Signal frequency controller

Claim 2

Signal translating apparatus comprising: signal generating means for producing a signal frequency which may be altered in response to a control signal applied thereto; digital circuit means connected to receive said signal frequency for registering events at a rate related to the signal frequency and for producing an output signal in response to registration of a selectable number of events; output means including storage means coupled to said digital circuit means for storing a digital signal indicative of said selectable number and for providing an output indication representative of said selectable number; a source of reference frequency; and comparator means connected to rEceive said reference frequency and said output signal from the digital circuit means for applying control signal to said signal generating means to control the signal frequency thereof in response to the signals applied to said comparator means deviating from a predetermined relationship.

Claim 3

Signal translating apparatus as in claim 1 wherein: said digital circuit means includes a scaler circuit capable of accumulating a count of signals applied thereto; and said output means includes a storage register for storing signals representative of the count taken by the scaler circuit of said selectable number of events.

Claim 4

Signal translating apparatus as in claim 2 wherein said digital circuit means includes transfer means for presetting said scaler circuit to a signal condition representative of the count stored in said storage register, said scaler circuit producing said output signal in response to accumulation of a count indicative of said preset signal condition.

Claim 5

Signal translating apparatus as in claim 3 comprising: gating means coupled to the source of reference frequency and connected to selectively gate therethrough the signal frequency from said signal generating means to the digital circuit means during a gate period determined by said reference frequency for accumulating said selectable number of events in said scaler circuit; switching means selectively operable in a first mode which enables said gating means to selectively gate therethrough the signal frequency from the signal generating means to the digital circuit means during a gate period, and in a second mode which applies said signal frequency from the signal gener-ating means substantially continuously to said digital circuit means; said transfer means recurringly presets said scaler circuit to said signal condition representative of the count stored in said storage register in response to the recurring accumulation of said count indicative of said preset signal condition during operation of said switching means in said second mode of operation; and said output signal is applied to said comparator means in response to each accumulation of the count indicative of said preset signal condition.

Claim 6

Signal translating apparatus as in claim 1 comprising a signal network coupled to said comparator means for applying to said signal generating means as a control signal therefor the combination of an input modulation signal applied to said signal network and the signal produced by said comparator means.

Claim 7

Signal translating apparatus as in claim 1 comprising: a plurality of frequency converter means, each capable of converting an applied frequency to a different frequency that is proportional by a selected factor to the frequency applied thereto; means connecting a first one of said frequency converter means intermediate said signal generating means and said digital circuit means; and means connecting another one of said frequency converter means to receive said signal frequency from the signal generating means for producing therefrom an output signal having a frequency which is represented by the output indication provided by said output means.