Power supply regulator circuit for voltage-controlled oscillator

• US 6,157,180 A
• Filed: 03/04/1999
• Issued: 12/05/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: National Semiconductor Corporation (Texas Instruments, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: National Semiconductor Corporation (Texas Instruments, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kuo, James R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Peter S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PATEL, RAJNIKANT B
• Application Number:
  US09/262,391
• Time in Patent Office: 642 Days
• Field of Search: 323/282, 323/312, 323/313, 323/268, 323/267, 323/314, 323/315, 327/237, 327/108, 331/57
• US Class Current: 323/282
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 3/242 with compensation for device parameters, e.g. channel width modulation, threshold voltage, processing, or external variations, e.g. temperature, loading, supply voltage
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 3/262 using field-effect transistors only
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 3/0322 with differential cells

Abstract

A power supply regulator circuit with increased rejection of variations and noise in power supply voltage which is particularly well suited to isolating a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) from such power supply variations and noise. The regulator circuit uses an operational amplifier connected as a voltage follower circuit to buffer the reference voltage provided as the regulated supply potential for the VCO. This buffered voltage is also used to establish the bias voltage across a current mirror circuit which is powered by the unregulated power supply and through which the supply current for the VCO flows. This circuit topography requires no compensation capacitance and, therefore, provides increased rejection of variations and noise in the power supply voltage.

Claims

1. An apparatus including a power supply regulator circuit with increased rejection of variations and noise in power supply voltage, comprising:

a power supply terminal configured to couple to a power supply and convey therefrom a supply voltage and a supply current;

a regulated circuit terminal configured to convey a regulated voltage and a first current;

a current replication circuit, coupled between said power supply and regulated circuit terminals, configured to receive said supply voltage, said supply current and said regulated voltage and in accordance therewith provide said first current and a second current, wherein said first and second currents are substantially mutually proportional; and

a voltage buffer circuit, coupled to said regulated circuit terminal, configured to receive and buffer a reference voltage and in accordance therewith provide said regulated voltage;

wherein variations and noise in said supply voltage appear as differences between said supply and regulated voltages across said current replication circuit and are thereby substantially prevented from appearing in said regulated voltage.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said current replication circuit comprises a current mirror circuit.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said current replication circuit comprises:

an input circuit branch, coupled to said power supply terminal, configured to receive a first portion of said supply current and in accordance therewith provide a bias voltage and said second current; and

an output circuit branch, coupled to said power supply terminal, said input circuit branch and said regulated circuit terminal, configured to receive a second portion of said supply current, said bias voltage and said regulated voltage and in accordance therewith provide said first current.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said voltage buffer circuit comprises a voltage follower circuit.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said voltage buffer circuit comprises an operational amplifier circuit.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a filter circuit, coupled to said regulated circuit terminal, configured to receive and filter said regulated voltage and in accordance therewith provide a filtered voltage.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a voltage-controlled oscillator circuit, coupled to said regulated circuit terminal, configured to receive said regulated voltage, said first current and a control voltage and in accordance therewith provide an oscillator signal with a frequency that varies in relation to said control voltage.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said voltage-controlled oscillator circuit comprises:

a voltage-to-current conversion circuit, coupled to said current replication circuit, configured to receive said control voltage and in accordance therewith conduct said first and second currents and in accordance therewith provide a third current that varies in relation to said control voltage; and

a current-controlled oscillator circuit, coupled to said voltage-to-current conversion circuit, configured to receive said third current and in accordance therewith provide said oscillator signal, wherein said oscillator signal frequency varies in relation to said third current.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said voltage-to-current conversion circuit comprises:

a voltage-to-current amplifier circuit configured to receive said control voltage, a portion of said first current and a portion of said second current and in accordance therewith provide a bias signal; and

a current mirror circuit, coupled to said voltage-to-current amplifier circuit, configured to receive another portion of said first current, another portion of said second current and said bias signal and in accordance therewith provide said third current.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said current-controlled oscillator circuit comprises a ring oscillator circuit.

11. An apparatus including a voltage-controlled oscillator with increased rejection of variations and noise in power supply voltage, comprising:

a power supply terminal configured to couple to a power supply and convey therefrom a supply voltage and a supply current;

a regulated circuit terminal configured to convey a regulated voltage and a first current;

a first current mirror circuit, coupled between said power supply and regulated circuit terminals, configured to receive said supply voltage, said supply current and said regulated voltage and in accordance therewith provide said first current and a second current, wherein said first and second currents are substantially mutually proportional;

a voltage buffer circuit, coupled to said regulated circuit terminal, configured to receive and buffer a reference voltage and in accordance therewith provide said regulated voltage; and

a voltage-controlled oscillator circuit, coupled to said regulated circuit terminal, configured to receive said regulated voltage, said first current and a control voltage and in accordance therewith provide an oscillator signal with a frequency that varies in relation to said control voltage;

wherein variations and noise in said supply voltage appear as differences between said supply and regulated voltages across said current mirror circuit and are thereby substantially prevented from appearing in said regulated voltage.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said first current mirror circuit comprises:

an input circuit branch, coupled to said power supply terminal, configured to receive a first portion of said supply current and in accordance therewith provide a bias voltage and said second current; and

an output circuit branch, coupled to said power supply terminal, said input circuit branch and said regulated circuit terminal, configured to receive a second portion of said supply current, said bias voltage and said regulated voltage and in accordance therewith provide said first current.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said voltage buffer circuit comprises a voltage follower circuit.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said voltage buffer circuit comprises an operational amplifier circuit.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said voltage-controlled oscillator circuit comprises:

a filter circuit configured to receive and filter said regulated voltage and in accordance therewith provide a filtered voltage;

a voltage-to-current conversion circuit, coupled to said filter circuit, configured to receive said filtered voltage and said control voltage and in accordance therewith conduct said first and second currents and in accordance therewith provide a third current that varies in relation to said control voltage; and

a current-controlled oscillator circuit, coupled to said voltage-to-current conversion circuit, configured to receive said third current and in accordance therewith provide said oscillator signal, wherein said oscillator signal frequency varies in relation to said third current.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said voltage-to-current conversion circuit comprises:

a voltage-to-current amplifier circuit configured to receive said control voltage, a portion of said first current and a portion of said second current and in accordance therewith provide a bias signal; and

a second current mirror circuit, coupled to said voltage-to-current amplifier circuit, configured to receive another portion of said first current, another portion of said second current and said bias signal and in accordance therewith provide said third current.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said current-controlled oscillator circuit comprises a ring oscillator circuit.