Resonant circuit and a voltage-controlled oscillator

• US 7,183,870 B2
• Filed: 07/20/2004
• Issued: 02/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications Japan Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications Japan Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Takagi, Kotaro
• Primary Examiner(s): KINKEAD, ARNOLD M
• Application Number:
  US10/893,955
• Publication Number:
  US 20050030116A1
• Time in Patent Office: 952 Days
• Field of Search: 331/177.V, 331/117.R, 331/117.FE, 331/179, 331/36.C, 331/167
• US Class Current: 331/177.00V
• CPC Class Codes: H03B 2200/0062 Bias and operating point
• CPC Class Codes: H03B 5/1212 the amplifier comprising a pair of transistors, wherein an output terminal of each being connected to an input terminal of the other, e.g. a cross coupled pair
• CPC Class Codes: H03B 5/1228 the amplifier comprising one or more field effect transistors
• CPC Class Codes: H03B 5/1231 the amplifier comprising one or more bipolar transistors
• CPC Class Codes: H03B 5/1253 the transistors being field-effect transistors
• CPC Class Codes: H03B 5/1296 the feedback circuit comprising a transformer

Abstract

A voltage-controlled oscillator comprising a resonant circuit and MOS transistors which constitute a negative resistance circuit of a differential structure. The resonant circuit consists of an inductance element and a MOS variable capacitance element connected in parallel therewith. The MOS variable capacitance element is divided into plural pairs connected in parallel with each other. A voltage division circuit generates staircase different-step DC bias voltages to be applied respectively to the gates of the plural divided MOS transistors. The divided MOS variable capacitance elements have a common terminal to which a common control voltage is applied. The resonant circuit is capable of reducing a load on the control voltage generator and improving the characteristics of the voltage-controlled oscillator.

Claims

1. A resonant circuit, comprising;

an induction element; and

a MOS variable capacitance element connected in parallel with said induction element, wherein

said MOS variable capacitance element is divided into a plurality of elements which are connected in parallel with each other, and a plurality of bias terminals are provided for applying staircase different-step DC bias voltages respectively to gates of MOS transistors constituting the plural divided MOS variable capacitance elements, and

said plural MOS variable capacitance elements have a common terminal to which a common control voltage is applied.

2. The resonant circuit according to claim 1, wherein each of said subdivided variable capacitance elements consists of a pair of MOS transistors whose drains and sources are connected in common, and the common control voltage is applied to the drain-source junction.

3. A voltage-controlled oscillator,

a resonant circuit comprising an induction element and a MOS variable capacitance element connected in parallel with said induction element;

and

a negative resistance circuit of a differential structure connected to said resonant circuit,

wherein said MOS variable capacitance element consists of a plurality of divided MOS variable capacitance elements connected in parallel with each other and having a common tennis to which a common control voltage is applied,

said oscillator further having a means for generating staircase different-step DC bias voltages to be applied respectively to the gates of MOS transistors which constitute said plurality of divided MOS variable capacitance elements.

4. The voltage-controlled oscillator according to claim 3, wherein each of said divided MOS variable capacitance elements consists of a pair of MOS transistors whose drains and sources are connected in common, and the common control voltage is applied to the drain-source junction.

5. The voltage-controlled oscillator according to claim 3, wherein a fixed capacitance is inserted between the junction of each divided MOS variable capacitance element and said negative resistance circuit, and the gate of each subdivided MOS variable capacitance element, so as to separate each of said divided MOS variable capacitance elements from the DC voltage applied to said negative resistance circuit of a differential structure.

6. The voltage-controlled oscillator according to claim 3, wherein said means for generating staircase different-step DC bias voltages consists of a voltage division circuit having a plurality of series-connected resistors to divide a supply voltage.

7. The voltage-controlled oscillator according to claim 3, wherein said negative resistance circuit has a pair of MOS transistors, and the drain of one MOS transistor is connected to the gate of the other MOS transistor, and the drains of both MOS transistors are connected to the differential output end of said resonant circuit.

8. The voltage-controlled oscillator according to claim 7, further having a second negative resistance circuit connected between a power supply and said resonant circuit.