High-resolution oscillator having wide frequency range
US9490778B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 13, 2015 |
| Grant date | Nov 8, 2016 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 13, 2035 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH03K3/0322
- WIPO fieldBasic communication processes
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
In one embodiment, a voltage-controlled oscillator has a ring of delay stages and power-regulating circuitry regulating power to each delay stage. Each delay stage has at least one inverter having a leg having a current regulator that controls current flowing through the leg and thereby controlling gain of the delay stage. The VCO receives three control signals that affect the amount of delay applied by each delay stage and therefore the VCO output frequency: a first applied to control the power-regulating circuitry, a second applied to at least one transistor gate in the current regulator, and a third applied to at least one transistor body in the current regulator. The power-regulating circuitry has a parallel configuration of a power-regulating transistor, a first capacitor, and a switched-capacitor leg having a second capacitor and a switch for controlling settling time. The capacitors regulate the power supply without a dedicated, opamp-based voltage regulator.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.