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Radio watch

  • US 7,719,928 B2
  • Filed: 06/08/2006
  • Issued: 05/18/2010
  • Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2006
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A multi-region, radio controlled timing apparatus for receiving, and responding to, a different broadcast time-code signal in each of multiple regions, each of said different broadcast time-code signals being transmitted at a different carrier-transmission frequency, said multi-region, radio controlled timing apparatus comprising:

  • a local reference oscillating signal source for generating a local reference timing signal at a first frequency;

    a real-time signal generator responsive to said local reference timing signal, said real-time signal generator producing a local-time-tracking signal from said local reference timing signal;

    a frequency synthesizer responsive to said local reference timing signal and having a frequency-select input, said frequency synthesizer converting said local reference timing signal into a local-carrier signal having a frequency determined in accordance with said frequency-select input;

    a radio receiver coupled to said frequency synthesizer, said radio receiver receiving any of said different broadcast time-code signals and demodulating the received broadcast time-code signal by use of said local-carrier signal to recover a master-time signal; and

    a timing mechanism coupled to said real-time signal generator and to said radio receiver, said timing mechanism tracking the passage of time as determined from said local-time-tracking signal and adjusting its currently tracked time in accordance with said master-time signal;

    wherein said frequency synthesizer includes a phase locked loop (PLL) and a frequency-select control logic circuit;

    said PLL having a phase and/or frequency detector and a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO), said phase and/or frequency detector having a signal-in input node responsive to said local reference timing signal and a feedback input node, said VCO producing an oscillating output in response to said phase and/or frequency detector, said oscillating output being coupled to said feedback input node;

    said frequency-select control logic circuit having an input for receiving said frequency-select input, and at least a first frequency-change output for adjusting a frequency of a signal at one of said signal-in input node and said feedback input node;

    wherein said frequency-select control logic circuit further has a second frequency-change output, said frequency synthesizer further having;

    a first adjustable frequency divider coupling said local reference timing signal to said signal-in input node, a first frequency divisor value of said first adjustable frequency divider being set by said first frequency-change output; and

    an second adjustable frequency divider coupling said oscillating output to said feedback input node, a second frequency divisor value of said second adjustable frequency divider being set by said second frequency-change output;

    wherein said first and second frequency divisor values are chosen by said frequency-select control logic circuit to assign said local-carrier signal said target frequency.

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