Multiple receiver selection system

Claim 1

Apparatus for selecting the highest quality signal from a plurality of incoming identical signals, comprising input means for separately receiving said signal, means for providing each signal with an additional modulated carrier wave component related to the quality thereof, the frequencies of the quality signal component lying outside the frequency band of the received signal, first switching means for selecting said signals from said input means in sequence during successive scanning cycles, signal processing means for providing voltages representing the quality components of signals from said first switching means, control means for producing pulses from the highest voltage of said signal processing means during each scanning cycle, said control means comprising storage means for receiving the voltages from said signal processing means to produce pulses for voltage increases during each scanning cycle, generating means for producing continuous clock pulses, the time interval of each switching sequence being equal to the time interval between the clock pulses, scan control means to drive said first switching means in response to clock pulses from said generating means and produce pulses for discharging said storage means in response to said clock pulses and the pulses from said storage means, said scan control means comprising input means for receiving said clock pulses, a first binary counter connected to said input means for driving said first switching means, a gate connected to said input means for inverting said clock pulses, a second binary counter for receiving the output of said gate, an AND gate for receiving the outputs of said gate and said second binary counter to produce an output pulse for discharging said storage means at a time interval after the output pulse of said storage means equal to said scanning cycle, said second binary counters being reset by the output pulse of said storage means, the time interval between the initiation of the pulses from said storage means and the pulses from said scan control means being equal to the time interval of said cycle, and selection control means to drive said second switching means in response to the pulses of said storage means and said scan control means, said pulses corresponding with signals having the highest quality components, second switching means for selecting the highest quality signals from said input means during successive scanning cycles in response to the pulses of said control means, and filter means for passing said signals having no quality components from said second switching means.