Signal-seeking tuning system with signal loss protection for a television receiver

摘要

A signal-seeking tuning system for a television receiver scans the VHF and UHF signal bands until a present TV channel signal is detected. Tuning voltage is developed by a digital-to-analog converter in response to a binary word stored in an up-down counter. The value of the binary word increases when a scan-up signal is applied and decreases when a scan-down signal is applied. Scanning is stopped by inhibiting changing of the binary word when a valid sequence of AFT signals is detected. Thereafter, the tuning voltage is compensated for drifts by incrementing or decrementing the binary word whenever the AFT signal departs from a predetermined condition. This correction is inhibited, however, when the RF carrier signal is lost so that the desired tuning is not also lost, whereby the selected channel is still tuned when the RF carrier signal reappears.