Voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) circuit with integrated compensation of thermally caused frequency drift

US8289094B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Freeescale Semiconductor, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Peter Wennekers · Glückstadt, DE
• Hao Li · Poing, DE
• Yi Yin · Munich, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Jun 26, 2008
• Grant date: Oct 16, 2012
• Expiry date: Jun 26, 2028

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H03L7/18
• WIPO field: Basic communication processes
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

A voltage controlled oscillator circuit comprises a VCO resonator circuit having a first plurality of varactors for varying a frequency of the VCO resonator circuit, the VCO resonator circuit being symmetrical with respect to VCO circuit ground and providing a signal having a frequency, the frequency depending on a tuning voltage applied to the first plurality of varactors, and a second plurality of varactors for compensating a drift of the frequency depending on a compensation voltage, a temperature sensor circuit sensing an ambient temperature of the VCO resonator circuit and providing a temperature dependent signal, and a temperature compensation circuit providing the compensation voltage depending on the temperature dependent signal. Furthermore, a phase locked loop (PLL) circuit, an automotive radar device and a method for compensating a frequency drift of a VCO resonator circuit are presented.