Calibration circuit

• US 6,737,851 B1
• Filed: 03/04/2003
• Issued: 05/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Marvell Asia Pte Limited (Marvell Technology Group Limited)
• Original Assignee: Marvell International Limited (Marvell Technology Group Limited)
• Inventors: Roo, Pierte
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuneo, Kamand
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Jimmy
• Application Number:
  US10/379,116
• Time in Patent Office: 441 Days
• Field of Search: 324/76.28, 324/158.1, 324/601, 324/76.29, 324/765, 438/14, 438/17, 438/18, 702/85, 702/106, 702/107, 327/553, 327/558, 327/552, 327/559, 330/305, 333/172, 333/173, 333/176
• US Class Current: 324/76.28
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 11/1291 Current or voltage controlled filters
• CPC Class Codes: H03J 2200/10 Tuning of a resonator by means of digitally controlled capacitor bank

Abstract

An apparatus is provided to calibrate a target electrical circuit. The target electrical circuit includes at least a first variable capacitor and a first resistive element. The apparatus includes a second variable capacitor proportionally matched to the first variable capacitor. The apparatus also includes a measurement branch having at least a second resistive element proportionally matched to the first resistive element, and a current generator to generate a current proportionally matched to a predicted current of the target circuit. The apparatus also includes a digital loop to generate a digital code based on at least a comparison between a first voltage signal of the measurement branch and a predetermined voltage.

Claims

1. An electrical circuit comprising:

a filter including at least a first variable capacitor and a second variable capacitor and at least a first and second resistor; and

a calibration circuit comprising;

a current source;

a transistor communicating in series with said current source, the transistor including a gate;

an integrator communicating with the gate of the transistor;

a third capacitor;

a first switch communicating between the integrator and the third capacitor;

a fourth variable capacitor;

a second switch communicating between the third capacitor and the fourth variable capacitor, the second switch having a closed position, wherein the third capacitor and the fourth variable capacitor are in a parallel arrangement when the second switch is in the closed position;

a third switch in parallel with the fourth variable capacitor;

a first current mirror communicating with each of the third switch, the fourth variable capacitor and the second switch, wherein the first current mirror mirrors the current source;

a second current mirror which proportionally mirrors the current source;

a third resistive element in series with the second current mirror; and

a digital loop communicating with each of the first, second, and fourth variable capacitors.

2. The electrical circuit according to claim 1, further comprising a first comparator having an output in communication with the digital loop, the first comparator comparing a voltage across the third resistive element with a predetermined voltage.

3. The electrical circuit according to claim 2, further comprising a fourth resistive element in communication between the second current mirror and the third resistive element, and a second comparator having an output in communication with the digital loop, wherein the second comparator compares a second voltage across the third resistive element and the fourth resistive element with a predetermined voltage.

4. The electrical circuit according to claim 3, wherein the digital loop generates a digital signal in response to the output of the first comparator and the second comparator.

5. The electrical circuit according to claim 4, wherein the digital signal is communicated to each of the three variable capacitors.

6. The electrical circuit according to claim 5, further comprising a first clock and a second clock.

7. The electrical circuit according to claim 6, wherein the first clock drives the first switch and the third switch and the second clock drives the second switch.

8. An electrical circuit comprising:

means for filtering including at least first means for providing varying capacitance, second means for providing varying capacitance, and at least first means for providing varying resistance and second means for providing varying resistance; and

means for calibrating including;

means for providing current;

means for switching in series with said means for providing current, the switching means including means for gating;

means for integrating in communication with the gating means;

third means for providing capacitance;

first switching means for switching in communication between the integrating means and the third means for providing capacitance;

fourth means for providing variable capacitance;

second switching means for switching in communication between the third means for providing capacitance and the fourth means for providing variable capacitance, the second switching means having a closed position, wherein the third capacitance means and the fourth variable capacitance means are in a parallel arrangement when the second switching means is in the closed position;

third switching means for switching that is in parallel with the fourth variable capacitance means;

first means for mirroring current in communication with each of the third switching means, the fourth variable capacitance means, and the second switching means, wherein the first mirroring means mirrors the means for providing current;

second means for mirroring which proportionally mirrors the means for providing current;

means for providing resistance in series with the second mirroring means; and

means for providing a digital code that communicates with at least each of the first, second, and fourth variable capacitance means.

9. The electrical circuit according to claim 8, further comprising a first means for comparing having an output in communication with the means for providing a digital code, the first comparing means comparing a voltage across the third resistance:

means with a predetermined voltage.

10. The electrical circuit according to claim 9, further comprising a fourth means for providing resistance communicating between the second mirroring means and the third resistance means, and a second means for comparing having an output in communication with the providing a digital code means, wherein the second comparing means compares a second voltage across the third resistance means and the fourth resistance element with a predetermined voltage.

11. The electrical circuit according to claim 10, wherein the digital code means generates a digital signal in response to the output of the first comparing means and the second comparing means.

12. The electrical circuit according to claim 11, wherein the digital signal is communicated to each of the first, second and fourth variable capacitance means.

13. The electrical circuit according to claim 8, further comprising first means for clocking and second means for clocking.

14. The electrical circuit according to claim 13, wherein the first clocking means clocks the first switching means and the third switching means and the second clocking means clocks the second switching means.

15. An integrated circuit comprising:

a first circuit to be calibrated and having a resistance and a first variable capacitance;

a second calibrating circuit having a second resistance and a second variable capacitance, said second circuit being disposed on the same substrate as said first circuit; and

circuitry concurrently producing a digital code to the first and second;

variable capacitance to calibrate said first circuit.

16. An integrated circuit comprising:

a first circuit to be calibrated and having a resistance and a first variable capacitance;

a second calibrating circuit having a second resistance and a second variable capacitance, said second circuit being disposed on the same substrate as said first circuit; and

means for concurrently producing a digital code to the first and second variable capacitance to calibrate said first circuit.