Patent · US Active

Differential VCO and quadrature VCO using center-tapped cross-coupling of transformer

US8212625B2 · kind B2 · utility

12Cited by
17References
15Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJun 13, 2008
Grant dateJul 3, 2012
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 27, 2028

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH03B5/1296
  • WIPO fieldBasic communication processes
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

Provided are a differential voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) and a quadrature VCO using center-tapped cross-coupling of a transformer. The differential VCO and the quadrature VCO can be driven by low power through a current reuse structure and have an excellent phase noise characteristic by center-tapped cross-coupling through a transformer. Further, variable capacitance units for frequency variation are divided into variable capacitance units for coarse tuning and variable capacitance units for fine tuning. Therefore, it is possible to obtain a wide tuning range while voltage oscillation gain is reduced. Further, the differential VCO and the quadrature VCO are configured in such a manner that the respective variable capacitance units operate linearly throughout the entire capacitance region due to control voltage distribution by resistors. Accordingly, it is possible to obtain a linear control voltage-oscillation frequency characteristic. The quadrature VCO according to the present invention can output four-phase quadrature signals while having an excellent phase noise characteristic, without substrate loss and current consumption caused by the switching transistors.

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