System and method for a VCO

• US 10,498,290 B2
• Filed: 11/21/2017
• Issued: 12/03/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Original Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Inventors: Issakov, Vadim, Padovan, Fabio, Cherniak, Dmytro
• Primary Examiner(s): Chang, Joseph
• Application Number:
  US15/820,029
• Publication Number:
  US 20190158022A1
• Time in Patent Office: 742 Days
• Field of Search: 331 16
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/56 for presence detection presence detection using near field arrangements G01V3/00, e.g. G01V3/08, G01V3/12; burglar, theft or intruder alarms with electrical actuation G08B13/22 - G08B13/26
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/03 Details of HF subsystems specially adapted therefor, e.g. common to transmitter and receiver
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/032 Constructional details for solid-state radar subsystems
• CPC Class Codes: H03B 2200/0038 including a current mirror
• CPC Class Codes: H03B 2200/0054 including measures to switch a filter, e.g. for frequency tuning or for harmonic selection
• CPC Class Codes: H03B 2200/009 Reduction of phase noise
• CPC Class Codes: H03B 5/1212 the amplifier comprising a pair of transistors, wherein an output terminal of each being connected to an input terminal of the other, e.g. a cross coupled pair
• CPC Class Codes: H03B 5/1215 the current source or degeneration circuit being in common to both transistors of the pair, e.g. a cross-coupled long-tailed pair
• CPC Class Codes: H03B 5/1228 the amplifier comprising one or more field effect transistors
• CPC Class Codes: H03B 5/1243 the means comprising voltage variable capacitance diodes
• CPC Class Codes: H03B 5/1293 having means for achieving a desired tuning characteristic, e.g. linearising the frequency characteristic across the tuning voltage range
• CPC Class Codes: H03B 5/1296 the feedback circuit comprising a transformer

Abstract

In accordance with an embodiment, a method of operating a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) that having a VCO core coupled to a filtered current source includes setting an oscillation frequency of the VCO core based on a tuning signal received at a tuning signal input; and setting a resonant frequency of the filtered current source based on the received tuning signal using a tuning circuit having an input directly connected to the tuning signal input.

Claims

1. A method of operating a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) comprising a VCO core coupled to a filtered current source, wherein the filtered current source comprises a current source, and a tunable filter coupled between the VCO core and the current source, the method comprising:

setting an oscillation frequency of the VCO core based on a tuning signal received at a tuning signal input; and

setting a resonant frequency of the filtered current source based on the received tuning signal using a tuning circuit having an input directly connected to the tuning signal input.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the tunable filter comprises a parallel resonant LC circuit, and setting the resonant frequency of the filtered current source comprises adjusting a capacitance of the parallel resonant LC circuit.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein setting the resonant frequency of the filtered current source comprises multiplying the tuning signal by a first factor to form a first multiplied signal.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein setting the resonant frequency of the filtered current source comprises amplifying the tuning signal and applying the amplified tuning signal to the tunable filter.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein

setting the resonant frequency of the filtered current source further comprises adding a first offset to the first multiplied factor;

and

setting the oscillation frequency of the VCO core comprises adding a second offset to the tuning signal.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the tuning signal comprises a frequency chirp.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising calibrating the VCO, wherein calibrating the VCO comprises:

setting the oscillation frequency of the VCO core to a plurality of frequency settings; and

determining a corresponding plurality of settings for the filtered current source corresponding to each of the plurality of frequency settings, wherein each of the corresponding plurality of settings for the filtered current source sets the resonant frequency to double the oscillation frequency of the VCO core or provides a minimum phase noise of the VCO.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising determining a set of calibration values based on the plurality of frequency settings and the corresponding plurality of settings for the filtered current source, wherein the calibration values represent adjustable circuit parameters of the VCO or the filtered current source.

10. The VCO of claim 7, wherein the tunable filter comprises a parallel resonant LC circuit, and the tuning circuit is configured to set the resonant frequency of the filtered current source by adjusting a capacitance of the parallel resonant LC circuit.

11. The VCO of claim 7, wherein:

the tunable filter comprises

a variable capacitor, and

a transformer having a first winding coupled to the variable capacitor, and a second winding coupled to the VCO core; and

the tuning circuit is configured to set the resonant frequency of the filtered current source by adjusting a capacitance of the variable capacitor.

12. The VCO of claim 11, wherein the first current source is coupled in series with the second winding.

13. The VCO of claim 11, wherein the variable capacitor is coupled in parallel with the first winding.

14. The VCO of claim 11, wherein the variable capacitor is coupled in parallel with a first inductor to form a first parallel circuit, and the first parallel circuit is coupled in series with the first winding.

15. The VCO of claim 7, wherein:

the tuning circuit comprises a multiplier coupled between the tuning signal input and the filtered current source;

the multiplier comprises an amplifier coupled between the tuning signal input and the filtered current source; and

the VCO further comprises

a first summing circuit configured to add a first offset to an output of the multiplier, and

a second summing circuit configured to add a second offset to the tuning signal.

9. A voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) comprising:

a VCO core;

a filtered current source coupled to the VCO core, wherein the filtered current source comprises a first current source, and a tunable filter coupled between the VCO core and the first current source; and

a tuning circuit directly connected to a tuning signal input, the tuning circuit configured to

set an oscillation frequency of the VCO core based on a tuning signal received at the tuning signal input, and

set a resonant frequency of the filtered current source based on the tuning signal.

16. The VCO of claim 9, further comprising:

a first digital to analog converter coupled between the tuning signal input and the VCO core; and

a second digital to analog to converter coupled between the tuning signal input and the filtered current source, wherein the tuning signal comprises a digital signal.

17. An integrated circuit comprising:

a semiconductor substrate;

a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) disposed on the semiconductor substrate, the VCO comprising a cross-coupled transistor pair, a first tunable resonator coupled to the cross-coupled transistor pair, a current source coupled to the cross-coupled transistor pair, and a second tunable resonator coupled between the cross-coupled transistor pair and the current source; and

a tuning circuit comprising a tuning input, a first tuning output coupled to a first tuning input of the first tunable resonator, and a second tuning output coupled a second tuning input of the second tunable resonator.

18. The integrated circuit of claim 17, wherein:

the tuning input is configured to receive a digital signal; and

the tuning circuit comprises a first digital to analog converter coupled between the tuning input and the first tuning output, and a second digital to analog converter coupled between the tuning input and the second tuning output.

19. The integrated circuit of claim 17, wherein

the tuning circuit comprises an amplifier coupled between the tuning input and the second tuning output;

the first tunable resonator comprises a first varactor coupled to a first inductor; and

the second tunable resonator comprises a second varactor and a transformer disposed on the semiconductor substrate, wherein the second varactor is coupled in parallel with a first winding of the transformer, and a second winding of the transformer has a first end coupled to the current source and a second end coupled to the cross-coupled transistor pair.

20. The integrated circuit of claim 17, wherein the second tunable resonator comprises:

a varactor coupled in parallel with an inductor; and

a transformer comprising a first winding coupled in series with an LC tank and a second winding having a first end coupled to the current source and a second end coupled to the cross-coupled transistor pair.