Ultra linear frequency sweep generator

Claim 2

A sweep frequency generator comprising: oscillator means for producing clock pulses; first means responsive to said clock pulses for producing a first output signal with a first repetition rate; second means responsive to said clock pulses for producing a second output signal with a second repetition rate; third means responsive to the output signals of said first and second means for producing a third output signal representing the phase difference between said first and second output signals; and fourth means responsive to the output signal of said third means and to said clock pulses for producing a fourth output signal having a repetition rate proportional to the output signal of said third means.

Claim 3

A sweep frequency generator according to claim 1 wherein: said first means includes a counter of predetermined length providing counted clock pulses to a first differentiator; said second means includes an AND gate and a first counter arranged in a loop wherein said AND gate is responsive to said clock pulses and to the output of said first counter; and said second means further includes a second counter responsive to the output of said AND gate for providing signals to a second differentiator,

Claim 4

A sweep frequency generator according to claim 2 wherein: said third means includes a flip-flop; and said fourth means includes an AND gate responsive to an output of said flip-flop and to said clock pulses.

Claim 5

A sweep frequency generator according to claim 3 wherein: said fourth means further includes a counter of predetermined length responsive to the output of said AND gate.

Claim 6

A sweep frequency generator according to claim 1 further including: gate means responsive to the output of said first means and to the output of said third means for producing a signal when the output of said first means and the output of said third means occur concurrently.

Claim 7

A sweep frequency generator, repeatedly producing an output sweeping from a first frequency to a second frequency during a sweep period and further including provisions for continuously maintaining the output at said first or second frequency or at some predetermined frequency intermediate said first and second frequencies, comprising: oscillator means for producing clock pulses; first means responsive to said clock pulses for producing a first output signal having a first repetition rate; second means responsive to said clock pulses for producing a second output signal having a second repetition rate; slave reset means for selectively producing a slave reset pulse at a predetermined time during said sweep period between said first and second frequencies; third means responsive to said clock pulses and to said slave reset pulse for producing a third output signal having a repetition rate equal to said second output signal when said slave reset pulse is present and having a repetition rate equal to said first output signal when said slave reset pulse is absent; fourth means responsive to the output signals of said first and third means for pRoducing a signal representing the phase difference between said first and third output signals; and fifth means responsive to the output signal of said fourth means and to said clock pulses for producing a baseband signal having a repetition rate proportional to the output signal of said fourth means.

Claim 8

A sweep frequency generator, repeatedly producing an output sweeping from a first frequency to a second frequency during a sweep period and further including provisions for continuously maintaining the output at said first or second frequency or at some predetermined frequency intermediate said first and second frequencies, comprising: oscillator means for producing clock pulses; first means responsive to said clock pulses for producing a first output signal having a first repetition rate; second means responsive to said clock pulses for producing a second output signal having a second repetition rate; slave reset means for selectively producing a slave reset pulse at a predetermined time during said sweep period between said first and second frequencies; third means responsive to said clock pulses and to said slave reset pulse for producing a third output signal having a repetition rate equal to said second output signal when said slave reset pulse is present and having a repetition rate equal to said first output signal when said slave reset pulse is absent; fourth means responsive to the output signals of said first and third means for pRoducing a signal representing the phase difference between said first and third output signals; and fifth means responsive to the output signal of said fourth means and to said clock pulses for producing a baseband signal having a repetition rate proportional to the output signal of said fourth means.

Claim 9

A sweep frequency generator according to claim 6 wherein said slave reset means includes: first generator means responsive to the output signal of said first means and to the output signal of said fourth means for generating an in-phase pulse; second generator means responsive to said in-phase pulse for generating a counter reset pulse; timing counter means responsive to said counter reset pulse and to the output signal of said second means for generating a plurality of timing outputs; selector means operatively connected to said timing counter means for selecting one or more of said plurality of timing outputs and for producing a stop ramp pulse as a logical function of said selection; and third generator means responsive to said stop ramp pulse for generating said slave reset pulse.

Claim 10

A sweep frequency generator according to claim 7 wherein said third generator means includes: a flip-flop having a Q output; a start switch means for providing a signal to the set input of said flip-flop upon actuation; a stop switch means for providing said stop ramp pulse to the reset input of said flip-flop upon actuation; and gate means responsive to the Q output of said flip-flop and to the output signal of said second means for producing said slave reset pulse and for providing same to said third means.

Claim 11

A sweep frequency generator, for repeatedly producing a triangular sweep from a first frequency to a second frequency and thence returning to the first frequency, comprising: oscillator means for producing clock pulses; first means responsive to said clock pulses for producing a first output signal having a first repetition rate; second means responsive to said clock pulses for producing a second output signal having a second repetition rate; third means responsive to the output signals of said first and second means for producing an output signal, Q, representing the phase difference between said first and second output signals and for producing an output signal Q representing the inverse of said Q signal; fourth means responsive to said signala Q and to said first output signal for producing a plurality of control signals wherein each of said plurality of control signals is produced when said signal Q and said first output signal occur concurrently; fifth means responsive to each of said plurality of control signals for producing mutually exclusive changeover signals A and A; sixth means responsive to said signals Q, Q, A and A for producing a gate signal; and seventh means responsive to said gate signal and to said clock pulses for producing a baseband output signal having a repetition rate proportional to said gate signal.

Claim 12

A sweep frequency generator, for repeatedly producing a triangular sweep from a first frequency to a second frequency and thence returning to the first frequency, comprising: oscillator means for producing clock pulses; first means responsive to said clock pulses for producing a first output signal having a first repetition rate; second means responsive to said clock pulses for producing a second output signal having a second repetition rate; third means responsive to the output signals of said first and second means for producing an output signal, Q, representing the phase difference between said first and second output signals and for producing an output signal Q representing the inverse of said Q signal; fourth means responsive to said signala Q and to said first output signal for producing a plurality of control signals wherein each of said plurality of control signals is produced when said signal Q and said first output signal occur concurrently; fifth means responsive to each of said plurality of control signals for producing mutually exclusive changeover signals A and A; sixth means responsive to said signals Q, Q, A and A for producing a gate signal; and seventh means responsive to said gate signal and to said clock pulses for producing a baseband output signal having a repetition rate proportional to said gate signal.

Claim 13

A sweep frequency generator according to claim 9 wherein said fifth means includes: a first flip-flop having a set input responsive to each of said plurality of control signals and having a reset input responsive to a reset signal; a monostable multivibrator responsive to one output of said first flip-flop; a second flip-flop having a clocking input responsive to the output of said monostable multivibrator and producing said mutually exclusive changeover signals A and A; and reset means for producing said reset signal a predetermined time after each of said plurality of control signals.

Claim 14

A sweep frequency generator according to claim 10 wherein said sixth means includes: a first AND gate means responsive to said signal Q and said signal A for producing a signal X representing the logical AND product of said signals Q and A; a second AND gate means responsive to said signal Q and said signal A for producing a signal Y representing the logical AND product of said signals Q and A; and OR gate means responsive to said signal X and to said signal Y for producing said gate signal.

Claim 15

A sweep frequency generator according to claim 11 wherein: said first means includes a counter of predetermined length providing counted clock pulses to a first differentiator; said second means includes an AND gate and a first counter arranged in a loop wherein said AND gate is responsive to said clock pulses and to the output of said first counter; and said second means further includes a second counter responsive to the output of said AND gate for providing signals to a second differentiator.

Claim 16

A sweep frequency generator for producing a sinusoidal output signal comprising: oscillator means for producing clock pulses; first means responsive to said clock pulses for producing a first output signal having a first repetition rate; second means responsive to said clock pulses for producing a second output signal having a second repetition rate; third means responsive to the output signals of said first and second means for producing a third output signal representing the phase difference between said first and second output signals; fourth means responsive to said third output signal and to said first output signal for producing a plurality of control signals wherein each of said plurality of control signals is produced when said third output signal and said first output signal occur concurrently; fifth means responsive to each of said plurality of control signals for producing mutually exclusive changeover signals A and A; sixth means responsive to said first output signal for producing an output signal having a third repetition rate proportional to said first repetition rate; seventh means responsive to said second output signal for producing an output signal having a fourth repetition rate proportional to said second repetition rate; eighth means responsive to the output signals of said sixth and seventh means for producing an output signal Q representing the phase difference between the output signals of said sixth and seventh means and for producing an output signal Q representing the inverse of said output signal Q; ninth means responsive to said signals Q, Q, A and A for producing a gate signal; tenth means responsive to said gate signal and to said clock pulses for producing an output signal having a repetition rate proportional to said gate signal; eleventh means responsive to the output of said tenth means and to said second output signal for converting the output of said tenth means to a sinusoidal form.

Claim 17

A sweep frequency generator for producing a sinusoidal output signal comprising: oscillator means for producing clock pulses; first means responsive to said clock pulses for producing a first output signal having a first repetition rate; second means responsive to said clock pulses for producing a second output signal having a second repetition rate; third means responsive to the output signals of said first and second means for producing a third output signal representing the phase difference between said first and second output signals; fourth means responsive to said third output signal and to said first output signal for producing a plurality of control signals wherein each of said plurality of control signals is produced when said third output signal and said first output signal occur concurrently; fifth means responsive to each of said plurality of control signals for producing mutually exclusive changeover signals A and A; sixth means responsive to said first output signal for producing an output signal having a third repetition rate proportional to said first repetition rate; seventh means responsive to said second output signal for producing an output signal having a fourth repetition rate proportional to said second repetition rate; eighth means responsive to the output signals of said sixth and seventh means for producing an output signal Q representing the phase difference between the output signals of said sixth and seventh means and for producing an output signal Q representing the inverse of said output signal Q; ninth means responsive to said signals Q, Q, A and A for producing a gate signal; tenth means responsive to said gate signal and to said clock pulses for producing an output signal having a repetition rate proportional to said gate signal; eleventh means responsive to the output of said tenth means and to said second output signal for converting the output of said tenth means to a sinusoidal form.

Claim 18

A sweep frequency generator according to claim 13 wherein said fifth means includes: a first flip-flop having a set input responsive to each of said plurality of control signals and having a reset input responsive to a reset signal; a monostable multivibrator responsive to one output of said first flip-flop; a second flip-flop having a clocking input responsive to the output of said monostable multivibrator and producing said mutually exclusive changeover signals A and A; and reset means for producing said reset signal a predetermined time after each of said plurality of control signals.

Claim 19

A sweep frequency generator according to claim 14 wherein said ninth means includes: a first AND gate means responsive to said signal Q and said signal A for producing a signal X representing the logical AND product of said signals Q and A; a second AND gate means responsive to said signal Q and said signal A for producing a signal Y representing the logical AND product of said signals Q and A; and OR gate means responsive to said signal X and to said signal Y for producing said gate signal.

Claim 20

A sweep frequency generator according to claim 15 wherein: said first means includes a counter of predetermined length providing counted clock pulses to a first differentiator; said second means includes an AND gate and a first counter arranged in a loop wherein said AND gate is responsive to said clock pulses and to the output of said first counter; and said second means further includes a second counter responsive to the output of said AND gate for providing signals to a second differentiator.

Claim 21

A sweep frequency generator according to claim 16 wherein said eleventh means includes: a balanced mixer; and a low-pass filter responsive to the output of said balanced mixer.