Scanning radio having rapid channel skipping capability

Claim 2

A multi-frequency scanning receiver of the superheterodyne type comprising: a. local oscillator means having several channel elements for providing local oscillations of frequencies corresponding to different channels, b. sequencing means coupled to said channel elements and including means for connecting said channel elements in turn in an operational configuration in the local oscillator means, c. a mixer coupled to said local oscillator means for mixing received carrier waves with the local oscillations provided by the connected channel element, d. detector means coupled to said mixer for producing a control signal from the output thereof in response to the reception of a carrier wave on the channel element, e. locking means coupling said detector means to said sequencing means for causing the same to hold a connected channel element in such operational configuration in response to said control signal, f. said sequencing means including means for skipping channels which includes several manual switches, each of said switches being associated with a different channel element, said means for skipping also including means responsive to said manual switches for selecting between short or normal the time during which each associated channel element will be connected in an operational configuration and, g. a plurality of electrically energizable visual indicators each connected with a different output of said sequencing means.

Claim 3

A multi-frequency scanning receiver of the superheterodyne type comprising: a. local oscillator means having several channel elements for providing local oscillations of frequencies corresponding to different channels, b. sequencing means coupled to said channel elements and including means for connecting said channel elements in turn in an operational configuration in the local oscillator means, c. a mixer coupled to said local oscillator means for mixing received carrier waves with the local oscillations provided by the connected channel element, d. detector means coupled to said mixer for producing a control signal from the output thereof in response to the reception of a carrier wave on the channel element, e. locking means coupling said detector means to said sequencing means for causing the same to hold a connected channel element in such operational configuration in response to said control signal, f. said sequencing means including means for skipping channels which includes several manual switches, each of said switches being associated with a different channel element, said means for skipping also including means responsive to said manual switches for selecting between short or normal the time during which each associated channel element will be connected in an operational configuration and, g. a plurality of electrically energizable visual indicators each connected with a different output of said sequencing means.

Claim 4

A multi-frequency scanning receiver of the superheterodyne type comprising: a. local oscillator means having several channel elements for providing local oscillations of frequencies corresponding to different channels, b. sequencing means coupled to said channel elements and including means for connecting said channel elements in turn in an operational configuration in the local oscillator means, c. a mixer coupled to said local oscillator means for mixing received carrier waves with the local oscillations provided by the connected channel element, d. detector means coupled to said mixer for producing a control signal from the output thereof in response to the reception of a carrier wave on the channel element, e. locking means coupling said detector means to said sequencing means for causing the same to hold a connected channel element in such operational configuration in response to said control signal, f. said sequencing means including means for skipping channels which includes several manual switches, each of said switches being associated with a different channel element, said means for skipping also including means responsive to said manual switches for selecting between short or normal the time during which each associated channel element will be connected in an operational configuration and, g. a plurality of electrically energizable visual indicators each connected with a different output of said sequencing means.

Claim 5

The receiver of claim 1 in which each channel element has one of said manuAl switches associated with it whereby any combination of short and normal times can be obtained during the scanning process.

Claim 6

The receiver of claim 1 in which said short time length is less than 20 percent of the normal time length whereby the time spent scanning will be efficiently used.

Claim 7

The receiver of claim 3 in which said channel elements are crystals.

Claim 8

The receiver of claim 4 in which said means for skipping channels includes one of said manual switches for each channel.

Claim 9

The receiver of claim 4 in which said sequencing means includes a shift register having one output for each channel and one input.

Claim 10

The receiver of claim 6 in which said sequencing means includes an output detector coupled to the shift register outputs to ground the input of the shift register if any one of the outputs of the shift register is on.

Claim 11

A multi-frequency scanning receiver of the superheterodyne type comprising: a. local oscillator means having several channel elements for providing local oscillations of frequencies corresponding to different channels, b. sequencing means coupled to said channel elements and including a shift register having an input, said shift register for connecting said channel elements in turn in an operational configuration in said local oscillator means, c. a mixer coupled to said local oscillator means for mixing received carrier waves with the local oscillations provided by the connected channel element, d. detector means coupled to said mixer for producing a control signal from the output thereof in response to the reception of a carrier wave on the channel corresponding to the connected channel element, e. locking means coupling said detector means to said actuating means for causing the same to hold a connected channel element in such operational configuration in response to said control signal, f. said sequencing means including an output detecting means coupled to said shift register for preventing an input to the shift register if any channel elements are connected in an operational configuration in said local oscillator means and for creating an input to the shift register if none of said channel elements are connected in such operational configuration, g. said shift register having a switch connected to it to by-pass one or more stages and, h. a plurality of electrically energizable visual indicators each connected with a different output of said sequencing means.

Claim 12

A multi-frequency scanning receiver of the superheterodyne type comprising: a. local oscillator means having several channel elements for providing local oscillations of frequencies corresponding to different channels, b. sequencing means coupled to said channel elements and including a shift register having an input, said shift register for connecting said channel elements in turn in an operational configuration in said local oscillator means, c. a mixer coupled to said local oscillator means for mixing received carrier waves with the local oscillations provided by the connected channel element, d. detector means coupled to said mixer for producing a control signal from the output thereof in response to the reception of a carrier wave on the channel corresponding to the connected channel element, e. locking means coupling said detector means to said actuating means for causing the same to hold a connected channel element in such operational configuration in response to said control signal, f. said sequencing means including an output detecting means coupled to said shift register for preventing an input to the shift register if any channel elements are connected in an operational configuration in said local oscillator means and for creating an input to the shift register if none of said channel elements are connected in such operational configuration, g. said shift register having a switch connected to it to by-pass one or more stages and, h. a plurality of electrically energizable visual indicators each connected with a different output of said sequencing means.

Claim 13

The receiver of claim 10 in which each stage of said shift register has a switch connected to it whereby any number and combination of stages may be by-passed.

Claim 14

A multi-frequency scanning receiver of the superheterodyne type comprising: a. local oscillator means having several channel elements for providing local oscillations of frequencies corresponding to different channels; b. sequencing means coupled to said channel elements for connecting said channel elements in turn in an operational configuration in the local oscillator means; c. a mixer coupled to said local oscillator means for mixing received carrier waves with the local oscillations provided by the connected channel elements; d. detector means coupled to said mixer for producing a control signal from the output thereof in response to the reception of a carrier wave on the channel corresponding to the connected channel element; e. locking means coupling said detector means to said sequencing means for holding a connected channel element in such operational configuration in response to said control signal and essentially only during said control signal''s presence; f. means connected to said locking means for resuming effective operation of the receiver at a specific channel after each time that the locking means holds a connected channel element.

Claim 15

A multi-frequency scanning receiver of the superheterodyne type comprising: a. local oscillator means having several channel elements for providing local oscillations of frequencies corresponding to different channels; b. sequencing means coupled to said channel elements for connecting said channel elements in turn in an operational configuration in the local oscillator means; c. a mixer coupled to said local oscillator means for mixing received carrier waves with the local oscillations provided by the connected channel elements; d. detector means coupled to said mixer for producing a control signal from the output thereof in response to the reception of a carrier wave on the channel corresponding to the connected channel element; e. locking means coupling said detector means to said sequencing means for holding a connected channel element in such operational configuration in response to said control signal and essentially only during said control signal''s presence; f. means connected to said locking means for resuming effective operation of the receiver at a specific channel after each time that the locking means holds a connected channel element.

Claim 16

The receiver of claim 10 in which said means for resuming includes switch means for selecting said specific channel from among a plurality of channels.

Claim 17

The receiver of claim 10 in which the resuming means may be disabled.

Claim 18

A multi-frequency scanning receiver of the superheterodyne type which uses a multi-speed clock in sequencing among frequencies which comprises: a. local oscillator means having several channel elements for providing local oscillations of frequencies corresponding to different channels; b. sequencing means coupled to said channel elements for connecting said channel elements in turn in an operational configuration in the local oscillator means; c. a mixer coupled to said local oscillator means for mixing received carrier waves with local oscillations provided by the connected channel element; d. detector means coupled to said mixer for producing a control signal from the output thereof in response to the reception of a carrier wave on the channel corresponding to the connected channel element; e. locking means coupling said detector means to said sequencing means for holding a connected channel element in such operational configuration in response to said control signal; f. said sequencing means including an oscillator circuit whose frequency of oscillation is determined in part by a first capacitor having a first and second lead; g. a second capacitor having a first and second lead h. a switching transistor having its emitter connected to the first lead of one capacitor and its collector connected to the first lead of the other, the second lead of each capacitor being connected together. i. control means for either grounding or applying voltage to the base of said transistor whereby if the base is grounded the transistor is non-conductive and if voltage is applied the transistor is conductive and the two capacitors are effectively connected in parallel.

Claim 19

A multi-frequency scanning receiver of the superheterodyne type which uses a multi-speed clock in sequencing among frequencies which comprises: a. local oscillator means having several channel elements for providing local oscillations of frequencies corresponding to different channels; b. sequencing means coupled to said channel elements for connecting said channel elements in turn in an operational configuration in the local oscillator means; c. a mixer coupled to said local oscillator means for mixing received carrier waves with local oscillations provided by the connected channel element; d. detector means coupled to said mixer for producing a control signal from the output thereof in response to the reception of a carrier wave on the channel corresponding to the connected channel element; e. locking means coupling said detector means to said sequencing means for holding a connected channel element in such operational configuration in response to said control signal; f. said sequencing means including an oscillator circuit whose frequency of oscillation is determined in part by a first capacitor having a first and second lead; g. a second capacitor having a first and second lead h. a switching transistor having its emitter connected to the first lead of one capacitor and its collector connected to the first lead of the other, the second lead of each capacitor being connected together. i. control means for either grounding or applying voltage to the base of said transistor whereby if the base is grounded the transistor is non-conductive and if voltage is applied the transistor is conductive and the two capacitors are effectively connected in parallel.

Claim 20

The receiver of claim 13 in which the first lead of the first capacitor also connects to the emitter of a unijunction transistor.