output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 1976
    Date of Patent: January 24, 1978
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Daniel J. Healey, III
  • Patent number: 4025819
    Abstract: An apparatus for detecting relative movement between two objects which is illustrated in the preferred embodiment as a vehicle road speed signal source including a reed switch oscillator for generating an output signal having a frequency and a magnitude proportional to the road speed of an associated vehicle. Current flows through a biasing coil proximate the reed switch to generate a magnetic field which is slightly less than the field required to close the switch contacts. A permanent magnet means attached to the drive shaft of the vehicle generates a magnetic field which aids the biasing coil magnetic field to close the reed switch contacts. A transistor responds to the closing of the reed switch contacts to turn off the current to the biasing coil which allows the reed switch contacts to open.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 1975
    Date of Patent: May 24, 1977
    Assignee: Dana Corporation
    Inventors: Edward E. Lafever, Larry O. Gray
  • Patent number: 4025872
    Abstract: A network characterized at a reference terminal pair by a negative resistance at a frequency near nf.sub.o, where n is an integer greater than one. The network comprises a circuit element characterized by a negative resistance at frequencies in the range f.sub.1 to f.sub.2 where f.sub.1 < f.sub.o < f.sub.2, a passive non-linear network and a filter network for coupling the negative resistance element to the passive non-linear network only at frequencies near f.sub.o and to the reference terminal pair only at frequencies near nf.sub.o. The negative resistance network may be configured with suitable components as a negative resistance amplifier and as an injection locked oscillator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 1975
    Date of Patent: May 24, 1977
    Inventor: Alfred I. Grayzel
  • Patent number: 4001717
    Abstract: A pulse-firing power oscillator has an iron core with a primary winding on the core and as many secondary windings as there are firing pulses to be sequentially produced in a series of pulses, with a half-wave rectifier in series with each secondary winding. A symmetrical circuit comprising back-to-back transistors is connected across the primary winding in such a manner that the base bias voltage of a transistor connected to one end of the primary winding is derived from the other end of the primary winding. A DC voltage is imposed between a center-tap on the primary winding and the common connection between the transistors which is furthest away from the center-tap -- i.e., further away from the center-tap than the base of each of the biased transistors. The oscillator is self starting, and when it is free running its frequency is voltage dependent, although broadly determined by the design of the pulse transformer including the cross-section of the core and the number of primary turns thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 1975
    Date of Patent: January 4, 1977
    Inventor: Alfred Max Hase
  • Patent number: 4001715
    Abstract: A vertical deflection circuit used in television receivers, comprising a free-running oscillator capable of synchronous oscillation triggered by a vertical synchronizing signal separated from a composite synchronizing signal is disclosed. The vertical deflection circuit has a switch means which operates under synchronous control by the vertical synchronizing pulse and prevents the application of a vertical trigger signal to the free-running oscillator at least for the period from the time at which the free-running oscillator has been triggered to the time corresponding to the end of the vertical synchronizing pulse period of the composite synchronizing signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 1975
    Date of Patent: January 4, 1977
    Assignee: Nippon Electric Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Hirokazu Fukaya
  • Patent number: 3993962
    Abstract: A low noise frequency source utilizes a varactor diode to form a parametric crystal oscillator which may be frequency multiplied to the desired microwave frequency, for radar applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 1975
    Date of Patent: November 23, 1976
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
    Inventors: Francis W. Hopwood, Lester K. Staley, Thomas R. Turlington
  • Patent number: 3992679
    Abstract: A stabilized frequency oscillating circuit comprises a voltage or current controlled variable frequency oscillator, a delay device receiving the output of the oscillator, an adder for adding the output of the oscillator and the delayed output of the delay device, and a detecting circuit which detects the amplitude of the output of the adder to provide a control signal which varies cyclically with changes in the oscillating frequency of the oscillator which is applied to the latter for locking the oscillating frequency of the oscillator to a predetermined or desired frequency. The oscillating circuit may further have a control circuit by which an additional control voltage or current is superimposed on the cyclically varying control signal for selecting the oscillating frequency to which the variable frequency oscillator is to be locked, or by which either the oscillator output or delayed output is phase-shifted before being applied to the adder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 1975
    Date of Patent: November 16, 1976
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Katsuo Isono
  • Patent number: 3973222
    Abstract: The start-up delay of an externally synchronized astable multivibrator is reduced by placing a low impedance path between ground and the base electrode of a transistor in the input circuit to the multivibrator in response to the signal which turns on the multivibrator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 1975
    Date of Patent: August 3, 1976
    Assignee: RCA Corporation
    Inventor: Nicholas Kucharewski