Current controlled emitter coupled multivibrator

Claim 1

A circuit comprising a frequency controllable multivibrator comprising: A. first and second transistors each including a base electrode, an emitter electrode and a collector electrode, said collector electrodes of said first and second transistors being coupled to said base electrodes of said second and first transistors, respectively; B. voltage supply means for supplying a voltage; C. first and second load elements connecting respective ones of said collector electrodes of said first and second transistors to said voltage supply means; D. a capacitor connected between said emitter electrodes of said first and second transistors for enabling conduction of the latter alternately; E. a pair of current controlling devices each including input, output and common electrodes, said input and output electrodes of each of said pair of current controlling devices being connected respectively to said collector and emitter electrodes of a respective one of said first and second transistors for controlling said devices with output signals of said first and second transistors; F. a common main current source comnecting said common electrodes of said pair of current controlling devices to said voltage supply means and through which a relatively large main current is fed from said pair of current controlling devices alternately; and G. a common by-pass current control means connected to each side of said capacitor and through at least a portion of which a relatively small controllable portion of said relatively large current to be supplied to said common main current source is fed for minimizing lost power, said common by-pass current control means also controlling another current to said capacitor for determining an oscillation characteristic of said multivibrator circuit.