Frequency converter enabling a non-integer division ratio to be programmed by means of a unique control word

A device intended to receive radio electric signals, comprising:

• an input stage intended to receive a radio electric signal and to convert said signal to an electronic output signal having a so-called radio frequency,
• an oscillator intended to supply an output signal having a so-called oscillation frequency,
• a mixer intended to receive the output signals from the input stage and the oscillator, and to supply a signal whose frequency is equal to the difference between the radio frequency and the oscillation frequency,
• a frequency divider intended to receive an input signal having an input frequency, and to supply an output signal having an output frequency, and
• an input port for receiving a control word determining a division ratio between the input and output frequencies of the frequency divider,
• interface means arranged between the input port and the frequency divider, and for carrying out a conversion of a value of the control word into a first and a second parameter defining a non-integer value of the division ratio of the frequency divider,
• wherein the division ratio R of the frequency divider is expressed by:
• R=M+k/q, where M and k are, respectively, the first and the second parameters, and q is a third integer parameter having a value imposed by a predetermined minimum interval to separate two frequency values of the output signal of the frequency divider, wherein the interface means includes:
• means for computing an integer part of the ratio N/q between a value of the control word N and that of the third parameter q, wherein the integer part constitutes the first parameter M, and
• means for computing the difference between the value of the control word and a value of the product of the first and the third parameters, which difference constitutes the second parameter.