Patent · US Active

Method and apparatus for selecting a frequency generating element

US7746179B1 · kind B1 · utility

3Cited by
7References
32Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateSep 12, 2007
Grant dateJun 29, 2010
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 25, 2028

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH03L7/0891
  • WIPO fieldBasic communication processes
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A method and apparatus for selecting an optimum VCO from an array of VCOs is disclosed. Each VCO in the array has an output range and a limit. In one embodiment, a search set of VCOs is designated as all VCOs in a system. The limit is compared to a tuning value which corresponds to a desired calibration frequency. The comparison divides the array of VCOs into a searched set and a non-searched set. The process is repeated until the non-searched set comprises only one VCO. In another embodiment, the VCOs are ordered such that there is a middle VCO. A VCO in the middle of the array is selected. The limit of the middle VCO is compared to a tuning limit. Based on the comparison, another VCO is selected. The process repeats N times, where N is the logarithm, base 2, of the total number of VCOs to be searched. at the end of the search, an optimum VCO will be found.

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