Micro time and phase stepper

A method for imparting a delay to an input signal having a predetermined frequency f.sub.in comprising the steps of:

• mixing the input signal with a reference signal to generate a second signal of an intermediate frequency f.sub.if ;
• and
• delaying the second signal by a predetermined amount;
• generating an output signal;
• mixing said output signal with said reference signal to generate a difference signal;
• comparing said difference signal and said delayed second signal and adjusting the output signal whereby the delay of the output signal is directly proportional to the frequency of said intermediate signal and inversely proportional to the frequency of said input signal.

A method for imparting a delay to an input signal having a first predetermined frequency, in accordance with a digital control code, comprising the steps of:

• providing a digital control code representing the desired delay;
• generating a reference signal of a predetermined frequency;
• mixing said input signal and said reference signal to generate an intermediate signal whose frequency is the difference between said input signal and said reference signal;
• delaying said intermediate signal by a predetermined adjustable amount determined by the digital control code;
• and
• mixing said delayed intermediate signal and said reference signal to produce an output signal having a frequency substantially equal to said input signal and being delayed relative to said input signal by an amount which is directly proportional to the frequency of said intermediate signal.

A method for delaying an input signal having a frequency f.sub.in by a controlled amount comprising the steps of:

• generating a reference signal having a predetermined frequency;
• mixing said reference signal and said input signal to generate an intermediate signal whose frequency is the difference between the frequencies of said input signal and said reference signal;
• independently generating a second intermediate signal whose frequency is equal to said first intermediate signal by dividing down said input signal;
• adjusting the accuracy of said reference signal by comparing said second intermediate signal and said first mentioned intermediate signal;
• delaying one of said intermediate signals by a predetermined amount;
• generating a delayed output signal, said output signal being delayed relative to said input signal by an amount which is a function of the ratio of the frequencies of said intermediate signal and said input signal;
• mixing said output signal and said reference signal to generate a second delayed intermediate signal;
• and
• comparing said first and second delayed intermediate signals to adjust the output signal in accordance with the results of said comparison.

A method for delaying an input signal by a controlled amount comprising the steps of:

• generating a reference signal having a predetermined frequency;
• mixing said reference signal and said input signal to generate an intermediate signal whose frequency is the difference between the frequencies of said input signal and said reference signal;
• independently generating a second intermediate signal by dividing down said input signal;
• adjusting the accuracy of said reference signal by comparing said second intermediate signal and said first mentioned intermediate signal;
• delaying one of said intermediate signals by a predetermined amount;
• generating an output signal which is delayed relative to said input signal;
• mixing said output signal and said reference signal to produce a third intermediate signal whose frequency is equal to the frequency of said second intermediate signal and said first mentioned intermediate signal;
• and
• comparing said delayed intermediate signal and said third intermediate signal for regulating the frequency of said output signal.

Means for imparting a controlled phase shift to an input signal having a predetermined frequency f.sub.in, comprising:

• first means for receiving said input signal;
• a reference signal source having a predetermined frequency f.sub.REF ;
• first mixer means for mixing said input signal with said reference signal to generate an intermediate signal having a frequency f.sub.IN less than said input signal;
• delay means for imparting a predetermined delay to said intermediate frequency signal in accordance with the desired phase shift;
• adjustable generating means for generating an output signal;
• second mixer means for mixing said intermediate signal with said output signal for generating a difference signal;
• and detector means responsive to said difference signal for adjusting said adjustable generating means to adjust the delay of the output signal relative to the input signal, said output signal being delayed by an amount controlled by said second means and the frequency of said intermediate signal.

Apparatus for imparting a delay to an input signal having a predetermined frequency f.sub.in, comprising:

• first means for generating a reference signal having a predetermined frequency;
• second means for mixing said reference signal and said input signal to generate a first intermediate signal whose frequency is the difference between the frequencies of the input and reference signals;
• third means for reducing the frequency of the input signal to generate a second intermediate signal whose frequency is substantially equal to the frequency of said first intermediate signal;
• said third means including means for imparting a delay to said second intermediate signal;
• fourth means for generating an output signal, said output signal being delayed relative to said input signal;
• fifth means for mixing said output signal and said reference signal to generate a third intermediate signal having a frequency equal to said first intermediate signal and a delay equal to the delay in the output signal;
• sixth means for comparing the delayed second intermediate signal and said third intermediate signal;
• and
• said fourth means including means responsive to said comparison means for regulating the frequency of said output signal.

Apparatus for imparting a delay to an input signal having a predetermined frequency fin comprising:

• means for deriving an intermediate signal from said input signal, said intermediate signal having a frequency less than said input signal;
• programmable delay generator means having an input for receiving said intermediate signal, said programmable delay generator means including programmable delay input means, whereby a delay is imparted to said intermediate signal appearing at the output of said programmable delay generator means, which delay is a function of the setting of said programmable delay input means;
• and
• means responsive to the output of said programmable delay generator means for generating an output signal which is delayed by an amount proportional to the ratio of the frequencies of said intermediate signal and said input signal.

Apparatus for imparting a delay to an input signal having a predetermined frequency fin comprising:

• first means for deriving an intermediate signal from said input signal, said intermediate signal having a frequency less than said input signal;
• programmable delay generator means having an input for receiving said intermediate signal, said programmable delay generator means including programmable delay input means whereby the delay imparted to said intermediate signal appearing at the output of said programmable delay means is a function of the setting of said programmable delay input means;
• a first phase-locked loop responsive to said intermediate signal and said input signal for generating a reference signal having a frequency equal to the sum of the frequencies of said input signal and said intermediate signal;
• and
• a second phase-locked loop responsive to said reference signal and said delayed intermediate signal for generating an output signal having a delay which is a function of said delay means and the ratio of the frequencies of said intermediate signal and said input signal.

Means for delaying an input signal having a first predetermined frequency comprising:

• first means for reducing the frequency of said input signal by a predetermined amount to provide a second signal having a second frequency lower than said first frequency;
• digital input means for receiving digital control data;
• second means responsive to said digital input means for adjustably delaying the second signal developed by said first means wherein said delay is a function of the digital control data;
• and
• third means for increasing the frequency of the second signal produced by said second means to produce an output signal whereby the total delay is composed of a plurality of delay increments which are a function of the ratio of said second and first frequencies.