Patent · US Active

Generating an oscillator signal having a desired frequency in a continuous frequency range

US8779863B2 · kind B2 · utility

1Cited by
1References
6Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateNov 19, 2010
Grant dateJul 15, 2014
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 14, 2031

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH03L7/1976
  • WIPO fieldBasic communication processes
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A method of generating a first oscillator signal having a desired frequency in a first frequency range comprises generating in a voltage controlled oscillator unit a second oscillator signal having a frequency in a second frequency range of at least one octave. The method further comprises selecting said second continuous frequency range to have a lower endpoint in said first frequency range and an upper endpoint above said range; and selectively using the oscillator signal unchanged or dividing it by a division ratio selected from integer powers of the number 2 to obtain said first oscillator signal. By centering the VCO higher than otherwise required and using an additional divider, so that the VCO signal can selectively be used unchanged or divided, a sufficient margin below as well as above the desired range for e.g. drift and tolerances of the VCO is achieved. It also simplifies the VCO design.

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