Patent GB-1420320-A (GB)
Title: Tuning apparatus
IPC: H03J7/24
Filed: 1972-12-04
Abstract: 1420320 Channel switching; AFC; semiconductor ramp generator MATSUSHITA. ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO Ltd 4 Dec 1972 [8 Dec 1971 17 Nov 1972] 55952/72 Headings H3Q H3A and H3T In a tuning apparatus comprising a variable frequency divider 6 having a frequency division ratio which varies in accordance with inputted channel information 1-4 representing a channel to be tuned, the variable frequency divider 6, a reference frequency oscillator 7 and a voltage controlled oscillator VCO 11 constitute a phase locked loop and the output of a signal generating means 12 generating a signal from the output of the VCO 11 at a predetermined frequency in accordance with the channel information is mixed in a mixer 16 with the output of a sweep oscillator 15, detector 19 detects when the output of the mixer 16 reaches a predetermined frequency so as to stop and hold the sweeping of the sweep oscillator 15 and the input of the mixer 16 is switched under control of the detector 19 to allow the output of the sweep oscillator 15 and an antenna input signal 27 to be mixed at the mixer 16 so as to obtain an intermediate frequency signal. In the TV receiver shown a channel is selected by operating a keyboard 1. The binary code associated with this channel is fed from a binary code generator 3 to a memory 4 the output of which is fed to a channel number indicator at 26 and to alter the division ratio of a variable frequency divider 6 which may be an integrated circuit. This selects the oscillation frequency of a voltage controlled oscillator 11 which is included in a phase locked loop 5, 6, 8, 9, 10 and 11. The output from the VCO 11 is fed via a harmonic generator 12 to a RF amplifier 13 which feeds a mixer 16. When the keyboard 1 is operated monostable multivibrators 2 and 25 and a flip-flop 21 are operated. A relay 33 operates to connect the relay-contacts 30-32 to the opposite positions to that shown and an oscillator 22 is gated on. After a delay produced by monostable 25 a counter 23 starts to count pulses produced by the oscillator 22 and a step sweep voltage is obtained at the output of a D-A converter 24 so as to sweep the frequency of a voltage controlled oscillator 15. The mixer 16 combines the outputs from the RF amplifier 13 and the VCO 15 and when the IF signal is detected by the detector 19 a Schmitt trigger circuit 20 is operated to reset the flip-flop 21 and stop the gated oscillator 22 so as to stop the sweeping of the VCO 15. The relay 33 is then de-energized so that relay contacts 30-32 change back to the position shown and then the VCO 15 is locked in frequency by the output from an FM detector 34. The receiver is now set to the selected channel and an input signal applied at 27 is fed via the RF amplifier 14 to the mixer 16. The RF amplifiers include varicap diode. The receiver may be remote controlled by a transmitter (151, Fig. 6, not shown) which operates a receiver (152) controlling the monostable 2 and the generator 3. In a modification (Fig. 7, not shown) the gated oscillator 22, counter 23 and D-A converter 24 are replaced by a voltage sweep circuit (42), Fig. 9, which provides an increasing ramp voltage at 58 when capacitor 55 is charged via a transistor 57. The voltage at which the sweep is stopped is maintained by the output from the FM detector 34 which is fed to 51 and controls the conduction of the transistor 57. The capacitor 55 is discharged by a thyristor 54. In a further modification (Fig. 10, not shown) a VHF tuner (68) and a UHF tuner (74) are provided and when a UHF channel is selected the output from the UHF tuner is fed to the mixer of the VHF tuner which operates as an amplifier. In a modification of this (Figs. 13A, and 13B, not shown) the outputs of the mixers (77, 81) of the VHF and UHF tuners are each fed directly to the input of the video IF amplifier (78).