Saw stabilized FSK oscillator circuit

• US 5,793,261 A
• Filed: 04/10/1997
• Issued: 08/11/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: RF Monolithics, Inc. (Murata Manufacturing Co Limited)
• Original Assignee: RF Monolithics, Inc. (Murata Manufacturing Co Limited)
• Inventors: Boling, Harry O. III
• Primary Examiner(s): Grimm, Siegfried H.
• Application Number:
  US08/835,664
• Time in Patent Office: 488 Days
• Field of Search: 331/107 A, 332/100, 332/102, 375/272, 375/306
• US Class Current: 332/102
• CPC Class Codes: H03B 5/326 the resonator being an acoustic wave device, e.g. SAW or BAW device
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/12 Modulator circuits; Transmitter circuits

Abstract

A digitally-controlled SAW stabilized FSK oscillator circuit having an oscillator and a single-port SAW resonator with a predetermined circuit resonant frequency and being coupled to the oscillator for establishing a first oscillator output frequency, F_SAW. A bipolar transistor has at least one predetermined shunt capacitance value, C, that is placed in electrical series with the single-port SAW resonator when the transistor is in the OFF state and a closed switch that replaces the capacitance when the transistor is in the ON state to cause the first frequency, F_SAW, to be generated by the oscillator when the transistor is ON and to cause a second frequency, F₂, to be generated by the oscillator when the transistor is in the OFF state.

Claims

1. A digitally-controlled SAW stabilized FSK oscillator circuit comprising:

an oscillator;

a single-port SAW resonator having a predetermined circuit resonant frequency and being coupled to the oscillator for establishing a first oscillator output frequency, F_SAW ; and

a transistor having an ON and an OFF state, only said transistor being coupled in series with the single-port SAW resonator for establishing the first frequency, F_SAW, when the transistor is in the ON state and causing said oscillator to shift its output frequency from the first frequency, F_SAW, to a second frequency, F₂, when said transistor is in its OFF state.

2. A SAW stabilized FSK oscillator circuit as in claim 1 wherein said transistor comprises:

a bipolar transistor having at least one inherent internal capacitance value, C; and

said bipolar transistor having an ON state in which it is a switch to couple the SAW resonator to ground to cause said first frequency, F_SAW, to be generated by said oscillator and a second OFF position in which said at least one internal capacitance replaces said switch in electrical series with said SAW resonator to cause said second frequency, F₂, to be generated by said oscillator.

3. A SAW stabilized FSK oscillator circuit as in claim 2 wherein said bipolar transistor comprises:

a transistor having a base, an emitter, and a collector;

an internal switch being formed that connects said emitter and said collector when said transistor is in the ON state;

said at least one internal capacitance being a shunt capacitance replacing said switch between said emitter and said collector when said transistor is in the OFF state; and

a digital signal source for providing digital signals having first and second voltage levels, said digital signal source being connected to said transistor base for turning said transistor ON when said first voltage level is received to establish the oscillator output frequency, F_SAW, and for turning said transistor OFF when said second voltage level is received to replace said switch with said internal capacitance in electrical series with said SAW resonator to establish the oscillator output frequency, F₂.

4. A SAW stabilized FSK oscillator circuit as in claim 3 further comprising a pulsewidth modulation signal source being used as said digital signal source.

5. A digitally-controlled SAW stabilized FSK oscillator circuit as in claim 1 wherein said oscillator is a Colpitts oscillator.

6. A digitally-controlled SAW stabilized FSK oscillator circuit as in claim 4 wherein said oscillator is a Colpitts oscillator.

7. A digitally-controlled SAW stabilized FSK oscillator circuit as in claim 3 further comprising:

a power source;

a first resistor coupling said power source to the series connection between said transistor and said SAW resonator; and

a second resistor coupled to said first resistor to form a voltage divider that causes a predetermined voltage to be applied to said transistor/SAW resonator series connection thereby determining at least one internal capacitance value of said transistor.

8. A digitally-controlled SAW stabilized FSK oscillator circuit as in claim 3 further including:

an RF ground potential by-pass capacitor coupled between the base of said transistor and said ground potential for preventing RF oscillator signals from reaching said digital signal source; and

said RF by-pass capacitor being of a size to have no effect on the oscillator frequency.

9. A digitally-controlled SAW stabilized FSK oscillator circuit as in claim 3 further comprising:

a ground potential;

an RF by-pass filter circuit coupled to the base of said transistor, said by-pass filter including first and second series connected resistors and a capacitor coupling the junction of said series coupled resistor to ground potential; and

said capacitor having no effect on the oscillator frequency.

10. A SAW stabilized FSK oscillator for use in an FSK transmitter comprising:

an oscillator;

a single-port SAW resonator having a predetermined circuit resonant frequency and being coupled to the oscillator for establishing a first oscillator output frequency, F_SAW ;

a bipolar transistor in electrical series with said single-port SAW resonator, said bipolar transistor having at least one inherent internal shunt capacitance value, C;

said transistor having a first conducting state forming a closed switch to cause said first frequency, F_SAW, to be generated by said oscillator and a second non-conducting state in which said at least one inherent internal shunt capacitance replaces said closed switch and is coupled in electrical series with said SAW resonator to cause said second frequency, F₂, to be generated by said oscillator;

a digital data source being coupled to said bipolar transistor for causing said bipolar transistor to change between said first and second states; and

an impedance-matching circuit coupled to said oscillator output for providing an FSK output to be transmitted at RF frequencies.

11. A SAW stabilized FSK oscillator circuit as in claim 10 further comprising a pulsewidth modulation signal source being used as said digital data source.

12. A digitally-controlled SAW stabilized FSK oscillator circuit as in claim 10 further comprising:

a power source;

a first resistor coupling said power source to the series connection between said transistor and said SAW resonator; and

a second resistor coupled to said first resistor to form a voltage divider that causes a predetermined voltage to be applied to said transistor/SAW resonator series connection thereby determining the at least one internal shunt capacitance value of said transistor.