Patent · US Active

Supply-regulated VCO architecture

US8362848B2 · kind B2 · utility

20Cited by
9References
31Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 7, 2011
Grant dateJan 29, 2013
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 17, 2031

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH03L7/24
  • WIPO fieldBasic communication processes
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A supply-regulated VCO exhibits reduced or no supply sensitivity peaking. The VCO includes an oscillator whose supply current is regulated to control the oscillating frequency of the oscillator. A VCO input signal controls the supply current so that there is a relationship between the input signal and the oscillator output frequency. Power supply noise that might otherwise affect oscillator operation is shunted from a supply current input lead of the oscillator to ground by a bypass capacitor. In one example, an auxiliary circuit supplies an auxiliary supply current to the oscillator, thereby reducing the amount of supply current a supply regulation control loop circuit must supply. In another example, a supply regulation control loop circuit supplies a control current to a main oscillator, but the bypass capacitor is not coupled to this oscillator but rather is coupled to a slave oscillator that is injection locked to the main oscillator.

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