Quaternary frequency synthesizer

Claim 2

A frequency synthesizer generating a resultant frequency of precise value expressed in a number of base 4, comprising:

Claim 3

n selective mixing means respectively numbered 1 to n, where n is an integer greater than 1, having respective first and second inputs and respective outputs, the first input of the first mixer being fed with a fixed reference frequency signal, the first input of the i th mixer (with i = 2, 3 . . . n) being coupled to the output of the (i - 1) th mixer, said synthesizer further comprising: a plurality of signal-translating channels numbered 1 to n for selecting in each channel a digit to appear in said resultant frequency, each channel comprising means for producing from a single given frequency an individual frequency having an accurately controlled value equal to one among only four frequency values in arithmetical progression which is fed to the said respective second inputs, and each said channel comprising at least one variable factor dividing means coupled in series with fixed passband filtering means, said single frequency being applied to said dividing means.

Claim 4

n selective mixing means respectively numbered 1 to n, where n is an integer greater than 1, having respective first and second inputs and respective outputs, the first input of the first mixer being fed with a fixed reference frequency signal, the first input of the i th mixer (with i = 2, 3 . . . n) being coupled to the output of the (i - 1) th mixer, said synthesizer further comprising: a plurality of signal-translating channels numbered 1 to n for selecting in each channel a digit to appear in said resultant frequency, each channel comprising means for producing from a single given frequency an individual frequency having an accurately controlled value equal to one among only four frequency values in arithmetical progression which is fed to the said respective second inputs, and each said channel comprising at least one variable factor dividing means coupled in series with fixed passband filtering means, said single frequency being applied to said dividing means.

Claim 5

A frequency synthesizer according to claim 1, wherein the smallest of said four values in arithmetical progression is equal to K times the frequency of said fixed frequency signal, K being equal to one of the values 3 and 5.

Claim 6

A synthesizer according to claim 1, in which said four frequency values of each channel are identical from one channel to the next, and n frequency dividers of fixed ratio equal to 4 are respectively coupled in series at the outputs of said mixers.

Claim 7

A frequency synthesizer according to claim 3, comprising a further selective mixing means having a first input fed by said fixed frequency divider coupled to said n th mixing means, and a second input, and a further channel identical with said n channels, and feeding said second input of said further mixing means.

Claim 8

A synthesizer according to claim 4, further comprising an output stage built up of a mixer having a first input coupled to the last mixing means and a second input, and of a further channel comprising means for generating six frequencies in arithmetic progression, said last mentioned means comprising two chains supplying respectively four frequencies in arithmetic progression and two frequencies in arithmetic progression, and means for feeding said second input of said mixer with a signal, the frequency of which is the sum of said frequencies supplied by said chain, each of said chains comprising at least one controllable factor dividing means followed by a pass-band filter.

Claim 9

A frequency synthesizer according to claim 1, wherein each channel comprises at least one harmonic generating means for generating coupled in series between said dividing means and said fixed pass-band filtering means and supplying the latter with a multiplicity of frequencies each of which except one is outside of said pass band of said filtering means.

Claim 10

A frequency synthesizer generating a resultant frequency of precise value expressed in a number of base 4, comprising: n selective mixing means respectively numbered 1 to n, where n is an integer greater than 1, having respective first and second inputs and respective outputs, the first input of the first mixer being fed with a fixed reference frequency signal, the first input of the i th mixer (with i = 2, 3 . . . n) being coupled to the output of the (i - 1) th mixer, said synthesizer further comprising: a plurality of signal-translating channels numbered 1 to n for selecting in each channel a digit to appear in said resultant frequency, each channel comprising means for producing from a single given frequency an individual frequency having an accurately controlled value equal to one among four frequency values in arithmetical progression, each channel further comprising in series: a first controllable dividing means, to which is applied said single frequency, the dividing factor being selectable among two given values, a first harmonic generator, a first fixed pass-band filtering means adapted for selecting two successive harmonics of said generator, a second controllable dividing means, the dividing factor of which is selectable among four given values, a second harmonic generator, and a second fixed pass-band filtering means adapted for selecting four successive harmonics of said second generator.

Claim 11

A frequency synthesizer generating a resultant frequency of precise value expressed in a number of base 4, comprising: n selective mixing means respectively numbered 1 to n, where n is an integer greater than 1, having respective first and second inputs and respective outputs, the first input of the first mixer being fed with a fixed reference frequency signal, the first input of the i th mixer (with i = 2, 3 . . . n) being coupled to the output of the (i - 1) th mixer, said synthesizer further comprising: a plurality of signal-translating channels numbered 1 to n for selecting in each channel a digit to appear in said resultant frequency, each channel comprising means for producing from a single given frequency an individual frequency having an accurately controlled value equal to one among four frequency values in arithmetical progression, each channel further comprising in series: a first controllable dividing means, to which is applied said single frequency, the dividing factor being selectable among two given values, a first harmonic generator, a first fixed pass-band filtering means adapted for selecting two successive harmonics of said generator, a second controllable dividing means, the dividing factor of which is selectable among four given values, a second harmonic generator, and a second fixed pass-band filtering means adapted for selecting four successive harmonics of said second generator.

Claim 12

A synthesizer according to claim 7, in which said selective means are sum mixers, and said four harmonics are respectively 63 A, 64 A, 65 A and 66A, A being the base of said arithmetic progression, and said reference frequency and single frequency being respectively equal to 21 A and 24 A.

Claim 13

A synthesizer according to claim 8, in which the said first filtering means are adapted for selecting harmonics 40 A and 42 A and in which said four dividing factors given values are 5, 6, 7 and 8, the frequency 40 A being divided by 5 or 8 and the frequency 42 A by 6 or 7.

Claim 14

A synthesizer according to claim 9, in which said first dividing means factors are equal to 3 and 4, the frequencies selected by said first filtering means being the fifth and the seventh harmonics.

Claim 15

A synthesizer according to claim 7, in which said selective mixing means are sum mixers, and said four harmonics are respectively 63 A, 64 A, 65 A and 66 A, the A being the base of said arithmetic progression, and said reference frequency and single frequency being respectively equal to 21 A and to 30 A.

Claim 16

A synthesizer according to claim 11, in which the said first filtering means are adapted for selecting harmonics 40 A and 42 A and in which said four dividing factors given values are 5, 6, 7 and 8, the frequency 40 A being divided by 5 or 8 and the frequency 42 A by 6 or 7, and in which said first dividing means factors are equal to 5 and 6, the frequencies selected by said first filtering means being the seventh and eighth harmonics.

Claim 17

A synthesizer according to claim 7, in which said selective mixing means are difference mixers, and said four harmonics are respectively 105 A, 106 A, 107 A and 108 A, the A being the base of said arithmetic progression.

Claim 18

A frequency synthesizer generating a resultant frequency of precise value expressed in a number of base 4, comprising: n selective mixing means respectively numbered 1 to n, where n is an integer greater than 1, having respective first and second inputs and respective outputs, the first input of the first mixer being fed with a fixed reference frequency signal, the first input of the i th mixer (with i = 2, 3 . . . n) being coupled to the output of the (i - 1) th mixer, said synthesizer further comprising: a plurality of signal-translating channels numbered 1 to n for selecting in each channel a digit to appear in said resultant frequency and producing from a single given frequency an individual frequency having an accurately controlled value equal to one among only four frequency values in arithmetical progression, and each of said channels comprising fixed band pass filtering means for passing any of said four frequencies to the said second inputs of respective said mixing means, and means including at least one variable factor dividing means coupled as an input to said fixed pass-band filtering means, said single frequency being applied to said dividing means, for developing a signal containing only one of said frequency values to cause said individual frequency to be produced by said filtering means.

Claim 19

A frequency synthesizer generating a resultant frequency of precise value expressed in a number of base 4, comprising: n selective mixing means respectively numbered 1 to n, where n is an integer greater than 1, having respective first and second inputs and respective outputs, the first input of the first mixer being fed with a fixed reference frequency signal, the first input of the i th mixer (with i = 2, 3 . . . n) being coupled to the output of the (i - 1) th mixer, said synthesizer further comprising: a plurality of signal-translating channels numbered 1 to n for selecting in each channel a digit to appear in said resultant frequency and producing from a single given frequency an individual frequency having an accurately controlled value equal to one among only four frequency values in arithmetical progression, and each of said channels comprising fixed band pass filtering means for passing any of said four frequencies to the said second inputs of respective said mixing means, and means including at least one variable factor dividing means coupled as an input to said fixed pass-band filtering means, said single frequency being applied to said dividing means, for developing a signal containing only one of said frequency values to cause said individual frequency to be produced by said filtering means.