VOLTAGE CONTROLLED OSCILLATOR CIRCUITS AND METHODS USING VARIABLE CAPACITANCE DEGENERATION FOR INCREASED TUNING RANGE
First Claim
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1. A VCO (voltage controlled oscillator) circuit, comprising:
- a resonant circuit having a resonant frequency that is controlled by a first control voltage to set an oscillation frequency of the VCO; and
an oscillator core coupled to the resonant circuit to provide a negative impedance that compensates losses of the resonant circuit and sustains oscillation of the VCO,wherein the oscillator core implements variable capacitive degeneration to adjust an amount of negative impedance provided by the oscillator core based on a second control voltage.
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Abstract
Voltage controlled oscillator circuits are provided in which variable capacitance degeneration is employed to provide increased tuning ranges and output amplitudes for VCO circuits for millimeter wave applications
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A VCO (voltage controlled oscillator) circuit, comprising:
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a resonant circuit having a resonant frequency that is controlled by a first control voltage to set an oscillation frequency of the VCO; and an oscillator core coupled to the resonant circuit to provide a negative impedance that compensates losses of the resonant circuit and sustains oscillation of the VCO, wherein the oscillator core implements variable capacitive degeneration to adjust an amount of negative impedance provided by the oscillator core based on a second control voltage. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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9. A VCO (voltage controlled oscillator) circuit, comprising:
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a LC resonant circuit having a fixed-value inductance and a tunable capacitance that is controlled by a first control voltage to set an oscillation frequency of the VCO; and an oscillator core comprising a cross-coupled pair of bipolar junction transistors and an emitter degeneration circuit which provides variable capacitive degeneration under control of a second control voltage. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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19. A method for operating a VCO (voltage controlled oscillator), comprising:
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applying a first control voltage to a first control port of the VCO to set an oscillation frequency of the VCO; and applying a second control voltage to a second control port of the VCO to control variable capacitive degeneration of a VCO core and tune a negative impedance provided by the VCO core. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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Specification