Frequency-controllable oscillator

• US 7,332,944 B2
• Filed: 08/26/2005
• Issued: 02/19/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Asahi Kasei Microsystems Co., Ltd. (Asahi Kasei Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Asahi Kasei Microsystems Co., Ltd. (Asahi Kasei Corporation)
• Inventors: Fujita, Takeshi, Hirose, Hideaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Wells; Kenneth B.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ENGLUND, TERRY LEE
• Application Number:
  US11/211,944
• Publication Number:
  US 20050280457A1
• Time in Patent Office: 907 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 327/113
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 7/126 Circuits, methods or arrangements for laser control or stabilisation
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/04123 in field-effect transistor switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/6872 using complementary field-effect transistors
• CPC Class Codes: H03L 7/02 using a frequency discriminator comprising a passive frequency-determining element

Abstract

A frequency-controllable oscillator, having an oscillation device in which the oscillation frequency is controlled on the basis of a feedback current or voltage; a constant current source circuit; a charge device which charges a capacitor with a constant current from the constant current source circuit on the basis of an oscillation output from the oscillation device; and a control device which generates the current or voltage for control of the oscillation frequency of the oscillation device on the basis of electric charge stored in the capacitor and a predetermined reference value and which includes an integrator formed of an operational amplifier and an integrating capacitor, the Integrator performs integration on the basis of the charged voltage across the capacitor and the predetermined reference value, and the current or voltage for control of the oscillation frequency of the oscillation device is generated on the basis of an integrated output from the integrator.

Claims

1. A frequency-controllable oscillator, comprising:

oscillation means in which the oscillation frequency is controlled on the basis of a feedback current or voltage;

a constant current source circuit;

charge means which charges a capacitor with a constant current from said constant current source circuit on the basis of an oscillation output from said oscillation means; and

control means which generates the current or voltage for control of the oscillation frequency of said oscillation means on the basis of electric charge stored in said capacitor and a predetermined reference value and which includes an integrator formed of an operational amplifier and an integrating capacitor, said integrator performs integration on the basis of the charged voltage across said capacitor and the predetermined reference value, and the current or voltage for control of the oscillation frequency of said oscillation means is generated on the basis of an integrated output from said integrator.

2. The oscillator according to claim 1, wherein said constant current source circuit generates the constant current on the basis of a bandgap voltage.

3. The oscillator according to claim 1, wherein said oscillation means comprises a current-controlled oscillator;

said control means further includes a voltage-current conversion circuit which converts the output from said integrator into a current; and

an output current from said voltage-current conversion circuit is supplied to said current-controlled oscillator.

4. The oscillator according to claim 1, wherein said constant current source circuit is arranged so that the constant current generated therein is variable according to the value of a resistance, and the oscillation frequency of said oscillation means is changed on the basis of change of said value of the resistance.

5. The oscillator according to claim 1, wherein a frequency divider which divides the frequency of the oscillation output from said oscillation means is interposed between said oscillation means and said control means.

6. The oscillator according to claim 5, wherein said frequency divider is arranged so that its division ratio is variable, and the oscillation frequency is changed on the basis of the division ratio.