Crystal oscillator with a temperature-compensating analog circuit

• US 5,883,550 A
• Filed: 04/15/1997
• Issued: 03/16/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mitsumi Electric Co., Ltd. (Minebea Mitsumi, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Mitsumi Electric Co., Ltd. (Minebea Mitsumi, Inc.)
• Inventors: Katoh, Hiromi, Watanabe, Shigemitsu
• Primary Examiner(s): KINKEAD, ARNOLD M
• Application Number:
  US08/839,657
• Time in Patent Office: 700 Days
• Field of Search: 331/176, 331/177 V, 331/158, 331/66, 331/116 R
• US Class Current: 331/176
• CPC Class Codes: H03B 5/32 being a piezoelectric resonator selection of piezoelectric material H10N30/00
• CPC Class Codes: H03L 1/023 by using voltage variable capacitance diodes

Abstract

A temperature-compensated quartz oscillator comprises a stabilized power supply circuit (1) for supplying a constant voltage, an oscillation circuit (2) comprising a quartz resonator (21) and a varicap (22), a temperature detecting circuit (3) for producing a detected voltage signal (V_Temp) corresponding to an oscillator part temperature by the use of the temperature-voltage characteristic of a temperature detecting element located in the vicinity of the oscillation circuit (2), and a temperature characteristic compensating portion (4) for producing through analog processing of the detected voltage signal (V_Temp) a varicap control voltage signal (V_VR) to be supplied to the varicap (22).

Claims

1. A crystal oscillator of a temperature compensating type, comprising:

an oscillator circuit comprising;

a crystal element having a natural resonant frequency, said natural resonant frequency being a particular frequency at a particular temperature and having a frequency-temperature response where said natural resonant frequency is accompanied with a frequency fluctuation from said particular frequency which is dependent on a temperature variation from said particular temperature so that a temperature response of a frequency fluctuation ratio to said particular frequency is represented by a first cubic curve of a positive cubic coefficient with an inflection point at said particular temperature, and

a varicap diode having a variable capacitance controlled by a varicap control voltage level of a varicap control signal applied thereto,

said variable capacitance of said varicap diode having a particular capacitance at a particular varicap control voltage level of said varicap control signal applied thereto and having a capacitance-voltage response such that said variable capacitance varies in inverse proportion to said varicap control voltage level varied,

said oscillator circuit oscillating at an oscillating frequency generally determined by said natural resonant frequency and controlled by said varicap diode, and

said oscillating frequency of said oscillator circuit having a predetermined frequency when said oscillation temperature is at a predetermined oscillation temperature and when said variable capacitance is at a predetermined capacitance, said oscillating frequency having a frequency-capacitance response where said oscillating frequency has a frequency deviation from said predetermined frequency in response to variation of said variable capacitance so that a frequency deviation rate to said predetermined frequency changes in inverse proportion to said variable capacitance varied;

a temperature detecting circuit comprising a temperature sensor disposed in the vicinity of said oscillator circuit, said temperature detecting circuit detecting, as an oscillation temperature, a temperature circumferential of said oscillator circuit to produce, as a detected voltage signal, a voltage signal with a voltage level, as a detection voltage level, said detected voltage signal having a predetermined detection voltage level when said oscillation temperature is at said predetermined oscillation temperature, said detected voltage signal varying, in said detection voltage level, in linear proportion to variation of said oscillation temperature; and

a temperature compensating circuit for analog-processing said detecting voltage signal to produce said varicap control signal having said varicap control voltage level, said varicap control signal having a predetermined varicap control voltage level when said oscillation temperature is at said predetermined oscillation temperature, said varicap control voltage level varying in response to said detected voltage signal varying dependent on variation of said oscillation temperature along a second cubic curve of a predetermined negative cubic coefficient with an inflection point at the predetermined varicap control voltage level, said varicap control signal being applied to said varicap diode to thereby control said variable capacitance to maintain said oscillating frequency stable against variation of said oscillation temperature;

said temperature compensating circuit comprising;

converted voltage signal producing means responsive to said detected voltage signal for producing a converted voltage signal, said converted voltage signal being a zero voltage level when said detected voltage signal represents said predetermined detection voltage level, and having a converted voltage level varying in response to variation of said detection voltage level of said detected voltage signal along a third cubic curve having no turning value with an inflection point at said zero voltage level;

basic voltage signal producing means for producing a basic voltage signal, said basic voltage signal having a predetermined basic voltage level corresponding to said predetermined varicap control voltage level;

set voltage signal producing means for producing a set voltage signal, said set voltage signal having a set voltage level equal to said predetermined detection voltage level; and

varicap control signal producing means for comparing said detected voltage signal and said set voltage signal to produce a voltage difference signal, and combining said voltage differential signal, said converted voltage signal, and said basic voltage signal to produce said varicap control signal which has, as said predetermined varicap control voltage level, a voltage level equal to the basic voltage at said predetermined oscillation temperature.

2. A crystal oscillator as claimed in claim 1, wherein said varicap control signal producing means includes said converted voltage signal and said voltage difference signal before being combined with said basic voltage signal, in order to make said varicap control signal have said predetermined negative cubic coefficient.

3. A crystal oscillator as claimed in claim 1, wherein said converted voltage level varies along said third cubic curve which has a positive curve coefficient.

4. A crystal oscillator as claimed in claim 1, wherein said converted voltage level varies along said third cubic curve which has a negative cubic coefficient.

5. A crystal oscillator as claimed in claim 4, wherein said converted voltage signal producing means comprises:

a first differential amplifier comprising first and second transistors having individual first and second bases serving as two input terminals, said first base being supplied with a first reference voltage signal of a voltage level lower than said predetermined detection voltage level while said second base being supplied with said detected voltage signal, said first transistor having a first collector through which a first collector current flows;

a second differential amplifier comprising third and fourth transistors with individual third and fourth bases serving as two input terminals of the second differential amplifier, said third base being supplied with a second reference voltage signal of a voltage level higher than said predetermined detection voltage level while said fourth base bing supplied with said detected voltage signal, said fourth transistor having a second collector through which a second collector current flows;

current combining means connected to said first and said second collector of the first and the fourth transistors for combining said first and second collector current by subtracting said second collector current from said first collector current to produce a current combination signal, said current combination signal having a current level varying corresponding to said converted voltage signal; and

a current-to-voltage conversion resistor responsive to said current combination signal for producing said converted voltage signal.

6. A crystal oscillator as claimed in claim 5, wherein said current combining means comprises a current mirror circuit having at least two transistors.

7. A crystal oscillator as claimed in claim 5, wherein said temperature detecting circuit produces said detected voltage signal having said detection voltage level varying along a straight line having a negative linear coefficient in response to variation of said oscillation temperature.

8. A crystal oscillator as claimed in claim 7, wherein said temperature detecting circuit is adjusted so that said predetermined detection voltage level is equal to said predetermined varicap control voltage level.

9. A crystal oscillator as claimed in claim 8, wherein said basic voltage signal producing means may also serve as said set voltage signal producing means so that said basic voltage signal also provides said set voltage signal.

10. A crystal oscillator as claimed in claim 9, wherein said varicap control signal producing means comprises:

first signal combining means for combining said converted voltage signal, said detected voltage signal and said basic voltage signal such that said converted voltage level is subtracted from said predetermined basic voltage level and said detected voltage level is further subtracted from an antecedent subtracted resultant, to produce a first combined voltage signal;

signal amplifying means for amplifying said first combined voltage signal with a predetermined amplification factor inherent thereto, to produce an amplified voltage signal representative of an amplified voltage level; and

second signal combining means for combining said basic voltage signal and said amplified voltage signal such that said predetermined basic voltage level is added to said amplified voltage level, to produce a second combined voltage signal as said varicap control signal.

11. A crystal oscillator as claimed in claim 9, wherein said varicap control signal producing means comprises:

first signal combining means for combining said converted voltage signal and said detected voltage signal such that said converted voltage level is added to said detected voltage level, to produce a first combined voltage signal; and

an inverted amplifier comprising a first and a second resistor and an operational amplifier, said operational amplifier having an output terminal to produce said varicap control signal, an inverting input terminal connected to the output terminal through the first resistor, said inverting input terminal being connected to the second resistor and being supplied with said first combined voltage signal through the second resistor, and a non-inverting input terminal supplied with said basic voltage signal.

12. A crystal oscillator as claimed in claim 9, wherein said varicap control signal producing means comprises:

first signal combining means for combining said basic voltage signal and said detected voltage signal such that said detected voltage level is subtracted from said predetermined basic voltage level, to produce a first combined voltage signal;

signal amplifying means for amplifying said first combined voltage signal with a predetermined amplification factor inherent thereto, to produce an amplified voltage signal representative of an amplified voltage level; and

second signal combining means for combining said converted voltage signal, said basic voltage signal, and said amplified voltage signal such that said predetermined basic voltage level is added to said amplified voltage level followed by subtracting said converted voltage level therefrom, to produce a second combined voltage signal as said varicap control signal.

13. A crystal oscillator as claimed in claim 9, wherein said varicap control signal producing means comprises:

an inverted amplifier comprising a first and a second resistor and an operational amplifier, said operational amplifier having an output terminal to produce an amplified voltage signal representative of an amplified voltage level, an inverting input terminal connected to the output terminal through the first resistor, said inverting input terminal being connected to the second resistor and being supplied with said detected voltage signal through the second resistor, and a non-inverting input terminal supplied with said basic voltage signal; and

signal combining means for combining said converted voltage signal and said amplified voltage signal such that said converted voltage level is subtracted from said amplified voltage level, to produce a combined voltage signal as said varicap control voltage signal.

14. A crystal oscillator as claimed in claim 13, wherein said first resistor also serves as a current-to-voltage conversion resistor.

15. A crystal oscillator as claimed in claim 9, further comprising:

a stabilized power supply circuit for supplying a constant voltage; and

a detected temperature offset adjusting circuit connected to said stabilized power supply circuit and to said temperature detecting circuit, and comprising a detected temperature offset adjusting element for adjusting said predetermined detection voltage level to said predetermined basic voltage level.

16. A crystal oscillator as claimed in claim 15, wherein said detected temperature offset adjusting element comprises a variable resistor.

17. A crystal oscillator as claim in claim 1, further comprising:

a stabilized power supply circuit for supplying a constant voltage; and

a control voltage offset adjusting circuit connected to said stabilized power supply circuit and to said basic voltage signal producing means, and comprising a control voltage offset adjusting element for adjusting said predetermined basic voltage level to said predetermined varicap control voltage level.

18. A crystal oscillator as claimed in claim 17, wherein said control voltage offset adjusting element comprises a variable resistor.

19. A crystal oscillator as claimed in claim 5, further comprising:

a stabilized power supply circuit for supplying a constant voltage; and

reference voltage producing means connected to said stabilized power supply circuit and to said first and said second differential amplifiers, for producing a first and a second reference voltage as said first and said second reference voltage signals into said first and said second differential amplifiers, respectively.

20. A crystal oscillator as claimed in claim 19, wherein said reference voltage producing means comprises a voltage dividing circuit comprising at least three resistors and being connected between said stabilized power supply circuit and ground to produce at least two different voltages one of which has a greater voltage level and is used as said second reference voltage while another one of which has a smaller voltage level and is used as said first reference voltage.

21. A crystal oscillator as claimed in claim 20, wherein at least one of said at least three resistors comprises a variable resistor.