Voltage controlled oscillator operative in the monostable, astable or gated mode

Claim 1

AN OSCILLATOR COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION: (A) BISTABLE MEANS INCLUDING FIRST AND SECOND LEVEL SHIFTING TRANSISTORS CROSS-COUPLED RESPECTIVELY TO FIRST AND SECOND PAIRS OF PARALLEL CONNECTED CONTROL TRANSSISTORS, SAID CONTROL TRANSISTORS INCLUDING A HOLDING TRANSISTOR IN ONE PAIR DRIVEN BY CURRENT FROM ONE OF THE LEVEL SHIFTING TRANSISTORS WHEN SAID OSCILLATOR IS IN ONE OF ITS TWO CONDUCTIVE STATES AND A HOLDING TRANSISTOR IN THE OTHER PAIR DRIVEN BY CURRENT FROM THE OTHER LEVEL SHIFTING TRANSISTOR WHEN SAID OSCILLATOR IS SWITCHED TO THE OTHER OF ITS TWO CONDUCTIVE STATES; (B) FIRST AND SECOND IMPEDANCE MEANS CONNECTED RESPECTIVELY TO SAID FIRST AND SECOND LEVEL SHIFTING TRANSISTORS AND FURTHER CONNECTED BETWEEN A POINT OF REFERENCE POTENTIAL AND SAID FIRST AND SECOND PAIRS OF CONTROL TRANSISTORS FOR PROVIDING A CURRENT PATH TO SAID FIRST AND SECOND PAIRS OF CONTROL TRANSISTORS RESPECTIVELY, THE OTHER TRANSISTOR IN EACH PAIR CONTROL TRANSISTORS CONNECTABLE TO A SOURCE OF SWITCHING VOLTAGE AND ADAPTED TO BECOME BIASED INTO CONDUCTION AND DRAW CURRENT THROUGH ONE OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND IMPEDANCE MEANS RESPECTIVELY TO THEREBY CHANGE THE CONDUCTIVE STATE OF THE OSCILLATOR; AND (C) FIRST AND SECOND CURRENT SOURCES CONNECTED RESPECTIVELY BETWEEN SAID FIRST AND SECOND PAIRS OF CONTROL TRANSISTORS AND A VOLTAGE SUPPLY TERMINAL, SAID FIRST AND SECOND CURRENT SOURCES PROVIDING FIRST AND SECOND PATHS FOR CONSTANT CURRENT FROM A HOLDING TRANSISTOR IN EITHER SAID FIRST PAIR OF CONTROL TRANSISTORS OR SAID SECOND PAIR OF CONTROL TRANSISTORS WHEN SAID OSCILLATOR IS STABLE IN ONE OF ITS TWO CONDUCTIVE STATES.