AFT circuit for CATV receiver system

• US 4,855,835 A
• Filed: 04/28/1988
• Issued: 08/08/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Tobita, Katsumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Tommy P.
• Application Number:
  US07/187,223
• Time in Patent Office: 467 Days
• Field of Search: 358/191.1, 358/193.1, 358/195.1, 455/314, 455/315, 455/316, 455/192, 455/164
• US Class Current: 348/735
• CPC Class Codes: H03J 7/04 where the frequency control is accomplished by varying the electrical characteristics of a non-mechanically adjustable element or where the nature of the frequency controlling element is not significant
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/50 Tuning indicators; Automatic tuning control

Abstract

An automatic fine tuning (AFT) circuit for a CATV receiver system of a double conversion type having a first local oscillator and a second local oscillator and a first mixer and a second mixer respectively supplied with oscillation outputs from the first and second local oscillators is disclosed. A reception signal is sequentially subjected to frequency conversation by use of the first and second mixers so as to attain an intermediate frequency signal of a predetermined value. The AFT circuit includes a control voltage generator for outputting a control voltage which is a function of a frequency fluctuation of the intermediate frequency signal; a selector for selecting either the control voltage or a constant voltage and for supplying the selected voltage as an oscillation frequency control voltage controlling the oscillation frequency of the second local oscillator; an integration unit for integrating the oscillation frequency control voltage so as to produce an integrated control voltage; and a voltage comparator for comparing the integrated control voltage with a reference voltage so as to supply a result of the comparison to the selector. In response to the compare result from the voltage comparator, the selector supplies the control voltage to the second local oscillator when the integrated voltage is higher than the reference voltage and supplies the constant voltage to the second local oscillator when the integrated voltage is lower than the reference voltage.

Claims

1. An AFT circuit of a CATV receiver system of a double conversion method having a first local oscillator and a second local oscillator and a first mixer and a second mixer respectively supplied with oscillation outputs from said first and second local oscillators such that a reception signal is sequentially subjected to a frequency conversion by use of said first and second mixers so as to attain a second intermediate frequency signal of a predetermined frequency comprising:

control voltage generate means for outputting a control voltage depending on a frequency fluctuation of said second intermediate frequency signal;

select means for selecting either said control voltage or a constant voltage and for supplying the selected voltage as an oscillation frequency control voltage controlling an oscillation frequency of said second local oscillator to said second local oscillator;

integrate means for integrating said oscillation frequency control voltage so as to produce as an output therefrom an integrated voltage attained through the integration; and

voltage compare means for comparing said integrated voltage with a reference voltage so as to supply a result of the comparison to said select means wherein

said select means operative based on said compare result from said voltage compare means supplies said control voltage to said second local oscillator when said integrated voltage is higher than said reference voltage and supplies said constant voltage to said second local oscillator when said integrated voltage is lower than said reference voltage.

2. An AFT circuit according to claim 1 wherein said control voltage generate means is an FM detection circuit.

3. An AFT circuit according to claim 1 wherein said select means, said integrate means, and said voltage compare means are a selector circuit, an integration circuit, and a voltage comparator circuit, respectively.