Analog phase tracker

Claim 2

In a system for tracking the phase of a periodic input signal whose repetition rate may be any one of a plurality of predetermined values, a phase tracking loop therefor having a given bandwidth which is substantially invariant for all of said values, comprising: a voltage controlled oscillator for generating an output signal having a given frequency which is harmonically related to each and every one of said values, a phase detector for producing an error signal manifesting the difference in phase between a first signal input thereto and a second signal input thereto, input means for applying said periodic input signal as said first signal input to said phase detector and said error signal as an input to said voltage controlled oscillator, and programmed signal deriving means coupled between said voltage controlled oscillator and said phase detector for deriving said second signal input to said phase detector from the output of said voltage Controlled oscillator, said signal deriving means including a plurality of integral dividers and at least one multiplier for altering the phase of the voltage controlled oscillator output solely by dividing said output phase by the product of all the divisors of said dividers while altering the frequency of the voltage controlled oscillator output by both dividing the frequency by the product of said divisors and multiplying said frequency by an integer equal to at least one of said divisors such that the frequency and phase of said derived signal is substantially the same as said periodic signal then being applied to said phase tracking loop.

Claim 3

The phase tracking loop of claim 1 wherein said dividers and multiplier are serially connected between said voltage controlled oscillator and said phase detector.

Claim 4

The phase tracking loop of claim 1 wherein said multiplier is coupled intermediate said dividers, a first divider being coupled between said voltage controlled oscillator and said multiplier, said integer being substantially equal to the divisor of said first divider.

Claim 5

The phase tracking loop of claim 1 wherein said dividers include first and second dividers serially coupled to said voltage controlled oscillator, said multiplier being serially coupled between said dividers and said phase detector, said integer being substantially equal to the product of said divisors.

Claim 6

The phase track loop of claim 1 wherein said multiplying means includes first mixing means for mixing the voltage controlled output divided by said one divisor as a first mixing input signal with a second mixing input signal to produce a multiplied output signal, and input means for applying said first and second mixing input signals to said mixing means.

Claim 7

The phase track loop of claim 5 wherein said multiplied output signal is the sum of said first and second mixing input signals.

Claim 8

The phase track loop of claim 5 further including means for deriving said first mixing second input signal from an applied reference signal having a given frequency and phase, said last-mentioned deriving means including at least one dividing means having a divisor substantially equal to said one divisor.

Claim 9

The phase track loop of claim 7 wherein said last-mentioned deriving means includes second mixing means for mixing a third signal input thereto with a fourth signal input thereto for producing said second mixing input signal, and means for applying said reference signal as said third signal input and the output of said last-mentioned dividing means as said fourth signal input.

Claim 10

In a system for tracking the phase of a periodic input signal whose repetition rate may be any one of a plurality of predetermined values, a phase tracking loop therefor having a given bandwidth which is substantially invariant for all of said values, comprising: a voltage controlled oscillator for generating an output signal having a given frequency which is harmonically related to each and every one of said values, a first phase detector for producing an error signal manifesting the difference in phase between a first signal input thereto and a second signal input thereto, input means for applying said periodic input signal as said first signal input to said phase detector and said error signal as an input to said voltage controlled oscillator, programmed signal deriving means coupled between said voltage controlled oscillator and said phase detector for deriving said second signal input to said phase detector from the output of said voltage controlled oscillator, said signal deriving means including a plurality of programmed integral dividers and at least one programmed multiplier for altering the phase of the voltage controlled oscillator output solely by dividing said output phase by the product of all the divisors of said dividers while altering the frequency of the voltage controlled oscillator output by both dividing the frequency by the product of said divisors and multiplying said frequency by an integer equal to at least one of said divisors, said dividers and multipliers being responsive to respective programming signals applied thereto, and programming means for generating said programming signals to program each of said divisors and the multiplication factor of said multiplier in accordance with the repetition rate value of the periodic input signal then being tracked such that the frequency of said derived signal is substantially the same as that of the periodic signal then being applied to said phase tracking loop.

Claim 11

In a system for tracking the phase of a periodic input signal whose repetition rate may be any one of a plurality of predetermined values, a phase tracking loop therefor having a given bandwidth which is substantially invariant for all of said values, comprising: a voltage controlled oscillator for generating an output signal having a given frequency which is harmonically related to each and every one of said values, a first phase detector for producing an error signal manifesting the difference in phase between a first signal input thereto and a second signal input thereto, input means for applying said periodic input signal as said first signal input to said phase detector and said error signal as an input to said voltage controlled oscillator, programmed signal deriving means coupled between said voltage controlled oscillator and said phase detector for deriving said second signal input to said phase detector from the output of said voltage controlled oscillator, said signal deriving means including a plurality of programmed integral dividers and at least one programmed multiplier for altering the phase of the voltage controlled oscillator output solely by dividing said output phase by the product of all the divisors of said dividers while altering the frequency of the voltage controlled oscillator output by both dividing the frequency by the product of said divisors and multiplying said frequency by an integer equal to at least one of said divisors, said dividers and multipliers being responsive to respective programming signals applied thereto, and programming means for generating said programming signals to program each of said divisors and the multiplication factor of said multiplier in accordance with the repetition rate value of the periodic input signal then being tracked such that the frequency of said derived signal is substantially the same as that of the periodic signal then being applied to said phase tracking loop.

Claim 12

The phase tracking loop of claim 9 further including a second phase detector for producing an error signal manifesting the difference in phase between a third signal input thereto and a fourth signal input thereto, input means for applying said voltage controlled output as said third signal input to said second phase detector and a reference signal having a given frequency and phase as said fourth input to said second phase detector, and switching means selectively applying one of the error signals generated by either said first or second phase detectors as an input to said voltage controlled oscillator in response to a program signal applied thereto by said programming means.