Apparatus and method for a thermal feedback oscillator
US6518847B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 12, 2001 |
| Grant date | Feb 11, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 24, 2021 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH03K3/0231
- WIPO fieldBasic communication processes
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method and apparatus is directed to generating an oscillation frequency utilizing the thermal heat transfer properties of semiconductor material as a feedback loop in an oscillator. The oscillator includes a comparator that compares two input signals and enables one of two heater circuits. Each heater circuit is thermally coupled to a sensor and reference circuit. Each sensor and reference circuit pair is arranged such that the reference circuit is heated while the sensor cools. The combination of each sensor and reference circuit produces input signals for the comparator. The frequency of the oscillator is determined by the heat transfer rate between the heater circuit and the corresponding sensor, and the thermal cooling rate of the other sensor. Changing the biasing currents, and distances between the heat sources and the thermal sensors adjust the duty cycle and frequency.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.