Carrier Frequency Stabilization Patents (Class 455/119)
  • Patent number: 5166642
    Abstract: A fractional-N type frequency synthesizer (700) for use in a radiotelephone (901). The synthesizer (700) utilizes multiple latched accumulators (401, 403, 405, 407), within an accumulator network, to perform multiple integrals of an input signal (439). The outputs of the accumulators are combined in series to form a data output signal (453). The data output signal (453) is input to a divider network (703) and used as a variable divisor of the frequency input from a variable oscillator (701) into the divider network (703).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 1982
    Date of Patent: November 24, 1992
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventor: Alexander W. Hietala
  • Patent number: 5146616
    Abstract: A predetermined radar pulse train is formed in space by transmitting individual spectral components thereof. Thus, a train of extremely short pulses is obtained without switching a radio frequency signal on and off at a high rate. A crystal oscillator is coupled to a harmonic generator such as a comb generator. A power divider distributes the output of the harmonic generator to a multiplicity of final filter amplifiers. Each final filter amplifier has a phase-locked VCO circuit that provides frequency accuracy, spectral purity, low noise and frequency stability. Thus, each final filter amplifier provides one of the spectral components of the predetermined radar pulse train. The final filter amplifiers are coupled by duplexers to a broadband multiplexing feed such as a nested cup dipole feed that illuminates a reflector. On receive, the broadband multiplexing feed separates all the spectral components of the incoming pulse train.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 1991
    Date of Patent: September 8, 1992
    Assignee: Hughes Aircraft Company
    Inventors: Raymond Tang, James G. Small
  • Patent number: 5113416
    Abstract: A system for adjusting the frequency of transmissions between a base station and a mobile station. The mobile station detects the frequency of the signal received from the base station, determines whether the signal was received from the current base station and adjusts the output signal of a local crystal-controlled reference oscillator in accordance with the difference between the frequency of the output signal and the frequency of the received signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 1990
    Date of Patent: May 12, 1992
    Assignee: Ericsson GE Mobile Communications Holding, Inc.
    Inventor: Karl B. Lindell
  • Patent number: 5111162
    Abstract: A fractional-N synthesizer realizes automatic frequency control by adding (509) a digital representation of a determined frequency offset to a digital representation of applied modulation to create the modulus control of a programmable frequency divider (203).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 1991
    Date of Patent: May 5, 1992
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Alexander W. Hietala, Patrick J. Marry
  • Patent number: 5079525
    Abstract: An RF modulator comprising an FM modulator supplied with an audio signal, and AM modulator supplied with the FM modulator output and a video signal, an oscillator for generating a sound subcarrier signal, and an oscillator for generating a main carrier signal. Each of the oscillators consists of a VCO with a PLL circuit, and the entire components are composed of a single IC chip so as to be formed into a compact miniature structure. A modified RF modulator includes a PLL circuit for varying the oscillation frequency of a VCO by a variable frequency divider, and a modulation circuit supplied with a modulating signal and the oscillation output of the VCO. The division ratio (integer) of the variable frequency divider is continuously varied, and the reference frequency of a reference oscillator is set to be less than a predetermined channel interval frequency, thereby reducing the frequency error in the modulated signal output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 1990
    Date of Patent: January 7, 1992
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Ishikawa, Hiroshi Higuchi, Hisaaki Narahara, Shinichi Tanabe, Fumio Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 5063357
    Abstract: A high stability oscillator circuit 100 having an output 150 and a multiple of reference oscillators 102, 104, and 106 for enhanced stability and reliability is disclosed. The output signals of these oscillators 108, 110, and 112 are mixed and analyzed for determination of excessive frequency shift including component failure. Additionally a switch 148 decouples the shifted oscillator signal from the output of the circuit 150 and couples another one of the oscillators in its place.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 1990
    Date of Patent: November 5, 1991
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: William R. Williams, Edgar H. Callaway, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5055802
    Abstract: A fractional-N synthesizer employing at least a second order sigma-delta modulator is disclosed. The most significant bits from the output accumulator of the sigma-delta modulator are used as the carry out control for the variable divisor of the loop divider. Modulation to the synthesizer is introduced as part of the digital number input to the sigma-delta modulator and spurious signal output is reduced by selection of a large number as the denominator of the fractional portion of the loop divider divisor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 1990
    Date of Patent: October 8, 1991
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Alexander W. Hietala, Duane C. Rabe
  • Patent number: 5055800
    Abstract: A frequency synthesizer having a frequency divider and a frequency multiplier in the feedback loop is disclosed. The minimum frequency separation between two adjacent synthesized channels is equal to the reference frequency divided by the multiplication ratio of the multiplier. The division ratio of the frequency divider, which can be analyzed as the sum of an integer and a fractional portion, is varied with time by a digital sequence, resulting in a minimum frequency increment equal to a fraction of the reference frequency. The multiplier acts to reduce the nonlinearities of the frequency synthesizer when the fractional portion of the division ratio causes a large variation in the instantaneous division ratio by reducing the effective division ratio of the loop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 1990
    Date of Patent: October 8, 1991
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Gregory Black, Alexander W. Hietala
  • Patent number: 5046132
    Abstract: A calibrator circuit for a self-contained device for vertification of open field test site accuracy. This device generates a broadband width of discrete frequencies from 10 MHz to 1000 MHz which is then radiated into space. The circuit contains a power supply subcircuit, an oscillator subcircuit which generates an output signal rich in harmonics, an antenna radiating element and a balun network to couple the output from the oscillator subcircuit to the antenna element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 1989
    Date of Patent: September 3, 1991
    Assignee: C.K. Consultants, Inc.
    Inventor: Ralph P. Trefney
  • Patent number: 5046128
    Abstract: A simulcast system (100) having remote sites (104) that can transmit a carrier signal (107) having a modulation signal imposed thereon, wherein both the carrier and the modulation signal are derived from the same reference. Monitoring stations (108) receive transmissions from two or more remote sites, and determine the differential, if any, between the frequencies of the recovered modulation signal. The system then acts upon this information to provide correction information to one or more of the remote sites as necessary to ensure substantial carrier frequency similarity between the remote sites.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 1989
    Date of Patent: September 3, 1991
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard L. Bennett
  • Patent number: 5045818
    Abstract: A frequency modulation circuit includes a VCO which constitutes a PLL along with a loop filter which is operated by a current source. Such a frequency modulation circuit is formed in monolithic IC. When a power source of the IC is turned-on, a capacitor included in the loop filter is biased by an output voltage of a voltage follower which receives Vcc/2. Since this output voltage rises in the same manner as Vcc, a center frequency of the VCO can be rapidly pulled into a phase-locked state of the PLL. In addition, the frequency modulation circuit is provided with a voltage-to-current conversion circuit which increases a charging current for the capacitor in response to a mute signal generated when the power source is turned-on, whereby the time constant of the loop filter is decreased substantially.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 1990
    Date of Patent: September 3, 1991
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Katsunori Miura
  • Patent number: 5028885
    Abstract: A phase-locked loop system having as input a stable refernce clock signal and outputting a master clock signal. The phase of the stable reference clock signal is compared to that of the pre-scaled master clock signal and the difference represented by an analog error signal which is converted to a digital signal by an A/D converter (116). The digital signal is then transformed into an analog control signal by a D/A converter (120) and applied to a VCO (128) which generates the master clock signal, If the stable reference clock signal has degraded or is lost the A/D converter (116), which receives its sampling clock in part from the stable reference clock signal, stops sampling and thus stops producing digital signals. The last good digital signal is maintained, the last good analog control signal is maintained and thus the master clock signal is maintained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 1990
    Date of Patent: July 2, 1991
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: John Voigt, Tom Kundmann
  • Patent number: 5027429
    Abstract: A frequency modulator utilizing a frequency synthesizer is disclosed. The modulator is especially useful in a mobile radio communication apparatus. The synthesizer includes a phase locked loop made up of a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO), a programmable frequency divider, a phase comparator, a second frequency divider, a reference oscillator, and a low-pass filter. When a channel control signal is input to the programmable frequency divider, the modulator sensitivity of the voltage controlled oscillator is undesirably deviated according to the channel selection. An increase of the modulator sensitivity due to an increase of the oscillation frequency is compensated for by adding a simple FET to the VCO bias circuit. A control voltage from the phase locked loop is applied to both the voltage controlled oscillator and its bias circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 1989
    Date of Patent: June 25, 1991
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Tatsuru Kojima
  • Patent number: 5021754
    Abstract: A synthesizer circuit with spur compensation utilizes fractional division in the synthesizer loop. The fractional divider includes means for compensating the spurs when the fractional numerator N=0. The synthesizer includes means for selecting a reference divisor R such that a non zero value of fractional numerator is produced and such that the generated spurs fall below the side band noise limits of the synthesizer's voltage controlled oscillator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 1990
    Date of Patent: June 4, 1991
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Wayne P. Shepherd, Darrell E. Davis, Wan F. Tay
  • Patent number: 5014347
    Abstract: A field telephone system having a widely dispersed set of telephone lines including a page line pair and a party line pair, audio processing equipment including telephone handsets, handset amplifiers, receiver amplifiers and paging speaker amplifiers is designed to have improved voice transmission by provision of a narrow band FM carrier system. The FM carrier system includes a device for generating a carrier frequency signal, a modulator for modulating the carrier frequency with an audio signal derived from one of the handsets at a transmitting station and circuitry for transmitting the modulated signal over a line pair to a receiving station. The receiving station includes circuitry responsive to the transmitted signal and the carrier frequency signal for extracting the audio component of the transmitted signal and for processing the extracted audio signal and for providing the processed audio signal to a handset at the receiving station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 1989
    Date of Patent: May 7, 1991
    Assignee: Gulton Industries Inc., Femco Division
    Inventors: Edwin G. Cox, David T. Ritter
  • Patent number: 4994768
    Abstract: A frequency synthesizer (10) for providing a modulated output signal (fo) includes a reference frequency signal (fr) and a voltage controlled oscillator (14). For dividing the frequency of the output signal from the voltage controlled oscillator (14) by a divisor, a programmable divider (16) is coupled to the output of the voltage controlled oscillator (14). To produce a phase-locked loop in which the frequency of the output signal from the voltage controlled oscillator (14) is equal to the frequency of the reference frequency (fr) signal multiplied by the divisor, a phase detector (12 ) having a first input coupled to the reference frequency signal (fr), a second input coupled to the output of the programmable divider (16), and an output coupled to the input of the voltage controlled oscillator (14) is also provided. A first integrator (24) for integrating a modulating signal provides an integrated signal and a first control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 1990
    Date of Patent: February 19, 1991
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Wayne P. Shepherd, Darrell E. Davis, Frederick L. Martin
  • Patent number: 4952889
    Abstract: A frequency synthesizer for providing a modulated output signal includes a phase comparator, a loop filter, and a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO). The phase comparator receives a reference input signal and a signal related to the VCO output, and generates a control current. A modulation circuit receives a modulation signal and provides both a modulation current and a modulation voltage. The modulation current is summed with the control current at one input of the loop filter, while the modulation voltage is applied to a second input of the loop filter. The VCO is controlled by the output of the loop filter to produce the modulated output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 1989
    Date of Patent: August 28, 1990
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: James S. Irwin, Wayne P. Shepherd
  • Patent number: 4933986
    Abstract: A gain/phase compensation method and apparatus for a linear amplifier feedback loop in a transmitter (100). The transmitter (100) includes an input (102 or 110), alinear amplifier (143), and a modulator (142), to provide a modulator carrier-frequency output signal. The transmitter also comprises a feedback detector (154), coupled to receive the output signal and also coupled to the input. The feedback detector (120) produces a detected baseband feedback signal and applies the feedback signal to the input. The transmitter (100) of the present invention further comprises stabilizing means (118 and 130), coupled to the input (102 or 110) and to the linear amplifier (143), for reducing the open-loop gain of the linear amplifier (143) to a value lower than one for all frequencies where the feedback loop causes the phase of the baseband input signal to shift by more than 180 degrees.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 1989
    Date of Patent: June 12, 1990
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventor: Clifford D. Leitch
  • Patent number: 4932073
    Abstract: A transmitter includes a phase-locked loop (PLL) circuit whose output is frequency modulated with a modulation signal. The modulated signal is amplified by an amplifier which is turned on only during a signal transmission of the transmitter. At a time when the amplifier is turned, the output frequency of PLL circuit fluctuates. To depress this frequency fluctuation, the transmitter includes a frequency fluctuation depressing (FFD) circuit. Upon the turning-on of the amplifier, FFD circuit applies a voltage change to the modulation signal so that the frequency fluctuation is depressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 1989
    Date of Patent: June 5, 1990
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Hideki Ueda
  • Patent number: 4864636
    Abstract: A short distance, battery powered, amplitude modulated, crystal controlled RF transmitter for transmitting encoded security information. In its preferred embodiments, the transmitter comprises a novel fifth overtone crystal oscillator which self-produces a carrier frequency at the third harmonic of the fifth overtone of the crystal's fundamental frequency, which carrier frequency is coupled by a series resonant trap, or a pi network, tuned to the carrier frequency to an amplifier stage where the carrier is amplitude modulated via pulse position encoded binary security data. In an alternative embodiment, the transmitter comprises matched crystal oscillator, tripler and amplifier stages. Also disclosed is an antenna including a battery clip contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 1987
    Date of Patent: September 5, 1989
    Inventor: Robert E. Brunius
  • Patent number: 4810977
    Abstract: A phase-locked loop (PLL) frequency synthesizer having an analog, out-of-band component path and a digital, in-band component path to provide frequency modulation (FM) of the synthesized output signal is described. The in-band FM component is octave scaled by an analog scaling means and coupled to an analog-to-digital converter to provide a digital number to be decade added to the PLL divide number to change the PLL frequency in response to the in-band FM signal. The out-of-band FM component is also scaled and applied to a loop summing node and summed with the PLL error signal to vary the PLL frequency. The scaling in both the in-band component path and out-of-band component path is equalized to provide a flat frequency response. Additional, the in-band component is scaled to allow use of the analog-to-digital converter over its maximum range to maintain a high signal-to-noise ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1987
    Date of Patent: March 7, 1989
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company
    Inventors: Ben Flugstad, Raymond L. Fried, Alan Hedge, Barton L. McJunkin, Mark D. Talbot
  • Patent number: 4794622
    Abstract: An improved miniature hand-held low power transmitter utilizing a surface acoustic wave (SAW) resonator as the control element to establish the carrier frequency of the oscillator. The SAW resonator stabilizes the frequency of the transmitter to within 0.05% of the center frequency of the SAW resonator for the condition of the user's hand enclosing the transmitter. This stability allows the companion receiver to operate at a narrow bandwidth, 0.1% of the center frequency of the SAW resonator, thus reducing the spurious noise received by the receiver. The configuration of the transmitter allows schemes such as pulse position or pulse width modulation to be utilized to encode the transmitted information. The physical size of the SAW resonator allows the transmitter to be mounted within a housing small enough to be enclosed by the user's hand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 1988
    Date of Patent: December 27, 1988
    Assignee: Linear Corporation
    Inventors: Marvin Isaacman, David C. Andrus
  • Patent number: 4710970
    Abstract: A UHF transmission frequency oscillator generates a UHF radio signal that is frequency modulated by a program signal. The voltage applied to a control voltage input of the UHF transmission frequency oscillator controls the transmission frequency. A sample of the UHF transmission frequency signal is heterodyned with the output of a crystal controlled reference frequency oscillator to generate a frequency difference signal. A voltage controlled VHF radio signal generator produces a VHF signal frequency modulated by the program signal. A phase detector receives the frequency difference signal and the VHF signal frequency modulated by the program signal and therefrom applies a voltage to the control voltage input of the UHF transmission frequency oscillator for the transmission of a UHF radio frequency signal frequency modulated by the program signal. The VHF voltage controlled generator has VHF programmable frequency dividers, which are pre-settable, to establish the VHF radio transmission frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 1985
    Date of Patent: December 1, 1987
    Assignee: TFT, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph C. Wu, Yee-Shing Law, John James
  • Patent number: 4707670
    Abstract: A modulator including a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) having its center frequency stabilized to a reference frequency using a phase locked loop in which the low frequency range is increased by using frequency translation techniques. The VCO output signal is translated relative to the phase locked loop feedback signal so that an increased frequency division ratio can be used in the feedback loop and the effective frequency deviation at the phase comparator can be reduced by an arbitrary factor. This has the effect of increasing the allowable deviation at a given information signal frequency by that arbitrary factor. Likewise, a given deviation can be maintained for input information frequencies which are an arbitrary fraction of the low end cutoff frequencies of conventional modulators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 1986
    Date of Patent: November 17, 1987
    Assignee: Optical Disc Corporation
    Inventor: W. Ray Dakin
  • Patent number: 4660182
    Abstract: A programmable phase-locked loop frequency synthesizer for a multi-channel onobuoy transmitter is disclosed. The phase-locked loop, including a counter/divider utilizing variable modulus prescaling techniques, is modulated at its voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) by an external signal which is preemphasized by a compensation network in order to correct for the roll-off characteristic response of the loop below its natural frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 1984
    Date of Patent: April 21, 1987
    Assignee: The Unites States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Albert M. Bates, Wayne H. Sandford, Jr., Michael T. Junod
  • Patent number: 4635296
    Abstract: An FM transmitter especially for physiological signal telemetry includes a transistor oscillator having a collector-to-base capacitance that is part of its tuned circuit. Means are disclosed for controllably varying the collector-to-base capacitance only in response to impressed physiological or other signals to provide FM modulated signals for aerial transmission to any suitable receiver. Means including cooperative constant emitter current and constant collector voltage DC biasing circuits are disclosed for eliminating undesirable, changing temperature induced frequency variations. Means are further disclosed for neutralizing undesirable antenna loading induced frequency variations. The system is capable of accepting multiplexed inputs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 1985
    Date of Patent: January 6, 1987
    Assignee: Transkinetic Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Mark T. Dinsmore
  • Patent number: 4633510
    Abstract: In a radio communication system, a transmitting section of a substation comprises a controlling circuit (21) for controlling a carrier frequency of a local oscillator (24) in response to a frequency deviation signal. A burst generating circuit (26) generates a burst in response to the input signal, a burst control signal, and a local oscillation signal of the carrier frequency. The transmitting section further comprises a holding circuit (34) responsive to a frequency control signal and the burst control signal. During presence of the burst control signal, the holding circuit holds the frequency control signal received before a beginning of the burst control signal to keep the carrier frequency of the local oscillation signal invariable until an end of the burst control signal. Otherwise, the frequency control signal passes through the holding circuit as it stands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 1984
    Date of Patent: December 30, 1986
    Assignees: NEC Corporation, Nippon Telegraph & Telephone Public Corporation
    Inventors: Fumiaki Suzuki, Toshiyuki Takeda, Takeo Inoue, Shigeo Nakajima
  • Patent number: 4618996
    Abstract: A radio frequency transmission system contains at least one coherently modulated information signal, for example, a T.V. signal. At a transmission, the information signal is combined with two pilot tones, F1 and F2, related by the equation F1=N/M F2, where N and M are integers. The combined signal is suppressed-carrier modulated at microwave frequencies and transmitted to a receiver. At the receiver, the signals are demodulated by a local oscillator. The two pilot tones are then separated from the information signal and are compared to each other. The local oscillator frequency is controlled in response to this comparison such that the pilot tones at the receiver bear the same relationship to each other that they had at the transmitter. When this is achieved, the local oscillator frequency is the same as the suppressed-carrier frequency and co-channel interference is prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 1984
    Date of Patent: October 21, 1986
    Assignee: Avnet, Inc.
    Inventors: Marc D. Rafal, Larry W. Burton, William T. Joines
  • Patent number: 4616191
    Abstract: A frequency-agile source of microwave frequency signals is shown to include: a voltage-controlled oscillator operating within a band of microwave frequencies; a crystal-controlled oscillator operating at a frequency lower than the band of microwave frequencies and producing harmonics within such band; a phase detector having samples of the signals out of the crystal-controlled oscillator and the voltage-controlled oscillator applied as input signals; and a shaping amplifier receiving the output signal of the phase detector to provide a control signal related to the phase difference between the signal out of the voltage-controlled oscillator and the harmonic of the crystal-controlled oscillator nearest to the frequency of the voltage-controlled oscillator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 1983
    Date of Patent: October 7, 1986
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: Zvi Galani, Richard A. Campbell
  • Patent number: 4610030
    Abstract: The invention concerns a frequency modulation broadcasting transmitter in which the output oscillator at the transmission frequency is modulated not directly by the audiofrequency signal but through the intermediary of a phase locking loop comprising a phase comparator supplied, on the one hand, by the output signal filtered from a picture or image frequency rejection mixer. This mixer receives, on the one hand, a modulated intermediary frequency signal from a modulator and, on the other hand, the output signal of the oscillator at the transmitting frequency F.sub.S, the reference frequency F.sub.o1 being determined as a function of the central transmitting frequency and of the intermediary frequency F.sub.o1 =F.sub.S -F.sub.1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 1984
    Date of Patent: September 2, 1986
    Assignee: Thomson-LGT
    Inventors: Mariano Dominguez, Daniel Artaud
  • Patent number: 4573026
    Abstract: Apparatus to provide calibrated frequency modulation (FM) of frequencies generated in a phase-locked loop is disclosed. A phase-locked loop (PLL) includes a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) which is locked to a loop frequence signal frequency. A modulo-10 divider is included which adds integral multiples of two pi radians of phase to the output signal of the VCO whenever the modulus of the divider is reduced by an integer. This forces the PLL to step change the loop frequency by an integral multiple of the reference frequency. A sampling circuit senses and measures the change in the VCO control voltage resulting from the step change in the loop frequency. The change in the control voltage is a measure of the VCO gain at that frequency. The change in the control voltage is converted to a digital number which is loaded into a multiplying digital-to-analog converter (DAC) to adjust the gain of the DAC.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 1984
    Date of Patent: February 25, 1986
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company
    Inventors: G. Stephen Curtis, David P. Whipple
  • Patent number: 4543542
    Abstract: A signal generator is arranged to produce frequency or phase modulation at frequencies which extend from a high value down to zero, i.e. to a d.c. level shift. The output oscillator forms part of a phase locked loop which also includes a variable frequency divider. A modulation signal is applied to the loop, so that high frequency modulation signals directly modify the control signal which determines the frequency of the oscillator, and so that low frequency modulation signals alter the divisor value of the variable frequency divider so as to modify the frequency characteristics of the phase locked loop. Quantization noise is reduced by applying a masking signal to an analogue-to-digital converter which utilizes the low frequency modulation signals to alter the divisor value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 1984
    Date of Patent: September 24, 1985
    Assignee: Marconi Instruments Limited
    Inventor: David P. Owen
  • Patent number: 4521918
    Abstract: An arrangement for reducing the amount of battery supplied power to a high frequency synthesizer. The phase-locked loop section of the synthesizer is periodically disconnected from the battery supplied power. In order to prevent substantial drift of the phase-locked loop during such power interruption, a control signal is provided for maintaining the VCO frequency. By minimizing the frequency drift, the loop can be re-locked in a short period of time following each power interruption.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 1980
    Date of Patent: June 4, 1985
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Richard F. Challen
  • Patent number: 4395776
    Abstract: A transmitter having a transmitting phase synchronizing system. To one input of a frequency mixer is applied the output of a phase synchronizing type digital frequency synthesizer, through a first frequency divider. A modulating signal is applied to another input of the frequency mixer. The output from the mixer is connected via a bandpass filter to a phase synchronizing system having in series, along a main route, a phase detector, a lowpass filter, and a voltage controlled oscillator, and thence to an amplifier system. In a feedback route from another outlet of the voltage controlled oscillator to the phase detector is a second fixed frequency divider. The digital frequency synthesizer itself may have a reference oscillator connected in series to a third fixed frequency divider, a second phase detector, a second lowpass filter and a second voltage controlled oscillator, from which a feedback circuit leads back to the phase detector via the first fixed frequency divider and a variable frequency divider.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 1981
    Date of Patent: July 26, 1983
    Assignee: Toyo Communication Equipment Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yukio Naito, Masahide Tamura, Shigeo Takahashi
  • Patent number: 4387351
    Abstract: An AFC loop for controlling the frequency of a VCO including an A to D converter and divider for providing pulses at some frequency equal to or lower than the output of the VCO, a source of stable reference pulses and a counter constructed to count to a predetermined number and count the reference pulses in synchronism with the divided pulses, a second divider connected to divide the reference pulses by the predetermined number and means for subtracting the output of the second divider from the counter to provide a control voltage for the VCO which is proportional to the drift in frequency of the VCO from a mean frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 1980
    Date of Patent: June 7, 1983
    Assignee: Motorola Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew Furiga, Donald J. Sabourin
  • Patent number: 4361837
    Abstract: A remote control circuit which operates on a frequency basis and essentially with analog signals. The remote control circuit includes at the transmitting end a controlled oscillator, a frequency/direct signal converter and a comparator connected together into a frequency control loop. A transmitter is also provided which is fed by the oscillator of the control loop. A control path including a frequency signal source and a frequency/direct signal converter is provided at the transmitting end and receives its input signal from the frequency signal source. The converter of the control path is connected with the one input of the comparator of the control circuit. At the receiving end there is provided an amplifier, a frequency/direct signal converter and an evaluation circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 1979
    Date of Patent: November 30, 1982
    Assignee: Licentia Patent-Verwaltungs-G.m.b.H.
    Inventors: Christopher W. Malinowski, Heinz Rinderle
  • Patent number: 4308620
    Abstract: To maintain a cophasal relationship between two concurrently transmitted waves of the same high frequency derived from a common pilot oscillator, one of these waves being modulated by a low-frequency signal, a phase shifter in cascade with the modulator is controlled by a phase discriminator including a comparator with inputs receiving the two high-frequency waves. An analog multiplier driven by the low-frequency modulating signal converts an error signal from the phase comparator into a unipolar pulsating voltage which, upon integration, yields a control voltage adjusting the phase shifter to correct any relative phase displacement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 1977
    Date of Patent: December 29, 1981
    Assignee: Thomson-CSF
    Inventor: Alain Grousseau
  • Patent number: 4290145
    Abstract: A subcarrier frequency-modulated with a message signal is heterodyned with a carrier from a crystal-controlled oscillator in a mixer whose output is fed to a filter eliminating one of the resulting sidebands. In order to compensate temperature-dependent fluctuations of the carrier frequency, a function generator produces a corrective signal which is added to the message signal in the input of the frequency modulator traversed by the subcarrier. The corrective signal varies as a quadratic or a cubic function of temperature, depending upon the type of cut used on the quartz crystal controlling the carrier oscillator, with a polarity determined by which of the two sidebands is passed by the filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 1980
    Date of Patent: September 15, 1981
    Assignee: Societa Italiana Telecomunicazioni Siemens S.p.A.
    Inventors: Manlio Saba, Roberto Szocs
  • Patent number: 4259744
    Abstract: A simultaneous multichannel signal generator incorporating phase-locked l frequency correction. For each channel, there is a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) set to an appropriate frequency by a tuning signal and modulated by a channel data signal. The output signals from all VCO's are provided to a summer and then are appropriately amplified and filtered for transmission. A single multiplexed frequency correction circuit compares the phase of a reference frequency signal with the phase of a VCO output signal whose frequency has been divided, by a divide-by-N counter, to the reference frequency. If the divided VCO signal is out of phase with the reference frequency signal, an appropriate correction signal is provided to the device providing voltage control for that VCO.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 1979
    Date of Patent: March 31, 1981
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Michael T. Junod, Albert M. Bates
  • Patent number: 4249214
    Abstract: Television broadcast transmitters are often operated at remote sites and must be remotely controlled. The transmitters often include exciters driving high-power amplifiers. The exciters and high-power amplifiers produce incidental phase modulation of the broadcast signals. An exciter for generating modulated carrier signals at a television video carrier frequency may include compensation for incidental phase modulation in the exciter itself and in the following amplifiers. Such an exciter includes a first modulator for modulating video onto an IF carrier, which is coupled through a power splitter to a second modulator. The second modulator is switched at a frequency equal to the sum of the video and intermediate frequencies to produce the desired modulated carrier. The output of the power divider is coupled to an envelope detector which reconstitutes the video.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 1979
    Date of Patent: February 3, 1981
    Assignee: RCA Corporation
    Inventor: William M. Boyd
  • Patent number: 4216427
    Abstract: An amplitude modulated transmitter includes an audio amplifier which, via a radio frequency (RF) power supply modulator, modulates an RF amplifier and carrier. Fluctuations in the direct current DC bias to the RF amp, such as are common in mobile applications, vary the modulation index of the transmitted signal.To minimize DC bias affects on the modulation index, the invention contemplates an audio compressor which senses both audio signal level and DC bias level and, in response thereto, controls audio signal compression to maintain the desired percent modulation. Compression is effected by changing the bias on a semiconductor device which, in turn, attenuates audio signals at the input of a fixed gain audio amplifier. A feedback path around the audio amplifier senses both DC voltage and audio signal level and produces an appropriate control signal to bias the semiconductor device, thereby altering audio compression.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 1978
    Date of Patent: August 5, 1980
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventor: Charles W. Bethards
  • Patent number: 4194154
    Abstract: A method and means for compensating for the limited bandwidth of antennas and antenna coupling networks and other high powered modulated wave equipment characterized by generating a modulated wave at a relatively low power level, passing the modulated wave through circuitry which imparts the required envelope and phase modulation to the modulated wave to compensate for said limited bandwidth characteristics and then amplifying the resulting wave in amplifiers which substantially maintain the said imparted envelope and phase modulation and which feed the limited bandwidth equipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 1978
    Date of Patent: March 18, 1980
    Inventor: Leonard R. Kahn