Tuned radio apparatus

• US 4,984,296 A
• Filed: 02/11/1988
• Issued: 01/08/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Larry Schotz
• Original Assignee: Larry Schotz
• Inventors: Schotz, Larry
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz, Curtis A.
• Application Number:
  US07/155,151
• Time in Patent Office: 1,062 Days
• Field of Search: 455/293, 455/280, 455/291, 455/193, 455/195, 455/199, 455/297, 455/278, 455/274, 455/345, 455/272, 455/277, 455/273, 455/191, 343/711, 343/715, 343/714
• US Class Current: 455/193.3
• CPC Class Codes: H03J 2200/06 Tuning of antenna
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/18 Input circuits, e.g. for coupling to an antenna or a transmission line coupling networks between antennas or lines and receivers independent of the nature of the receiver H03H

Abstract

A tuned radio apparatus includes a tuned radio receiver and a tuned antenna apparatus both of which are tuned to the same frequency. The antenna apparatus may include a varactor similar to a varactor used in the receiver and receiving the same tuning voltage for tuning at least one antenna. The tuning voltage may be supplied from the receiver to the antenna apparatus and the received radio frequency output may be supplied from the antenna apparatus to the receiver over an antenna cable connected to a single antenna terminal.

Claims

1. Tuned radio apparatus, comprising:

receiver means for producing an output signal in response to selection command for a desired radio frequency signal having a respective selected frequency, said receiver means including tuning voltage generating means for generating a tuning voltage indicative of said selected frequency and selecting means for selecting said desired radio frequency signal from signals supplied thereto in response to said tuning voltage; and

antenna means tunable in response to said tuning voltage to resonate at said selected frequency for receiving a radio frequency signal having said selected frequency and for supplying the same to said receiver means, said antenna means including an antenna terminal to which the received radio frequency signal is supplied, said antenna terminal further connected to said tuning voltage generating means of said receiver means to receive said tuning voltage, at least one resonating antenna tunable to said selected frequency, filter means connected to said antenna terminal for outputting said tuning voltage and control means connected to receive said tuning voltage from said filter means for tuning said antenna to said selected frequency.

2. Tuned radio apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said antenna means includes varactor means response to said tuning voltage for adjusting the frequency at which said antenna resonates.

3. Tuned radio apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said antenna means includes an FM antenna tunable to a selected FM frequency, an AM antenna tunable to a selected AM frequency and summation means connected to said FM antenna and said AM antenna to receive respective output signals therefrom for providing a summed output signal to said antenna terminal.

4. Tuned radio apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising gallium arsenide transistor preamplifier means connected between said FM antenna and said summation means for amplifying the output signal from said FM antenna.

5. Tuned radio apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said antenna means includes an FM antenna tunable to a selected FM frequency, an AM antenna tunable to a selected AM frequency, first and second varactor diode circuits for tuning said FM antenna and said AM antenna, respectively, and said filter means includes a FM filter circuit connected between said antenna terminal and said first varactor diode circuit and an AM filter circuit connected between said antenna terminal and said second varactor diode circuit.

6. Tuned radio apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said antenna terminal is connected to said tuning voltage generating means by an antenna cable.

7. Tuned radio apparatus, comprising:

receiver means for producing an output signal in response to a selection command for a desired radio frequency signal having a respective selected frequency, said receiving means including tuning voltage generating means for generating a tuning voltage indicative of said selected frequency and selecting means for selecting said desired radio frequency signal from signals supplied thereto in response to said tuning voltage;

resonating antenna element tunable to said selected frequency for receiving a radio frequency signal having said selected frequency and for supplying the same to said receiving means; and

varactor means response to said tuning voltage for tuning said resonating antenna element to said selected frequency.

8. Tuned radio apparatus according to claim 7, which comprises more than one resonating antenna element.

9. Tuned radio apparatus according to claim 8, in which the resonating antenna elements include an FM antenna tunable to a selected FM frequency and an AM antenna tunable to a selected AM frequency and said varactor means includes first and second varactor diode circuits for tuning said FM antenna and said AM antenna, respectively.

10. Tuned radio apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said FM antenna and said AM antenna are included in a unitary antenna structure, said FM antenna constituting a lower section of said structure and said AM antenna constituting an upper section of said structure.

11. Tuned radio apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said resonating antenna means element includes a tuned FM antenna having first and second grounded parallel rods for resonating at FM frequencies and a varactor diode circuit connected between said first and second rods, said tuning voltage being supplied to a tunable one of said rods.

12. Tuned radio apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said resonating antenna element includes an AM antenna having a tuned coil with first and second terminals, and a varactor diode circuit connected between first and second terminals of said coil and supplied with said tuning voltage.

13. Tuned radio apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said tuned radio apparatus is incorporated in a car radio system.

14. Tuned antenna apparatus, for use in a radio apparatus including a tuned receiver, comprising:

a source of tuning voltage adapted for supply to a tuned receiver and indicative of a selected radio frequency;

a resonating antenna element and an electronically controllable capacitor means connected to said resonating antenna element for forming with said resonating antenna element a resonant circuit for effectively receiving and passing a selected frequency band of radiant energy signals; and

control means responsive to said tuning voltage for generating an electronic control signal and supplying said electronic control signal to said electronically controllable capacitor means for establishing a resonant frequency for said resonant circuit which selects the frequency band of said radiant energy signals to be effectively received and passed from said resonating antenna element.

15. Tuned antenna apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said electronically controllable capacitor means is a varactor means.

16. Tuned antenna apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said resonant circuit includes a tuned resonating FM antenna having first and second grounded parallel rods for resonating at FM frequencies, said varactor means including a varactor diode connected between said first and second rods said electronic control signal being supplied to a selected one of said rods.

17. Tuned antenna apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said resonant circuit includes a resonating AM antenna having a tuned air coil, said varactor means including a varactor diode connected between first and second terminals of said air coil and supplied with said electronic control signal.

18. Tuned antenna apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said resonant circuit includes first and second tunable resonating antennas and said electronically controllable capacitor means includes first and second varactor means for tuning said first and second tunable antennas, respectively, in response to said electronic control signal.