Low noise frequency modulator having variable carrier frequency

• US 20020044025A1
• Filed: 04/03/2001
• Published: 04/18/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Park, Jae-Ho
• Granted Patent: US 6,476,684 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 332/123
• CPC Class Codes: H03C 3/0958 applying frequency modulation by varying the characteristics of the voltage controlled oscillator
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/40 Modulation circuits

Abstract

A frequency modulator having variable carrier frequency is provided. A VCO frequency-modulates an oscillator input signal using an oscillation frequency set by a set signal as the carrier frequency. A phase/frequency detector outputs phase and frequency differences between a VCO output signal and a reference signal. A filter receives a phase/frequency detector output and generates the set signal. An amplifier generates a pair of output signals whose voltage levels change in opposite directions. A compensation circuit changes the voltage levels of the output signal pair and provides resulting signals to the VCO as the oscillator input signal.

Claims

1. A frequency modulator having a variable carrier frequency, comprising:

a voltage controlled oscillator for frequency-modulating an oscillator input signal using an oscillation frequency of the voltage controlled oscillator as the carrier frequency, the oscillation frequency being set by a set signal;

a phase/frequency detector for detecting phase and frequency differences between an output signal of the voltage controlled oscillator and a predetermined reference signal;

a low pass filter for receiving an output of the phase/frequency detector and generating the set signal;

an audio signal amplifier for amplifying an audio signal and generating a pair of output signals that have voltage levels that change in opposing directions; and

a modulation index compensation circuit, connected to an output node of the audio signal amplifier, for changing the voltage levels of the pair of output signals and outputting the pair of output signals having the changed voltage levels to the voltage controlled oscillator as the oscillator input signal to adjust a frequency variation of the output signal of the voltage controlled oscillator according to the oscillation frequency that is set by the set signal.

2. The frequency modulator of claim 1, further comprising a 1/N divider for dividing the output signal of the voltage controlled oscillator by N and applying a divided result to the phase/frequency detector, wherein N is natural number.

3. The frequency modulator of claim 1, wherein the modulation index compensation circuit comprises at least one voltage level adjustment circuit connected between the output node of the audio signal amplifier and a first reference voltage, an operation of the at least one voltage level adjustment circuit being controlled according to a selection signal, the at least one voltage level adjustment circuit being connected in parallel with other voltage level adjustment circuits when there is two or more voltage level adjustment circuits.

4. The frequency modulator of claim 3, wherein the voltage level adjustment circuit comprises:

a pair of level adjustment transistors, each of the level adjustment transistors having a collector and an emitter connected between an adjustment current source and one of the pair of output signals generated by the audio signal amplifier, a conductance of each of the level adjustment transistors changing based on a predetermined bias voltage; and

a switch for blocking current flow between the pair of level adjustment transistors and the adjustment current source in response to the selection signal.

5. The frequency modulator of claim 4, wherein the modulation index compensation circuit comprises a plurality of voltage level adjustment circuits, each of the plurality of voltage level adjustment circuits including one of a plurality of switches, the selection signal turning on only one switch among the plurality of switches and turning off any remaining switches among the plurality of switches.

6. The frequency modulator of claim 1, wherein the voltage controlled oscillator comprises:

an oscillator core for generating an output signal varying with the set signal;

a capacitor for converting the output signal of the oscillator core into a current and outputting the current; and

an input stage for controlling an oscillator current drained from the oscillator core using the pair of output signals output from the modulation index compensation circuit and the current output from the capacitor.

7. The frequency modulator of claim 6, wherein the oscillator core comprises:

an oscillator transistor having a base, a collector, and an emitter, the base having a predetermined constant voltage applied thereto;

a positive feedback loop formed between the collector and the emitter of the oscillator transistor; and

an inductor and a variable capacitor connected in parallel between a second reference voltage and one of the collector and the emitter of the oscillator transistor, the oscillator current being drained from another one of the collector and the emitter of the oscillator transistor, a value of the variable capacitor being adjusted by the set signal.

8. The frequency modulator of claim 6, wherein the input stage receives the pair of output signals output from the modulation index compensation circuit, and generates a control current for reducing the oscillator current, the control current linearly changing in response to changes in the audio signal.

9. The frequency modulator of claim 8, wherein the input stage comprises:

an in put stage current sink for sinking a predetermined current; and

first and second input stage transistors, each having a collector and an emitter, and a conductance that is adjusted by the pair of output signals output from the modulation index compensation circuit, one of the collector and the emitter of the first input stage transistor being connected to a predetermined second reference voltage and another one of the collector and the emitter of the first input stage transistor being connected to the input stage current sink, one of the collector and the emitter of the second input stage transistor being connected to the input stage current sink, and the control current flowing in another one of the collector and the emitter of the second input stage transistor.

10. In a frequency modulator that includes an audio signal amplifier for amplifying an audio signal and generating a pair of output signals that have voltage levels that change in opposing directions and a voltage controlled oscillator for frequency-modulating the pair of output signals using an oscillation frequency set by a predetermined set signal as a carrier frequency, a modulation index compensation circuit comprises:

at least one voltage level adjustment circuit between an output node of the audio signal amplifier and a predetermined reference voltage, an operation of the at least one voltage level adjustment circuit being controlled according to a selection signal, the at least one voltage level adjustment circuit being connected in parallel with other voltage level adjustment circuits when there is two or more voltage level adjustment circuits,

wherein the modulation index compensation circuit changes the voltage levels of the pair of output signals to adjust a frequency variation of an output signal of the voltage controlled oscillator according to the oscillation frequency that is set by the predetermined set signal.

11. The modulation index compensation circuit of claim 10, wherein the at least one voltage level adjustment circuit comprises:

an adjustment current source;

a pair of level adjustment transistors, each of the level adjustment transistors having a collector and an emitter which are connected between an adjustment current source and one of the pair of output signals generated by the audio signal amplifier, a conductance of each of the level adjustment transistors changing based on a predetermined bias voltage; and

a switch for blocking current flow between the pair of level adjustment transistors and the adjustment current source in response to the selection signal.

12. The modulation index compensation circuit of claim 10, wherein the modulation index compensation circuit further comprises a plurality of voltage level adjustment circuits, each of the plurality of voltage level adjustment circuits including one of a plurality of switches, the selection signal turning on only one switch among the plurality of switches and turning off any remaining switches among the plurality of switches.

14. The voltage controlled oscillator of claim 13, wherein the oscillator core comprises:

an oscillator transistor having a base, a collector, and an emitter, the base having a predetermined constant voltage applied thereto;

a positive feedback loop formed between the collector and the emitter of the oscillator transistor; and

an inductor and a variable capacitor connected in parallel between a predetermined reference voltage and one of the collector and the emitter of the oscillator transistor, the oscillator current being drained from an other one of the collector and the emitter of the oscillator transistor, a value of the variable capacitor being adjusted by the predetermined set signal.

15. The voltage controlled oscillator of claim 13, wherein the input stage comprises:

an input stage current sink for sinking a predetermined current; and

first and second input stage transistors each having a collector and an emitter, and a conductance that is adjusted by the input signal pair, one of the collector and the emitter of the first input stage transistor being connected to a predetermined reference voltage and an other one of the collector and the emitter of the first input stage transistor being connected to the input stage current sink, one of the collector and the emitter of the second input stage transistor being connected to the input stage current sink and the control current flowing in an other one of the collector and the emitter of the second input stage transistor.

13. A voltage controlled oscillator for frequency-modulating an input signal using an oscillation frequency of the voltage controlled oscillator as the carrier frequency, the oscillation frequency being set by a predetermined set signal, the voltage controlled oscillator comprising:

an oscillator core for generating an output signal which changes depending on the predetermined set signal;

a capacitor for converting the output signal of the oscillator core into a current and outputting the current; and

an input stage for controlling an oscillator current drained from the oscillator core using an input signal pair and the current output from the capacitor.