Voltage controlled oscillator with frequency sensitivity control

• US 4,736,169 A
• Filed: 09/29/1986
• Issued: 04/05/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/1986
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hughes Electronics Corporation (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Hughes Aircraft Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Theis, Dana H., Weaver, Gary R., Walsh, Bernard L. Jr., Smith, Bryce M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Grimm, Siegfried H.
• Application Number:
  US06/912,704
• Time in Patent Office: 554 Days
• Field of Search: 331/36 C, 331/117 R, 331/117 FE, 331/177 V, 331/117 D, 332/30 V, 332/18
• US Class Current: 331/117.00R
• CPC Class Codes: H03B 2200/004 including a variable capacitance, e.g. a varicap, a varactor or a variable capacitance of a diode or transistor
• CPC Class Codes: H03B 2201/0208 the means being an element with a variable capacitance, e.g. capacitance diode
• CPC Class Codes: H03B 5/1847 the active element in the amplifier being a semiconductor device
• CPC Class Codes: H03C 3/222 using bipolar transistors H03C3/227 takes precedence

Abstract

A voltage controlled oscillator is tuned with a network comprising two varactor diodes and two transmission lines. By selecting appropriate values of varactor capacitance and transmission line length and width the overall reactance of the network is such that, when a varactor tuning voltage is varied, the output frequency of the voltage controlled oscillator will vary in an fashion with respect to the tuning voltage. Such a voltage controlled oscillator is gain compensated and exhibits a controlled modulation sensitivity over a range of frequencies. If the required frequency range of the oscillator is known beforehand, an alternate embodiment of the invention may be employed in which one of the varactor diodes is replaced with a fixed capacitor having a suitable value for the desired frequency range.

Claims

1. A method of tuning a voltage controlled oscillator to provide a selectable modulation sensitivity, said oscillator comprising an active element with feedback and a tuning circuit connected to said active element for inducing oscillation, said method comprising the steps of:

selecting a first and a second transmission line and a first and a second voltage variable capacitor for said tuning circuit;

connecting one end of said first transmission line to said active element;

terminating a second end of said first transmission line, said step of terminating including a connecting of said first capacitor serially between the second end of said first transmission line and a first end of said second transmission line;

terminating said second transmission line by connecting said second capacitor to a second terminal of said second transmission line;

adjusting the length of said second transmission line to provide a reactance for interaction with a capacitive reactance of said second capacitor;

adjusting the length of said first transmission line to provide a reactance for interaction with a capacitive reactance of said first and said second capacitors; and

electronically varying the capacity of one of said capacitors to select a frequency of said oscillation.

2. A tuning method according to claim 1 further comprising a step of electronically varying the capacity of the other of said capacitors to select a range of frequencies of said oscillation.

3. A tuning method according to claim 2 wherein each of said capacitors is a varactor, and each of said steps of electronically varying capacity is accomplished by applying a voltage to a varactor.

4. A tuning method according to claim 2 further wherein said step of electronically varying capacity to select a frequency is accomplished by varying the capacity of said second capacitor.

5. A tuning method according to claim 2 further wherein said step of electronically varying capacity to select a range of frequencies is accomplished by varying the capacity of said first capacitor.

6. A voltage controlled oscillator providing an output frequency having a controllable modulation sensitivity curve, said oscillator comprising;

an active element with feedback for inducing an oscillatory signal having said output frequency and a tuning circuit coupled to said active element for varying said output frequency, said tuning circuit including fine tuning means and coarse tuning means;

said fine tuning means being series connected between said coarse tuning means and said active element and comprising a first means, connected to said active element, for transforming a reactance, and a first capacitive means serially connected thereto, said first capacitive means being variable by an applied voltage; and

said coarse tuning means being serially coupled to said fine tuning means and comprising a second means for transforming a reactance, and a second capacitive means, said second capacitive means being variable by an applied voltage.