Patent · US Expired

Method and apparatus for providing a clocking signal

US5966054A · kind A · utility

3Cited by
13References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJan 29, 1998
Grant dateOct 12, 1999
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 29, 2018

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH03B5/366
  • WIPO fieldBasic communication processes
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A method that includes the steps of producing a digital code (104) based at least in part on an integrated circuit capacitance and adjusting a frequency of the clocking signal in response to the digital code (106). A method that includes the steps of in a first mode of operation, producing a fixed frequency clocking signal, the fixed frequency clocking signal having a frequency tolerance less than 20 units per million and, in a second mode of operation, producing a variable frequency clocking signal, the variable frequency clocking signal having a frequency variability range greater than 200 units per million. An apparatus for providing a clocking signal includes a tuner circuit (12) and an oscillator circuit (16) responsive to the tuner circuit (12). The tuner circuit (12) is responsive to a clock signal source (38), an integrated circuit capacitance, and a reference resistor (18). The tuner circuit (12) produces a digital code signal. (22) The oscillator circuit (16) includes at least one adjustable integrated circuit capacitor (30, 32) responsive to the digital code signal (22) and is capable of producing the clocking signal.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.