System and method for tuning a frequency generator using an LC oscillator
US7512390B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 15, 2005 |
| Grant date | Mar 31, 2009 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 8, 2026 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH03L7/1976
- WIPO fieldBasic communication processes
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An LC-VCO includes a multivibrator which outputs a frequency signal, a fine tuning circuit which tunes the frequency signal by a first amount, a coarse tuning circuit which tunes the frequency signal by a second amount, and a control circuit which controls the fine and coarse tuning circuits. The coarse tuning circuit is formed from one or more capacitive arrays and the fine tuning circuit is formed from one or more varactors. The capacitive arrays are preferably controlled by a digital signal, where each bit selectively couples a respective capacitor to the multivibrator. An analog signal controls the value of the varactors. The capacitive arrays and varactors charge and discharge an inducator in the multivibrator to tune the frequency signal. The VCO may be incorporated within a phase-locked loop, where the capacitors may be assigned different weight and/or redundancy values to tune an output frequency signal. In one embodiment, coarse tuning and lead-lag detection is performed more accurately to allow the size of the varactors to become significantly reduced compared with other circuits which have been proposed.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.