Radio or television receiver with an automatic station finding arrangement

Claim 1

A receiver having automatic station finding capability, comprising: means for tuning said receiver in response to an applied voltage; a controllable pulse generator; means for starting said pulse generator; circulating counter means having parallel inputs and outputs, a stepping input and a set input, said stepping input connected to and responsive to pulses from said pulse generator for providing a variable digital output; digital-to-analog converting means for converting the variable digital output from said counter means to a variable analog voltage, said voltage being applied to said tuning means, so that the receiver is tuned to a frequency corresponding to the analog voltage; means for sensing a received signal and for providing a stop signal to the pulse generator in response thereto, whereby said generator stops providing pulses and the analog voltage remains constant keeping the receiver tuned to the received signal; memory means having parallel inputs connected to the parallel outputs of said counter means and parallel outputs connected to the parallel inputs of said counter means; means associated with said memory means for causing the memory means to store a particular digital output from said counter means; and means associated with the set input of said counter means for selectively causing the digital signal at the counter input to be transferred to the counter output.