System and method for frequency discrimination

Means for determing the frequency of an input signal received during a time period T and comprising:

• input register means;
• means for sampling and storing the samples of said input signal in said input register means at a rate f.sub.c ;
• means for generating a successive series of reference signals whose frequencies are represented by patterns of quantized values, spaced apart by predetermined frequency intervals and including a pattern representing the frequency of the received input signal;
• reference register means;
• means for clocking said successive series of digitized reference signals into said reference register means during each time period T;
• means for comparing the input signal in said input register means with successive reference signals in said reference register means to produce output signals whose magnitudes are proportional to the degree of correlation between said input and reference signals;
• and
• means for determining the largest of said output signals and the particular reference signal resulting in such largest output signal.

A method for determining the frequency of an input signal comprising:

• digitizing and storing the digitized bits of said input signal at a bit rate f.sub.c and during a time period T;
• generating a successive series of digitized reference signals whose frequencies are represented by binary 1's and 0's and spaced apart by predetermined frequency intervals;
• clocking said series of digitized reference signals into a reference register means during said time period T;
• comparing the digitized input signal with successive reference signals to produce output signals having magnitudes proportional to the degree of correlation therebetween;
• and
• determining the largest output signal and the frequency of the reference signal which produces said largest output signal.