US3702446A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Voltage-controlled oscillator using complementary symmetry mosfet devices
Assignee: RCA Corp
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Filing: 1971-09-07
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Granted: 1972-11-07
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Expires: 1991-09-07
Abstract
Abstract A voltage-controlled oscillator that is compatible with integrated circuit techniques and comprises complementary symmetry MOSFET devices to provide linear operation over several frequency decades, and exhibits high input impedance and minimum power consumption. The frequency of operation is controlled by a current source which is controlled solely by an input voltage. The constant current source linearly charges a capacitor through a bridge circuit. The bridge circuit which includes two complementary MOSFET transistors in each arm is connected across the current source and arranged so that when one transistor in an arm switches on the diagonally opposite transistor, in the other arm, also switches on. The rising voltage across the capacitor is used to change the state of a bistable multivibrator when a given threshold voltage is reached. The output of the bistable multivibrator discharges the capacitor, causes the capacitor to be charged in the opposite direction and provides an output terminal for the voltage-controlled oscillator.
Inventors
- 👤 Goetz Wolfgang Steudel
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 09:24
CPC Classifications
H; H03; H03K; H03K7/00; H03K7/06
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 26
Claim 1
Independent Claim
234 words
A voltage-controlled oscillator comprising: a bridge circuit including first, second, third and fourth transistors, each of said transistors having a control electrode and two main electrodes, said main electrodes of said first and second transistors being serially coupled to form one arm of said bridge, and said main electrodes of said third and fourth transistors being serially coupled to form the other arm of said bridge; means for coupling a current source between a first terminal formed by the junction of the remaining main electrodes of said first and third transistors and a second terminal formed by the junction of the remaining main electrodes of said second and fourth transistors; a bistable circuit having a first input coupled to a third terminal formed by the junction of said first and second transistors and a second input coupled to a fourth terminal formed by the junction of said third and fourth transistors, a capacitive impedance coupling said first input to said second input, said bistable circuit changing state in response to input signals at said first and second inputs; means for coupling a first output of said bistable circuit to the control electrodes of said first and second transistors, and further coupling a complementary output of said bistable circuit to the control electrodes of said third and fourth transistors; and means for coupling an output terminal to one of said outputs of said bistable circuit.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
234 words
A voltage-controlled oscillator comprising: a bridge circuit including first, second, third and fourth transistors, each of said transistors having a control electrode and two main electrodes, said main electrodes of said first and second transistors being serially coupled to form one arm of said bridge, and said main electrodes of said third and fourth transistors being serially coupled to form the other arm of said bridge; means for coupling a current source between a first terminal formed by the junction of the remaining main electrodes of said first and third transistors and a second terminal formed by the junction of the remaining main electrodes of said second and fourth transistors; a bistable circuit having a first input coupled to a third terminal formed by the junction of said first and second transistors and a second input coupled to a fourth terminal formed by the junction of said third and fourth transistors, a capacitive impedance coupling said first input to said second input, said bistable circuit changing state in response to input signals at said first and second inputs; means for coupling a first output of said bistable circuit to the control electrodes of said first and second transistors, and further coupling a complementary output of said bistable circuit to the control electrodes of said third and fourth transistors; and means for coupling an output terminal to one of said outputs of said bistable circuit.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
174 words
A voltage-controlled oscillator comprising first and second inverters each comprising a pair of serially connected complementary transistors having commonly connected input electrodes wherein one transistor switches off when the other transistor switches on in response to an input signal to said commonly connected electrodes, means for coupling the remaining electrodes of the transistors of each of said inverters in series across a current supply whose value varies in accordance with an input voltage, bistable means having a first input coupled to the output of said first inverter, a second input coupled to the output of said second inverter, a first output coupled to said input electrode of said first inverter and a second output coupled to said input electrode of said second inverter, a frequency control circuit for said voltage-controlled oscillator comprising a capacitive impedance coupled between said output of said first inverter and said output of said second inverter and control means for varying the output level of said current supply, and means for deriving a voltage-controlled oscillator output from said bistable means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
174 words
A voltage-controlled oscillator comprising first and second inverters each comprising a pair of serially connected complementary transistors having commonly connected input electrodes wherein one transistor switches off when the other transistor switches on in response to an input signal to said commonly connected electrodes, means for coupling the remaining electrodes of the transistors of each of said inverters in series across a current supply whose value varies in accordance with an input voltage, bistable means having a first input coupled to the output of said first inverter, a second input coupled to the output of said second inverter, a first output coupled to said input electrode of said first inverter and a second output coupled to said input electrode of said second inverter, a frequency control circuit for said voltage-controlled oscillator comprising a capacitive impedance coupled between said output of said first inverter and said output of said second inverter and control means for varying the output level of said current supply, and means for deriving a voltage-controlled oscillator output from said bistable means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
17 words
The oscillator according to claim 1 wherein said transistors are each metal oxide silicon field effect transistors.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
29 words
The oscillator according to claim 1 wherein each of said arms comprises a P-channel metal oxide silicon field effect transistor and an N-channel metal oxide silicon field effect transistor.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
The oscillator according to claim 4 including means coupled to said transistors for operating each of said transistors in the enhancement mode.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
26 words
The oscillator according to claim 1 wherein said current source includes means for providing a continuously-variable current which varies linearly in response to an input voltage.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
49 words
The oscillator according to claim 6 wherein said current source comprises first and second semiconductor means coupled between said first terminal and a power supply wherein the conductivity of said first semiconductor means is controlled by the conductivity of said second semi-conductor means coupled to said first semiconductor means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
44 words
The oscillator according to claim 7 wherein said first semiconductor means comprises a fifth transistor having an input electrode coupled to said second semi-conductor means and means for coupling the remaining electrOdes of said fifth transistor between said first terminal and said power supply.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
39 words
The oscillator according to claim 8 wherein said second semiconductor means includes a diode, a sixth transistor and a first resistor serially coupled across said power supply, said sixth transistor having an input electrode coupled to said input voltage.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
32 words
The oscillator according to claim 9 wherein said diode comprises a seventh transistor having a control electrode and two main electrodes, said control electrode being coupled to one of said main electrodes.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
20 words
The oscillator according to claim 10 wherein said fifth transistor and said seventh transistor have substantially identical threshold voltage characteristics.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
30 words
The oscillator according to claim 11 wherein said second semiconductor means further includes means coupled to said second semiconductor means to provide a predetermined conductivity independent of said input voltage.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
28 words
The oscillator according to claim 12 wherein said means coupled to said second semiconductor means comprises a second resistor coupled across said sixth transistor and said first resistor.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
23 words
The oscillator according to claim 1 wherein said bistable circuit includes delay means for retarding said input signals applied to said bistable circuit.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
68 words
The oscillator according to claim 14 wherein said delay means comprises at least one inverter serially coupled with said first input and at least one inverter serially coupled with said second input, said inverters each comprising a pair of MOSFET complementary transistors having their gate electrodes coupled together and their drain electrodes connected together and means for coupling the source electrodes of each inverter across a power supply.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
41 words
The oscillator according to claim 15 wherein said bistable circuit includes a pair of cross-coupled NOR gates having input terminals coupled to said first input and said second input and output terminals coupled to said first output and said complementary output.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
90 words
The oscillator according to claim 16 wherein said bistable circuit further includes an AND gate, said AND gate having an output terminal coupled to one input terminal of said NOR gates, a first input terminal of said AND gate being coupled to said first input of said bistable circuit and a second input terminal of said AND gate being coupled to said second input of said bistable circuit, so that said bistable circuit exhibits a predetermined output state when said signals are simultaneously applied to said first and second input.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
27 words
The oscillator according to claim 2 wherein said control means includes means for varying said output level of said current supply in response to an input voltage.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
182 words
A voltage-controlled oscillator comprising: a bridge circuit having first and second inverters, each comprising a pair of serially connected MOSFET transistors, each inverter comprising a P-channel transistor and an N-channel transistor with their gates connected together and their drains connected together, means for coupling the source electrodes of each inverter across a current supply whose value varies in accordance with an input voltage, a capacitor coupled between said drains of said first inverter and said drains of said second inverter, a bistable circuit having a first input coupled to one terminal of said capacitor and a second input coupled to the other terminal of said capacitor, a first output coupled to said gates of said first inverter and a second output coupled to said gates of said second inverter, said bistable circuit changing state in response to signals representative of a predetermined charge being stored across said capacitor, a frequency control circuit for said voltage-controlled oscillator comprising means for linearly varying the output of said current supply, and means for deriving a voltage-controlled oscillator output from one output of said bistable circuit.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
182 words
A voltage-controlled oscillator comprising: a bridge circuit having first and second inverters, each comprising a pair of serially connected MOSFET transistors, each inverter comprising a P-channel transistor and an N-channel transistor with their gates connected together and their drains connected together, means for coupling the source electrodes of each inverter across a current supply whose value varies in accordance with an input voltage, a capacitor coupled between said drains of said first inverter and said drains of said second inverter, a bistable circuit having a first input coupled to one terminal of said capacitor and a second input coupled to the other terminal of said capacitor, a first output coupled to said gates of said first inverter and a second output coupled to said gates of said second inverter, said bistable circuit changing state in response to signals representative of a predetermined charge being stored across said capacitor, a frequency control circuit for said voltage-controlled oscillator comprising means for linearly varying the output of said current supply, and means for deriving a voltage-controlled oscillator output from one output of said bistable circuit.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
60 words
The oscillator according to claim 19 wherein Said current supply includes a third P-channel MOSFET transistor having a source electrode coupled to a substantially fixed point of potential with respect to a point of reference potential, a drain electrode coupled to said bridge circuit and a gate electrode coupled to said means for varying said output of said current supply.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
109 words
The oscillator according to claim 20 wherein said means for varying said output of said current supply includes: a fourth P-channel MOSFET transistor having a source electrode coupled to said fixed point of reference potential, and gate and drain electrodes coupled to said gate electrode of said third P-channel transistor, a third N-channel MOSFET transistor having a drain electrode coupled to said gate and drain electrodes of said fourth transistor, a source electrode coupled to said point of reference potential through a first resistor and a gate electrode coupled to said input voltage, so that the current output from said current supply varies in accordance with said input voltage.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
55 words
The oscillator according to claim 21 wherein said means for varying said output of said current supply further includes a second resistor coupled between said drain electrode of said third N-channel transistor and said point of reference potential, whereby a predetermined constant current output from said current supply, independent of said input voltage, is provided.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
48 words
The oscillator according to claim 22 wherein said bistable circuit includes a pair of cross-coupled NOR gates having input terminals coupled to said first input and said second input and output terminals coupled to said first output and said second output, and delay means for retarding said signals.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3568091A
Cited
US3618131A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-11-07 | 1976-05-08 | 1976-11-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-11-07 | 1980-05-08 | 1980-11-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-11-07 | 1984-05-08 | 1984-11-07 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |