ICO based linear gain VCO with non-linear V/I converter
US5821821A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 24, 1997 |
| Grant date | Oct 13, 1998 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 24, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH03K3/0315
- WIPO fieldBasic communication processes
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A voltage controlled oscillator comprising: a ring of inverters comprised of an odd number of serially connected CMOS inverter stages, the inverter stages being connected between first and second oppositely poled power leads, a MOSFET having a source-drain circuit connected between one of the power leads and a first power rail, the other power lead being connected to a second power rail, apparatus for operating the MOSFET in saturation, and apparatus for applying a control voltage to the gate of the MOSFET, referenced to the second power lead, whereby the MOSFET operates as a nonlinear current conduction device having a characteristic such as to linearize the voltage-frequency characteristic of the combined MOSFET--ring oscillator combination.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.