Patent US3976943A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3976943A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Phase lock loop AM/FM receiver
Assignee: Texas Instruments Inc
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Filing: 1974-08-19
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Granted: 1976-08-24
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Expires: 1994-08-19
Abstract
Abstract A received radio signal is demodulated by applying it to a coherent demodulator loop for detection of a modulated input signal. The loop has a variable gain control capability. A gain control voltage dependent upon variations of amplitude of the input signal is then generated and is applied to control the gain within the loop. In one aspect, a received radio signal is demodulated by multiplying the signal with a local oscillator signal to produce two product voltages the first of which reflects exponential (EM frequency or phase) variations and may reflect amplitude variations in said radio signal and the second of which reflects only amplitude variations. The amplitude of the first product voltage is modified in dependence upon amplitude variations in the second product voltage whereby the modified first product voltage is an audio output voltage representative exclusively of exponential modulation of the radio signal and the second product voltage is an audio output voltage representative of amplitude modulation of the radio signal.
Inventors
- 👤 John A. Cipher
- 👤 Malcolm M. Lorang
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 12:02
CPC Classifications
H; H03; H03D; H03D5/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
110 words
In a modulated signal processor, the combination comprising: a. a coherent demodulator loop for detection of a modulated signal including mixer meams, amplifier means and voltage controlled oscillator means at least one of said means having a variable gain control capability, b. generator means to generate the amplitude modulation signal of a modulated input signal, c. means to apply said modulated input signal to said demodulator loop and to said generator, and d. means to apply said amplitude modulation signal as the gain control voltage to said means having variable gain control capability within said loop to control the gain of said loop in accordance with said amplitude modulation signal.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
110 words
In a modulated signal processor, the combination comprising: a. a coherent demodulator loop for detection of a modulated signal including mixer meams, amplifier means and voltage controlled oscillator means at least one of said means having a variable gain control capability, b. generator means to generate the amplitude modulation signal of a modulated input signal, c. means to apply said modulated input signal to said demodulator loop and to said generator, and d. means to apply said amplitude modulation signal as the gain control voltage to said means having variable gain control capability within said loop to control the gain of said loop in accordance with said amplitude modulation signal.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
28 words
The combination set forth in claim 1 further comprising means for extracting the angle modulation signal of said modulated input signal from a selected point within said loop.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
25 words
The combination as defined in claim 1 wherein said means to generate the amplitude modulation signal of said modulated input signal is a coherent detector.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
35 words
The combination as defined in claim 3 wherein said coherent detector comprises a mixer receiving at one input the output signal of said voltage controlled oscillator means and at another input the received modulated signal.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
36 words
The combination as defined in claim 1 wherein said modulated signal frequency is within the AM broadcast band and said processor further contains output means to receive the output of said generator and produce audio signals.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
61 words
The combination as defined in claim 5 further comprising variable gain amplifier means connected to amplify said received modulated signal before application to said demodulator loop and means to derive from said means to generate the amplitude modulation signal subaudio frequencies of said amplitude modulation signal and to apply said subaudio frequencies as the gain control signal to said amplifier means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
41 words
The combination as defined in claim 1 wherein said modulated signal frequency is within the FM band and said processor further comprises means to receive the output of said at least one variable gain element and produced therefrom an audio signal.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
41 words
The combination as defined in claim 1 further comprising a variable tuned preselect means to receive said modulated signal and apply said modulated signal to said mixers and said preselect means is tuned by a signal derived from coherent demodulator loop.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
198 words
An AM-FM tuner-demodulator which may be executed as a monolithic semiconductor circuit structure which comprises: a. a pair of mixers to which a received modulated signal is applied, b. a signal controlled variable gain amplifier to receive the output of the first of said mixers, c. a signal controlled variable frequency oscillator connected to receive the output of said amplifier whereby said oscillator frequency is caused to track the frequency of said received modulated signal, d. means applying the output of said oscillator to both of said mixers in phase relationship to said received modulated signal whereby the output of said first mixer is the AM and FM modulation signal of said received signal and the output of the second of said mixers is the amplitude modulation signal only of said received signal, e. means for applying the output from the second of said mixers as the gain control signal of said variable gain amplifier, and f. filter means to receive signals from one of said amplifier, said voltage controlled oscillator and said first mixer to provide FM demodulation output signals, and filter means to receive the output from said second mixer to provide AM demodulation output signals.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
198 words
An AM-FM tuner-demodulator which may be executed as a monolithic semiconductor circuit structure which comprises: a. a pair of mixers to which a received modulated signal is applied, b. a signal controlled variable gain amplifier to receive the output of the first of said mixers, c. a signal controlled variable frequency oscillator connected to receive the output of said amplifier whereby said oscillator frequency is caused to track the frequency of said received modulated signal, d. means applying the output of said oscillator to both of said mixers in phase relationship to said received modulated signal whereby the output of said first mixer is the AM and FM modulation signal of said received signal and the output of the second of said mixers is the amplitude modulation signal only of said received signal, e. means for applying the output from the second of said mixers as the gain control signal of said variable gain amplifier, and f. filter means to receive signals from one of said amplifier, said voltage controlled oscillator and said first mixer to provide FM demodulation output signals, and filter means to receive the output from said second mixer to provide AM demodulation output signals.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
82 words
In the demodulation of an angle modulated signal, the method of: a. applying said angle modulated signal to a coherent demodulator loop, b. generating from said angle modulated signal the amplitude modulated signal component thereof, c. applying said amplitude modulated signal component to a variable gain element of said loop as the gain control signal therefor to level the signal amplitude within said loop, and d. extracting the angle modulation signal of said modulated signal from a selected point within said loop.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
82 words
In the demodulation of an angle modulated signal, the method of: a. applying said angle modulated signal to a coherent demodulator loop, b. generating from said angle modulated signal the amplitude modulated signal component thereof, c. applying said amplitude modulated signal component to a variable gain element of said loop as the gain control signal therefor to level the signal amplitude within said loop, and d. extracting the angle modulation signal of said modulated signal from a selected point within said loop.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1979-08-24 | 1980-02-23 | 1980-08-24 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1983-08-24 | 1984-02-23 | 1984-08-24 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1987-08-24 | 1988-02-23 | 1988-08-24 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |