Signal synthesizer

• US 4,700,390 A
• Filed: 03/12/1984
• Issued: 10/13/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/1983
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kenji Machida
• Original Assignee: Kenji Machida
• Inventors: Machida, Kenji
• Primary Examiner(s): Kemeny, E. S. Matt
• Application Number:
  US06/588,799
• Time in Patent Office: 1,310 Days
• Field of Search: 381/29-33, 381/61, 381/54, 381/98, 381/1, 375/122, 364/514, 455/43, 455/313, 455/39, 455/70, 455/72, 328/14-17, 328/20, 328/22, 328/23, 328/24, 360/24, 360/25, 369/60, 369/88
• US Class Current: 704/500
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/14 during execution voice controlled instruments G10H5/005
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 21/038 using band spreading techniques

Abstract

To enhance low and high frequency components in a sound signal, low frequency components are used to generate new yet lower frequencies (subharmonics), and high frequency components are used to generate new yet higher frequencies (harmonics), the new frequencies added to the original signal thereby increasing the original signal bandwidth.

Claims

1. A signal synthesizer, comprising:

a high frequency synthesizer part including frequency increase means for increasing a prescribed frequency of a specific signal component to a frequency of a converted signal, said high frequency synthesizer part comprising

first extractor means, responsive to an input signal containing various analog signal components, for extracting from the input signal said specific signal component having said prescribed frequency and unfixed amplitude;

first converter means, coupled to said first extractor means, for converting said specific signal component into a converted signal so that the frequency of said converted signal corresponds to but is higher than the frequency of said specific signal component, and the amplitude of said converted signal is modulated by the amplitude of said specific signal component;

said first converter means including means for modulating the amplitude of said converted signal according to the amplitude of said specific signal component; and

mixer means, coupled to said first converter means and responsive to said input signal, for mixing said converted signal with said input signal to provide an output signal whose frequency spectrum covers the frequency spectra of said converted signal and said input signal.

2. A synthesizer according to claim 1, wherein said mixer means includes means for phase-shifting said input signal to provide an intermediate signal which is to be mixed with said converted signal.

3. A synthesizer according to claim 2, wherein said phase-shifting means includes means, responsive to said input signal, for varying the phase difference between said input signal and said intermediate signal according to the amplitude of said specific signal component.

4. A synthesizer according to claim 1, wherein said converter means includes frequency-multiplier means for multiplying the frequency of said specific signal component to generate a frequency-multiplied component;

and means for filtering-off said frequency-multiplied component to provide said converted signal.

5. A signal synthesizer according to claim 1, comprising:

second extractor means, responsive to a second input signal containing various analog signal components, for extracting from the second input signal a second specific signal component having a prescribed frequency and unfixed amplitude;

second converter means, coupled to said second extractor means and responsive to the frequency and amplitude of said second specific signal component, for converting said second specific signal component into a second converted signal so that the frequency of said second converted signal corresponds to but is lower than the frequency of said second specific signal component, and the amplitude of said second converted signal is modulated by the amplitude of said second specific signal component, the frequency ratio between said second specific signal component to said second converted signal being an integer; and

second mixer means, coupled to said converter means, for mixing said second converted signal with said second input signal to provide a second output signal, the frequency spectrum of said second input signal covering the frequency spectrum of harmonics of said second converted signal.

6. An AM radio receiver having the signal synthesizer of claim 1.

7. A broadcasting system utilizing the signal synthesizer of claim 1, comprising:

a broadcasting station being provided with a pilot signal generator for generating a pilot signal, said broadcasting station transmitting a radio wave of a given frequency, said radio wave containing information of an program source of the broadcasting and optionally containing information of said pilot signal;

a radio receiver for receiving the radio wave from said broadcasting station and providing a demodulated signal containing the information of said program source, said demodulated signal also containing the information of said pilot signal when said radio wave contains the information of said pilot signal, said demodulated signal being supplied as the input signal to said signal synthesizer which provides an output signal corresponding to the input signal, said radio receiver being provided with;

a pilot signal detector for detecting from said demodulated signal a signal component of said pilot signal, and generating a selection signal corresponding to said signal component when said demodulated signal contains the information of said pilot signal; and

a selector switch coupled to said radio receiver, said signal synthesizer and said pilot signal detector, for selecting either said demodulated signal or said output signal according to said selection signal, and providing a selected output signal which is used for reproducing the program source of said broadcasting station.

8. A signal transmission system utilizing the signal synthesizer of claim 5, comprising:

transmitter means, including the combination of said second extractor means, said second converter means, and said second mixer means, for converting the frequency spectrum of an input source signal corresponding to said second input signal into a first frequency spectrum which is different from the input signal frequency spectrum, and providing a transmission signal having said first frequency spectrum;

a signal transmission line, coupled to said transmitter means and having a frequency characteristic being adapted to said first frequency spectrum, for transmitting said transmission signal and providing a transmitted signal whose frequency spectrum is substantially equal to said first frequency spectrum; and

reception means, coupled to said signal transmission line and including the combination of said first extractor means, said first converter means, and said first mixer means, for converting the frequency spectrum of said transmitted signal into a second frequency spectrum which is substantially equal to the frequency spectrum of said input source signal, and providing an output source signal corresponding to said output signal having said second frequency spectrum.