Patent GB-654886-A (GB)
Title: Superregenerative frequency-modulation receivers
IPC: H03D11/02
Filed: 1948-05-21
Abstract: 654,886. Frequency modulation; superregenerative receivers. HAZELTINE CORPORATION. May 21, 1948, No. 13836. Convention date, June 7, 1947. [Class 40 (v)] A super-regenerative F.M. receiver comprises two super-regenerative circuits, one of which operates in the saturation mode and has a control circuit deriving a control effect influencing the other circuit so that in response to F.M. signals applied to both circuits an increased ratio of F.M. to A.M. response results. In Fig. 1, I.F. frequency-modulated signals are applied to circuits 13, 13<SP>1</SP>, oppositely mistuned from the mean I.F. frequency of the frequencymodulated signals and forming the input to valves 10, 11<SP>1</SP> having a common cathode circuit 23a, 24a, 23, 24, and a push-pull audio-frequency output circuit 17, 33, 33<SP>1</SP>. The parallelconnected resistor condenser circuits 23a, 24a, and 23, 24, respectively, provide a common simultaneous and fixed quench frequency control of the super-regenerative circuits and D.C. only or D.C. and audio-frequency degenerative feed-back. The applied signals to circuits 13, 13<SP>1</SP> operate to advance or retard in push-pull respectively and modulate the duration of the pulsatory saturation oscillations in each superregenerative circuit but so that they both terminate at the same instant as when the receiver is unenergized, and the quench frequency remains constant. The system rejects amplitude modulation and noise due to the mean cathode current being constant in network 23a, 24a, during pulsations. Grid current flow loading the tuned circuits provides saturation and the demodulated output is derived in push-pull or otherwise from one or both output circuits of the receiver. Regeneration is effected by cathode circuit coils 20, 20<SP>1</SP> inductively coupled to the tuned circuits 13, 13<SP>1</SP> and forming with the latter through condensers 30, 30<SP>1</SP> closed radio-frequency circuits. The centre-tapped cathode circuit inductor 21 with tightly-coupled portions ensures smooth control in opposite senses of the anode/cathode pulse durations, or may be replaced by a centretapped resistor resistively in part decoupling the circuits. The positive bias applied by the voltage divider circuit 27, 26, 25 is slightly less than the high positive value developed across the control networks 23, 23a. Differentially combined outputs of valves 11, 11<SP>1</SP> may be used for automatic frequency-control and the valves combined in one envelope with a tuning-eye indicator. In Fig. 8 the quench (pulse width determining) circuit is formed by a condenser 29c and resistor 25c connected between the juncture of tuned circuits 13, 13<SP>1</SP> and ground or, by operating switch 52, by a common anode circuit of condenser 51 and resistor 50, the switch automatically adjusting component values of this alternative quench circuit. One super-regenerative circuit comprises an integrating circuit 41 feeding an audio amplifier 43 and the other is coupled via a resonant circuit 53 which sustains A.M. oscillations in accordance with the input F.M. (but unresponsive to any A.M. of the latter) and feeds an A.M. receiver 55. A common input feeds the tuned circuits 13, 13<SP>1</SP>. In Fig. 5 (not shown), separate negative feed-back cathode circuits are used. In Figs. 6 and 7 (not shown), a circuit resonant to just below one half the self-quench frequency included in series or in parallel, respectively, with the feed-back cathode circuit 23, 24, determines the duration of the saturation interval and in conjunction with the feed-back circuit and the grid potentials of the valves, the self-quench frequency. In Fig. 9 (not shown), a separate quench oscillator 58 controls the super-regenerative circuits, a common cathode circuit network 23, 24 providing push-pull operation. In Fig. 10 one super-regenerative circuit 10e<SP>1</SP>, saturation operated, comprises in its input circuit a quench frequency determining network 29a, 27, and in its anode circuit a quench voltage shaping network 66, 67 and controls the other super-regenerative circuit 10e acting as a separately-quenched circuit, having a negative feed-back cathode circuit network 23, 24. The latter may be saturation mode (logarithmically) operated, using an output network with terminal 69 or linear mode operated using a detector 72 inductively coupled to the tuned circuit 13 with output terminal 74. When saturationoperated, the circuit 10e reaches maximum oscillation earlier and is quenched by circuit 10e<SP>1</SP> later or vice versa depending on the momentary frequency applied to the oppositely mistuned circuits 13, 131. When circuit 10e is linearly-operated the two circuits combine to increase or decrease respectively the oscillation amplitude reached in the circuit 13, then detected. The anode circuit inductor 68 of circuit 10<SP>1</SP>e and condenser 30 delay the application of the quench voltage to circuit 10e so that the two super-regenerative circuits 10e, 10<SP>1</SP>e terminate their anode current pulses simultaneously, adjustment of synchronism of commencement of the pulses being effected by resistor 23 in circuit 10e. This circuit (Fig. 10) alsorejects amplitude modulation. Specifications 589,153, 638,204 and 654,887, relating to super-regenerative receivers, are referred to.