Multiphase output oscillator
First Claim
1. A multiphase output oscillator which comprises:
- a plurality of oscillator circuits coupled together to form a loop of serially coupled oscillator circuits,means for coupling each particular oscillator circuit in the loop to its respective serial predecessor oscillator circuit in the loop, the coupling means simultaneously providing each particular oscillator circuit with adjustment of frequency and/or phase of an oscillating signal of that particular oscillator circuit, dependent upon a respective difference between the phase of the oscillation signal in that particular oscillator circuit and a phase of the oscillation signal in its respective serial predecessor oscillator circuit, so as to maintain, in operation, said respective phase difference.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In a multiphase output oscillator a number of serially coupled oscillator circuits is organized in a loop. Each particular oscillator circuit is coupled to its serial successor in the loop, to provide adjustment of the phase of an oscillation signal of the successor oscillator circuit dependent upon a difference between the phase of the oscillation signal in the successor and the phase of an oscillation signal in the particular oscillator circuit. None of the oscillator circuits will oscillate freely: as each oscillator will adjust its successor all the way around the loop. Indirectly, each oscillator circuit thus influences all of the other oscillator circuits and ultimately over itself. The multiphase output oscillator as a whole will oscillate in a collective mode of oscillation wherein all oscillator circuits oscillate at the same frequency. Successive oscillator circuits along the loop will oscillate at respective fractions of the full oscillation period delayed from each other. These fractions will add up to an integer multiple of periods. The frequency of oscillation is substantially independent of the fractions and may be nearly the maximum attainable frequency of the individual oscillator circuits.
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Citations
32 Claims
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1. A multiphase output oscillator which comprises:
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a plurality of oscillator circuits coupled together to form a loop of serially coupled oscillator circuits, means for coupling each particular oscillator circuit in the loop to its respective serial predecessor oscillator circuit in the loop, the coupling means simultaneously providing each particular oscillator circuit with adjustment of frequency and/or phase of an oscillating signal of that particular oscillator circuit, dependent upon a respective difference between the phase of the oscillation signal in that particular oscillator circuit and a phase of the oscillation signal in its respective serial predecessor oscillator circuit, so as to maintain, in operation, said respective phase difference. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A multiphase oscillator comprising:
- a plurality of serially coupled oscillator circuits connected together in a loop circuit, each particular oscillator circuit having a coupling to its serial successor oscillator circuit in the loop circuit so that all of the oscillator circuits, at the same time, provide adjustment of frequency and/or phase of an oscillation signal of its successor oscillator circuit dependent upon a difference between the phase of the oscillation signal in the successor oscillator circuit and the phase of an oscillation signal in the particular oscillator circuit, so as to maintain, in operation, the phase difference.
- View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A multiphase output oscillator comprising:
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a plurality of oscillator sub-circuits serially coupled together in a first loop; each of the oscillator sub-circuits comprising an odd number of inverters coupled together to form a respective second loop of serially coupled inverters; each particular oscillator sub-circuit having at least a first one of its inverters in common with a respective serial predecessor oscillator sub-circuit of that particular oscillator sub-circuit in the first loop, and having at least a second one of its inverters, different from the first one, in common with a respective serial successor oscillator sub-circuit of that particular oscillator sub-circuit in the first loop. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29)
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30. A multiphase output oscillator comprising:
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a plurality of oscillator sub-circuits serially coupled together in a first loop; each of the oscillator sub-circuits comprising a first inverter coupled in a respective series circuit with a second inverter of its oscillator sub-circuit and a first inverter of one adjacent oscillator sub-circuit in the first loop to form a respective second loop including an odd number of serially coupled, inverters, and wherein said first inverter is serially coupled with first and second inverters of a second adjacent oscillator sub-circuit in the first loop to form a further second loop including an odd number of serially coupled inverters. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32)
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Specification