Diversity receiver with switching noise reduction

• US 5,465,411 A
• Filed: 12/15/1993
• Issued: 11/07/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Circuit Design, Inc., Hoshino Gakki Company Limited, Nisshin Onpa Co., Ltd., Samson Technologies Corporation (SAM ASH Music Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Circuit Design, Inc., Hoshino Gakki Company Limited, Nisshin Onpa Co., Ltd., Samson Technologies Corporation (SAM ASH Music Corporation)
• Inventors: Koike, Yukinaga
• Primary Examiner(s): Eisenzopf, Reinhard J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): FAILE, ANDREW I
• Application Number:
  US08/167,332
• Time in Patent Office: 692 Days
• Field of Search: 455/133-136, 455/140, 455/275, 455/276.1, 455/277.1, 455/277.2, 455/278.1, 375/100, 375/102
• US Class Current: 455/275
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0805 with single receiver and antenna switching H04B7/0822 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0831 Compensation of the diversity switching process for non-uniform properties or faulty operations of the switches used in the diversity switching process

Abstract

A diversity FM receiver of the antenna switching system type which includes first and second antennas, an antenna switching circuit, an FM receiving unit and a sample hold circuit. The receiving unit functions to demodulate the wave signal input thereto and to output a wave detection signal. The switching circuit switches the signal received from one antenna or the other antenna to the receiving unit in accordance with the amplitude of the wave detection signal. The sample hold circuit maintains the voltage of the wave detection signal during switching at the value of the signal immediately before switching.

Claims

1. A diversity receiver for receiving signals transmitted at carrier frequencies, which comprises:

means including a plurality of antennas for receiving a plurality of signals;

means for processing the received signals in accordance with a first mode or a second mode and for generating a receiving unit introduction signal;

a receiving unit for demodulating the receiving unit introduction signal and for generating a wave detection signal;

means for detecting the amplitude of the receiving unit introduction signal;

means for switching from one of the first and second modes to the other mode in accordance with the detected amplitude of the receiving unit introduction signal; and

voltage clamp means for clamping the voltage of the wave detection signal during the switching from one of the first and second modes to the other mode.

2. A diversity receiver as in claim 1, wherein, in the first mode, the receiving unit introduction signal is the signal received from the first antenna and, in the second mode, the receiving unit introduction signal is the signal received from the second antenna.

3. A diversity receiver for receiving signals transmitted at carrier frequencies, which comprises:

means including a plurality of antennas for receiving a plurality of signals;

means for processing the received signals in accordance with a first mode or a second mode and for generating a receiving unit introduction signal;

a receiving unit for demodulating the receiving unit introduction signal and for generating a wave detection signal, in the first mode the receiving unit introduction signal being the signal received from the first antenna and, in the second mode, the receiving unit introduction signal being the signal received from the second antenna,

means for detecting the amplitude of the receiving unit introduction signal;

means for switching from one of the first and second modes to the other mode in accordance with the detected amplitude of the receiving unit introduction signal; and

voltage clamp means for clamping the voltage of the wave detection signal during the switching from one of the first and second modes to the other mode, the voltage clamp means comprising a sample hold circuit which contains the voltage value of the wave detection signal at the value of said wave detection signal immediately before switching from one of the first and second modes to the other mode.

4. A diversity receiver as in claim 3, in wherein the receiving unit is an FM receiving part.

5. A diversity receiver as in claim 4, wherein the sample hold circuit includes a deemphasis circuit for attenuating the high range of the wave detection signal and an input temporary stopping means for blocking the wave detection signal from the deemphasis circuit.

6. A diversity receiver as set forth in claim 5, wherein the input temporary stopping means includes (a) timing means for generating a control signal, said timing means generating said control signal in synchronism with switching by the switching means from one of the first and second modes to the other mode, and (b) analog means responsive to said control signal from the timing means for blocking the wave detection signal from the deemphasis circuit.

7. A diversity receiver as in claim 6, which includes a voltage follower circuit connected to the deemphasis circuit.