US3596183A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Multiband tuning control system with programmable electronic switching
Assignee: Motorola Solutions Inc
•
Filing: 1969-04-18
•
Granted: 1971-07-27
•
Expires: 1989-04-18
Abstract
Abstract Tuning of a television receiver capable of receiving signals in the UHF and VHF bands of frequencies is controlled by an electronic ring counter circuit, the outputs of which are supplied through manually settable switches for selecting either the UHF or the high or low portions of the VHF bands. The band is selected by supplying a DC operating potential to the tuning circuit for the desired band through the switch connected to an energized stage of the ring counter. Each of the tuners is tuned to selected channels by a varactor diode tuning circuit, and the DC tuning voltage for the varactor diodes also is obtained from the energized stage of the ring counter, but is supplied through an adjustable potentiometer for each stage. Thus, any one of the stages of the counter may be adjusted to tune the receiver to any of the desired UHF or VHF channels by proper setting of the switch and the potentiometer for that stage of the counter. Provision is made for stepping the counter to the stage which is set to correspond to the desired band and channel within that band in order to effect electronic selection of the channel which is to be received.
Inventors
- 👤 Rolf E Spies
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 13:59
CPC Classifications
H; H03; H03J; H03J5/00; H03J5/02; H03J5/0218; H03J5/0227; H03J3/00; H03J3/02; H03J3/16; H03J3/18; H03J3/185
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim
344 words
In a multiband wave signal receiver having an electronic tuning circuit for each band, a control circuit for selecting the proper band and tuning the tuning circuits including in combination: voltage variable tuning elements in said tuning circuits for each of the bands constituting the tunable elements thereof; means for supplying a source of DC operating potential; a counter circuit having a plurality of stages, each including a switching device for coupling said source of DC potential to an output of the corresponding stage, only one of the stages of said counter circuit being energized at a time by conduction of a switching device to couple said source of DC operating potential to the output thereof; a plurality of potentiometers each coupled between the output of a different stage of said counter circuit and a point of reference potential, each potentiometer having a movable tap thereon foR selecting a particular output tuning voltage to be obtained from the stage to which said potentiometer is connected, the taps of all of said potentiometers being connected through isolating diode means in common to said voltage variable tuning elements in said tuning circuits for supplying tuning voltages thereto; the taps of said potentiometers in each of the stages being individually adjustable so that a variable DC voltage is applied to the tuning circuit in accordance with the adjustment of the potentiometer of whichever stage of said counter is energized at any particular time; a plurality of switch means, each having an input connected to the output of a different stage of said counter circuit, at least some of said switch means having a plurality of individually selectable outputs, each connected with different tuning circuits in said wave signal receiver, for coupling a DC operating potential from the output of the energized stage of said counter through the switch means connected thereto to the tuning circuit connected to the selected output of the switch means to provide a DC operating voltage for the tuning circuit selected by the switch means connected to the energized stage of said counter.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
344 words
In a multiband wave signal receiver having an electronic tuning circuit for each band, a control circuit for selecting the proper band and tuning the tuning circuits including in combination: voltage variable tuning elements in said tuning circuits for each of the bands constituting the tunable elements thereof; means for supplying a source of DC operating potential; a counter circuit having a plurality of stages, each including a switching device for coupling said source of DC potential to an output of the corresponding stage, only one of the stages of said counter circuit being energized at a time by conduction of a switching device to couple said source of DC operating potential to the output thereof; a plurality of potentiometers each coupled between the output of a different stage of said counter circuit and a point of reference potential, each potentiometer having a movable tap thereon foR selecting a particular output tuning voltage to be obtained from the stage to which said potentiometer is connected, the taps of all of said potentiometers being connected through isolating diode means in common to said voltage variable tuning elements in said tuning circuits for supplying tuning voltages thereto; the taps of said potentiometers in each of the stages being individually adjustable so that a variable DC voltage is applied to the tuning circuit in accordance with the adjustment of the potentiometer of whichever stage of said counter is energized at any particular time; a plurality of switch means, each having an input connected to the output of a different stage of said counter circuit, at least some of said switch means having a plurality of individually selectable outputs, each connected with different tuning circuits in said wave signal receiver, for coupling a DC operating potential from the output of the energized stage of said counter through the switch means connected thereto to the tuning circuit connected to the selected output of the switch means to provide a DC operating voltage for the tuning circuit selected by the switch means connected to the energized stage of said counter.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
34 words
The combination according to claim 1 wherein each of said switch means has outputs connected with each of said tuning circuits with means for interconnecting the input with a selected one of the outputs.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
44 words
The combination according to claim 1 wherein the tuning circuits include local oscillators and the energization of different stages of said counter operates to couple the outputs of the local oscillators to the television receiver in accordance with the settings of the switch means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
122 words
The combination according to claim 1 wherein the receiver is a television receiver including tuners for the VHF and UHF bands, and each of the switch means is a three-position switch with one position corresponding to the UHF band and the other two positions corresponding to the high and low ends of the VHF band, respectively, with selection of either the high or low VHF band positions of the switch providing a DC operating potential to the VHF tuners from an associated energized stage of the counter, wherein the VHF tuner includes a tuning coil, with the setting of the switch to the high VHF band position causing a portion of the tuning coil in the VHF tuning circuit to be shunted.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
21 words
The combination according to claim 1 wherein the switching device in each stage of said counter is a semiconductor switching device.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
42 words
The combination according to claim 5 wherein the semiconductor switching devices are programmable unijunction transistors, the anodes of which are coupled with the source of DC potential and the cathodes of which constitutes the outputs of the stages of said counter circuit.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-07-26 | 1975-01-25 | 1975-07-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-07-26 | 1979-01-25 | 1979-07-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-07-26 | 1983-01-25 | 1983-07-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |