Apparatus and method for generating a temperature-dependent control signal
US9667259B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 22, 2013 |
| Grant date | May 30, 2017 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 22, 2033 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH03L1/022
- WIPO fieldBasic communication processes
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A current-to-voltage converter receives a current which varies with temperature according to a selected one of two or more temperature coefficient factors and converts it to a temperature-dependent voltage to be used as a control signal to a varactor in a voltage controlled oscillator, VCO, to compensate for temperature-induced frequency drift in the VCO. A feedback arrangement with hysteresis is provided for controlling the selection of the temperature coefficient factor and operates by comparing the temperature-dependent voltage with a reference voltage. The reference voltage may be pre-set and equivalent to a known operating temperature. A switching signal is generated when Vout approaches the reference voltage and in response, a control module generates a selection signal for selecting a different temperature coefficient factor. Thus, multi-slope voltage and current generation with a wide dynamic range is continuously provided, which is particularly useful for controlling VCO's used in short range FMCW radar systems.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.