MULTI-FREQUENCY RECONFIGURABLE VOLTAGE CONTROLLED OSCILLATOR (VCO) AND METHOD OF PROVIDING SAME

• US 20130120074A1
• Filed: 11/10/2011
• Published: 05/16/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Yun, Changhan, Lo, Chi Shun, Kim, Jonghae, ZUO, Chengjie
• Granted Patent: US 9,130,505 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 331/116.FE
• CPC Class Codes: H03B 2200/0048 including measures to switch the frequency band, e.g. by harmonic selection
• CPC Class Codes: H03B 2201/0208 the means being an element with a variable capacitance, e.g. capacitance diode
• CPC Class Codes: H03B 5/1243 the means comprising voltage variable capacitance diodes
• CPC Class Codes: H03B 5/1262 the means comprising switched elements
• CPC Class Codes: H03B 5/30 with frequency-determining element being electromechanical resonator
• CPC Class Codes: H03B 5/368 the means being voltage variable capacitance diodes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 Conductor or circuit manufacturing

Abstract

A multiple frequency reconfigurable voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) (136) includes a variable capacitance device (112), an inductor (116) coupled in parallel with the variable capacitance device (112), and at least two circuit paths (118, 120, 122) coupled in parallel with the variable capacitance device (112) and the inductor (116). The circuit paths (118, 120, 122) each include a piezoelectric laterally vibrating resonator (126, 130, 134) and a switch (124, 128, 132) for selectably coupling each piezoelectric laterally vibrating resonator (126, 130, 134) in parallel with the inductor (116) and variable capacitance device (112).

Claims

1. A multiple frequency reconfigurable voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) comprising:

at least one resonator;

at least one inductor arranged in parallel with the at least one resonator; and

a variable capacitance device coupled in parallel to the at least one inductor and arranged in parallel to the at least one resonator, wherein the at least one resonator is selectably coupled in parallel with the at least one inductor and the variable capacitance device.

2. The multiple frequency reconfigurable VCO of claim 1, wherein the at least one resonator comprises a plurality of resonators, and wherein at least one of the plurality of resonators is selectably coupled in parallel with the at least one inductor and the variable capacitance device.

3. The multiple frequency reconfigurable VCO of claim 2, further comprising a plurality of switches, one of the plurality of switches being arranged in series with each of the plurality of resonators.

4. The multiple frequency reconfigurable VCO of claim 2, wherein each of the plurality of resonators comprises a piezoelectric laterally vibrating resonator.

5. The multiple frequency reconfigurable VCO of claim 4, wherein the piezoelectric laterally vibrating resonator comprises a material selected from the group consisting of:

aluminum nitride (AlN), zinc oxide (ZnO) and lead zirconate titanate (PZT).

6. The multiple frequency reconfigurable VCO of claim 4, wherein the piezoelectric laterally vibrating resonator comprises a silicon substrate.

7. The multiple frequency reconfigurable VCO of claim 4, wherein the piezoelectric laterally vibrating resonator comprises a piezoelectric substrate.

8. The multiple frequency reconfigurable VCO of claim 1, wherein the at least one resonator comprises a piezoelectric laterally vibrating resonator.

9. The multiple frequency reconfigurable VCO of claim 1, wherein the variable capacitance device comprises a varactor.

10. The multiple frequency reconfigurable VCO of claim 1,

wherein the at least one resonator comprises a plurality of resonators,

wherein the variable capacitance device comprises a varactor,

wherein at least one of the plurality of resonators is selectably coupled in parallel with the at least one inductor and the varactor, and

wherein each of the plurality of resonators comprises a piezoelectric laterally vibrating resonator, and further including a plurality of switches, one of the plurality of switches being arranged in series with each of the plurality of piezoelectric laterally vibrating resonators.

11. The multiple frequency reconfigurable VCO of claim 1 incorporated into at least one semiconductor die.

12. The multiple frequency reconfigurable VCO of claim 1 incorporated into a device selected from the group consisting of:

a set top box, a music player, a video player, an entertainment unit, a navigation device, a communications device, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a fixed location data unit, and a computer.

13. A method of providing a multiple frequency reconfigurable voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) comprising:

coupling an inductor in parallel with a variable capacitance device;

providing a plurality of circuit paths in parallel with the inductor;

providing a resonator and a switch in each of the plurality of circuit paths; and

closing the switch in at least one of the plurality of circuit paths to produce an oscillating signal.

14. The method of claim 13 including opening the switch in the at least one of the plurality of circuit paths and closing the switch in another one of the plurality of circuit paths to change a frequency of the oscillating signal.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the resonator in at least one of the plurality of circuit paths comprises a piezoelectric laterally vibrating resonator.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the resonator in each one of the plurality of circuit paths comprises a piezoelectric laterally vibrating resonator.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the variable capacitance device comprises a varactor.

18. The method of claim 13 including incorporating the VCO into at least one semiconductor die.

19. The method of claim 13 including incorporating the VCO into a device selected from the group consisting of:

a set top box, a music player, a video player, an entertainment unit, a navigation device, a communications device, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a fixed location data unit, and a computer.

20. A multiple frequency reconfigurable voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) comprising:

a variable capacitance device;

an inductor coupled in parallel with the variable capacitance device; and

at least two circuit paths coupled in parallel with the variable capacitance device and the inductor, the at least two circuit paths each comprising a piezoelectric laterally vibrating resonator and a switch for selectably coupling the each piezoelectric laterally vibrating resonator in parallel with the inductor and the variable capacitance device.

21. The multiple frequency reconfigurable VCO of claim 20, wherein the variable capacitance device comprises a varactor.

22. The multiple frequency reconfigurable VCO of claim 20, wherein the switch in a first one of the at least two circuit paths is operable independently of the switch in a second one of the at least two circuit paths.

23. A multiple frequency reconfigurable voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) comprising:

resonator means;

inductor means arranged in parallel with the resonator means;

variable capacitance means coupled in parallel to the inductor means and arranged in parallel to the resonator means; and

switch means for selectably coupling the resonator means in parallel with the inductor means.

24. The multiple frequency reconfigurable VCO of claim 23, wherein the resonator means comprises a plurality of resonators, and wherein the switch means is configured to selectably couple at least one of the plurality of resonators in parallel with the inductor means and variable capacitance means.

25. The multiple frequency reconfigurable VCO of claim 24, wherein the switch means comprises a plurality of switches, one of the plurality of switches being arranged in series with each of the plurality of resonators.

26. The multiple frequency reconfigurable VCO of claim 23, wherein the resonator means comprises a piezoelectric laterally vibrating resonator.

27. The multiple frequency reconfigurable VCO of claim 26, wherein the piezoelectric laterally vibrating resonator comprises a material selected from the group consisting of:

aluminum nitride (AlN), zinc oxide (ZnO) and lead zirconate titanate (PZT).

28. The multiple frequency reconfigurable VCO of claim 23, wherein the variable capacitance means comprises a varactor.

29. The multiple frequency reconfigurable VCO of claim 23,

wherein the resonator means comprises a plurality of resonators,

wherein the variable capacitance means comprises a varactor,

wherein at least one of the plurality of resonators is selectably coupled in parallel with the inductor means and the varactor,

wherein each of the plurality of resonators comprises a piezoelectric laterally vibrating resonator, and

wherein the switch means comprises a plurality of switches, one of the plurality of switches being arranged in series with each of the plurality of resonators.

30. The multiple frequency reconfigurable VCO of claim 23 incorporated into at least one semiconductor die.

31. The multiple frequency reconfigurable VCO of claim 23 incorporated into a device selected from the group consisting of:

a set top box, a music player, a video player, an entertainment unit, a navigation device, a communications device, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a fixed location data unit, and a computer.

32. A method of providing a multiple frequency reconfigurable voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) comprising:

step for coupling an inductor in parallel with a variable capacitance device;

step for providing a plurality of circuit paths in parallel with the inductor;

step for providing a resonator and a switch in each of the plurality of circuit paths; and

step for closing the switch in at least one of the plurality of circuit paths to produce an oscillating signal.

33. The method of claim 32 including step for opening the switch in the at least one of the plurality of circuit paths and step for closing the switch in another one of the plurality of circuit paths to change the frequency of the oscillating signal.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein the resonator in at least one of the plurality of circuit paths comprises a piezoelectric laterally vibrating resonator.

35. The method of claim 32, wherein the resonator in each one of the plurality of circuit paths comprises a piezoelectric laterally vibrating resonator.

36. The method of claim 32, wherein the variable capacitance device comprises a varactor.

37. The method of claim 32 including step for incorporating the VCO into at least one semiconductor die.

38. The method of claim 32 including step for incorporating the VCO into a device selected from the group consisting of:

a set top box, a music player, a video player, an entertainment unit, a navigation device, a communications device, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a fixed location data unit, and a computer.