Multiple frequency ring oscillator

• US 5,208,557 A
• Filed: 02/18/1992
• Issued: 05/04/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Inventors: Kersh, David V. III
• Primary Examiner(s): Grimm, Siegfried H.
• Application Number:
  US07/837,521
• Time in Patent Office: 441 Days
• Field of Search: 331/57, 331/74, 331/179, 307/296.2
• US Class Current: 331/57
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 3/0315 Ring oscillators
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 3/354 Astable circuits

Abstract

A multiple frequency oscillator responds to a control signal to selectively produce an output signal having a first frequency or a second frequency. The oscillator includes a plurality of inverter stages (48₁ -48₅) with the input of each inverter stage coupled to the output of another inverter stage. At least one of the inverter stages includes first and second transistors (50,51) having current paths connected in parallel, a third transistor (52) having a current path connected in series with the current paths of the first and second transistors (50, 51) between a first voltage source (Vdd) and the inverter stage output, and a fourth transistor (53) having a current path connected between the inverter stage output and a second voltage source (Vss). The control electrodes of the first, third, and fourth transistors (50, 52, 53) are connected to the input of the inverter stage. A control signal controls the conductivity of the second transistor (51) to select the frequency of output signal of the oscillator (44).

Claims

1. A multiple frequency oscillator, comprising:

a plurality of inverter stages, each inverter stage including an input and an output, the input of each inverter stage coupled to the output of at least one other inverter stage, one of said inverter stage outputs supplying an oscillator output signal;

at least one of said inverter stages having an input for receiving a control signal, said control signal selectively having a first state or a second state, said at least one inverter stage responsive to said first state to cause said oscillator output signal to have a first frequency and responsive to said second state to cause said oscillator output signal to have a second frequency different from said first frequency, said at least one inverter stage including a plurality of parallel current paths, at least one of said current paths being non-conductive in response to said first state of said control signal and conductive in response to said second state of said control signal.

2. The multiple frequency oscillator of claim 1, in which said at least one current path includes a transistor, said transistor being non-conductive in response to said first state of said control signal and conductive in response to said second state of said control signal.

3. The multiple frequency oscillator of claim 1, in which said at least one inverter stage includes:

first and second transistors having current paths connected in parallel;

a third transistor having a current path connected in series with the current paths of said first and second transistors between a first voltage source and the output of said at least one inverter stage;

a fourth transistor having a current path connected between said inverter stage output and a second voltage source;

the input of said at least one inverter stage coupled to control electrodes of said fourth transistor and at least one of said first and third transistors;

said second transistor having a control electrode for receiving said control signal, said second transistor being non-conductive in response to said control signal having said first state and conductive in response to said control signal having said second state.

4. A multiple frequency oscillator for use on an integrated circuit selectively operable in a standby mode or an active mode, comprising:

a plurality of inverter stages, each inverter stage including an input and an output, the input of each inverter stage coupled to the output of at least one other inverter stage, one of said inverter stage outputs supplying an oscillator output signal;

at least one of said inverter stages having an input for receiving a control signal, said control signal having a first stage in the standby mode or a second state in the active mode, said at least one inverter stage responsive to said first state to cause said oscillator output signal to have a first frequency and responsive to said second state to cause said oscillator output signal to have a second frequency different from said first frequency, said at least one inverter stage including a plurality of transistors having parallel current paths, at least one of said transistors being non-conductive in response to said first state of said control signal and conductive in response to said second state of said control signal.

5. A multiple frequency oscillator, comprising:

a plurality of inverter stages, each inverter stage including an input and an output, the input of each inverter stage coupled to the output of another inverter stage, one of said inverter stage outputs supplying an oscillator output signal;

at least one of said inverter stages including;

first and second transistors having current paths connected in parallel;

a third transistor having a current path connected in series with the current paths of said first and second transistors between a first voltage source and the output of said at least one inverter stage;

a fourth transistor having a current path connected between said inverter stage output and a second voltage source;

the input of said at least one inverter stage coupled to control electrodes of said fourth transistor and at least one of said first and third transistors;

said second transistor having a control electrode for receiving a first control signal having a first state and a second state, said second transistor being non-conductive in response to said first control signal having said first state and conductive in response to said first control signal having said second state.

6. The multiple frequency oscillator of claim 5, in which said first voltage source is a source of ground.

7. The multiple frequency oscillator of claim 5, in which said second voltage source is a source of positive voltage.

8. The multiple frequency oscillator of claim 5, in which there are 2n+1 inverter stages, where n is an integer greater than or equal to 1.

9. The multiple frequency oscillator of claim 5, in which the input of said at least one inverter stage is coupled to the control electrodes of said first and third transistors.

10. The multiple frequency oscillator of claim 5, in which the input of said at least one inverter stage is coupled to the control electrode of said third transistor, the control electrode of said first transistor receiving a second control signal having a first state and a second state, said first transistor being non-conductive in response to said second control signal having said first state and conductive in response to said second control signal having said second state.

11. The multiple frequency oscillator of claim 5, further including fifth and sixth transistors having current paths connected in parallel, said current path of said fourth transistor connected in series with the current paths of said fifth and sixth transistors between said second voltage source and said inverter stage output, said sixth transistor having a control electrode for receiving the complement of said first control signal, said sixth transistor being non-conductive in response to said first control signal having said first state and conductive in response to said first control signal having said second state.

12. The multiple frequency oscillator of claim 11, in which the input of said at least one inverter stage is coupled to control electrodes of said first, third, and fifth transistors.

13. The multiple frequency oscillator of claim 11, in which the input of said at least one inverter stage is coupled to the control electrode of said third transistor, the control electrode of said first transistor receiving a second control signal having a first state and a second state and a control electrode of said fifth transistor receiving the complement of said second control signal, said first and fifth transistors being non-conductive in response to said second control signal having said first state and conductive in response to said second control signal having said second state.

14. The multiple frequency oscillator of claim 13, further including:

a seventh transistor having a current path coupled in parallel with the current paths of said first and second transistors and a control electrode for receiving a third control signal having a first state and a second state;

an eighth transistor having a current path coupled in parallel with the current paths of said fifth and sixth transistors and a control electrode for receiving the complement of said third control signal, said seventh and eighth transistors being non-conductive in response to said third control signal having said first state and conductive in response to said third control signal having said second state.

15. The multiple frequency oscillator of claim 5, in which said first, second, third, and fourth transistors are field effect transistors.

16. The multiple frequency oscillator of claim 5, in which said first, second, and third transistors are of a first conductivity type and said fourth transistor is of a second conductivity type opposite said first conductivity type.

17. The multiple frequency oscillator of claim 16, in which said first, second, and third transistors are n-channel transistors and said fourth transistors is a p-channel transistor.

18. The multiple frequency oscillator of claim 5, in which said oscillator output signal has a first frequency when said first control signal has said first state and a second frequency when said first control signal has said second state, said first frequency being less than said second frequency.

19. A voltage generator for supplying a bias voltage to a node in an integrated circuit, comprising:

a multiple frequency oscillator for producing an output signal having a frequency selected in response to at least one control signal; and

a charge pump responsive to said output signal for supplying said bias voltage to said node;

said multiple frequency oscillator including;

a plurality of inverter stages, each inverter stage including an input and an output, the input of each inverter stage coupled to the output of at least one other inverter stage, one of said inverter stage outputs supplying said output signal;

at least one of said inverter stages having an input for receiving said control signal, said control signal selectively having a first state or a second state, said at least one inverter stage responsive to said first state to cause said output signal to have a first frequency and responsive to said second state to cause said output signal to have a second frequency different from said first frequency, said at least one inverter stage including a plurality of parallel current paths, at least one of said current paths being non-conductive in response to said first state of said control signal and conductive in response to said second state of said control signal.

20. The voltage generator of claim 19, in which said control signal has said first state when said integrated circuit operates in a standby mode and said second state when said integrated circuit operates in a standby mode and said second state when said integrated circuit operates in an active mode.

21. The voltage generator of claim 19, in which said at least one current path includes a transistor, said transistor being non-conductive in response to said first state of said control signal and conductive in response to said second state of said control signal.

22. The voltage generator of claim 19, in which said at least one inverter stage includes:

first and second transistors having current paths connected in parallel;

a third transistor having a current path connected in series with the current paths of said first and second transistors between a first voltage source and the output of said at least one inverter stage;

a fourth transistor having a current path connected between said inverter stage output and a second voltage source;

the input of said at least one inverter stage coupled to control electrodes of said fourth transistor and at least one of said first and third transistors;

said second transistor having a control electrode for receiving said control signal, said second transistor being non-conductive in response to said control signal having said first state and conductive in response to said control signal having said second state.

23. A multiple frequency oscillator, comprising:

a plurality of inverter stages, each inverter stage including an input and an output, the input of each inverter stage coupled to the output of at least one other inverter stage, one of said inverter stage outputs supplying an oscillator output signal;

at least one of said inverter stages having a frequency control circuit connected between a first voltage source and the output of said at least one inverter stage, said frequency control circuit receiving a first control signal selectively having a first state or a second state, said frequency control circuit having a first resistance in response to said first state to cause said oscillator output signal to have a first frequency and having a second resistance less than said first resistance in response to said second state to cause said oscillator output signal to have a second frequency greater than said first frequency;

said at least one inverter stage including;

a first transistor having a current path connected in parallel with said frequency control circuit;

a second transistor having a current path connected in series with the current path of said first transistor between said first voltage source and the output of said at least one inverter stage;

a third transistor having a current path connected between the output of said at least one inverter stage and a second voltage source;

the input of said at least one inverter stage coupled to control electrodes of said third transistor and at least one of said first and second transistors.

24. The multiple frequency oscillator of claim 23, in which said frequency control circuit includes a fourth transistor having a current path connected in parallel with the current path of said first transistor and a control electrode for receiving said first control signal, said fourth transistor being non-conductive in response to said first control signal having said first state and conductive in response to said first control signal having said second state.

25. The multiple frequency oscillator of claim 23, in which the input of said at least one inverter stage is coupled to the control electrodes of said first and second transistors.

26. The multiple frequency oscillator of claim 23, in which the control electrode of said first transistor receives a second control signal selectively having a first state or a second state, said first transistor being non-conductive in response to said second control signal having said first state and conductive in response to said second control signal having said second state.

27. The multiple frequency oscillator of claim 23, in which said first voltage source is a source of ground.

28. The multiple frequency oscillator of claim 23, in which said first voltage source is a source of positive voltage.

29. A multiple frequency oscillator, comprising:

a plurality of inverter stages, each inverter stage including an input and an output, the input of each inverter stage coupled to the output of at least one other inverter stage, one of said inverter stage outputs supplying an oscillator output signal;

at least one of said inverter stages receiving a first control signal, said first control signal selectively having a first state or a second state, said at least one inverter stage responsive to said first state to cause said oscillator output signal to have a first frequency and responsive to said second state to cause said oscillator output signal to have a second frequency different from said first frequency, the input of said at least one inverter stage remaining at a substantially constant capacitance irrespective of the state of said first control signal, said at least one inverter stage including a frequency control circuit connected between a first voltage source and the output of said at least one inverter stage, said frequency control circuit receiving said first control signal, said frequency control circuit having a first resistance in response to said first state to cause said oscillator output signal to have a first frequency and having a second resistance less than said first resistance in response to said second state to cause said oscillator output signal to have a second frequency greater than said first frequency;

said at least one inverter stage including;

a first transistor having a current path connected in parallel with said frequency control circuit;

a second transistor having a current path connected in series with the current path of said first transistor between said first voltage source and the output of said at least one inverter stage;

a third transistor having a current path connected between the output of said at least one inverter stage and a second voltage source;

the input of said at least one inverter stage coupled to control electrodes of said third transistor and at least one of said first and second transistors.

30. The multiple frequency oscillator of claim 29, in which said frequency control circuit includes a fourth transistor having a current path connected in parallel with the current path of said first transistor and a control electrode for receiving said first control signal, said fourth transistor being non-conductive in response to said first control signal having said first state and conductive in response to said first control signal having said second state.

31. The multiple frequency oscillator of claim 29, in which the input of said at least one inverter stage is coupled to the control electrodes of said first and second transistors.

32. The multiple frequency oscillator of claim 29, in which the control electrode of said first transistor receives a second control signal selectively having a first state or a second state, said first transistor being non-conductive in response to said second control signal having said first state and conductive in response to said second control signal having said second state.

33. The multiple frequency oscillator of claim 29, in which said first voltage source is a source of ground.

34. The multiple frequency oscillator of claim 29, in which said first voltage source is a source of positive voltage.