Kenneth J Schmidt

US Patent:

55488390, Aug 20, 1996

Filed:

Oct 14, 1994

Appl. No.:

8/322513

Inventors:

Stephen P. Caldwell - Columbia MD
Marvine Harris Jr. - Baltimore MD
Demetrios J. Matsakis - Ellicott City MD
Ronald W. Minarik - Lutherville MD
Kenneth M. Schmidt - Ellicott City MD
Benjamin F. Weigand - Baltimore MD
Robert S. Prill - Allenwood NJ
Arnold B. Siegel - Somerset NJ

International Classification:

H04B 126

US Classification:

455313

Abstract:

A wideband RF-to-IF frequency converter providing multiple use of frequency conversion components for many different types of RF input signals. In specific examples, many different types of signals for communication, navigation, and for interrogation are processed through at least partly common frequency-conversion channels. Such RF input signals in the range from approximately 2 MHz to 2,000 MHz are converted to output IF frequencies, such as 1 MHz and 30 MHz, for further processing in the common receiver. Some narrow band signals, after conversion to IF, are subjected to off-center filtering in relatively broadband IF filters. Input RF filters are not used. Among several frequency conversion stages, only one of the local oscillator signals is tunable; but it is made tunable in relatively small, precise steps by using a double phase-locked loop arrangement in the frequency synthesizer.