Automatic trimming of a PCB-based LC circuit
AssigneeMicrochip Technology Incorporated
InventorAjay Kumar
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Apparatus and methods of automatically trimming a PCB-based LC circuit. The apparatus may comprise an interface to a printed circuit board (PCB). The PCB may include a PCB inductor and a PCB capacitor to form an LC circuit. The LC circuit may have an LC circuit frequency. The apparatus may comprise a variable capacitor communicatively coupled to the interface and configured to adjust an effective capacitance of the LC circuit.
Claims19
An apparatus, including:
- an interface to a printed circuit board (PCB), the PCB to include a PCB inductor and a PCB capacitor to form an LC circuit, the LC circuit to have an LC circuit frequency;
- a variable capacitor communicatively coupled to the interface and configured to adjust an effective capacitance of the LC circuit;
- and
- an adjustment circuit configured to adjust a capacitance of the variable capacitor to change the LC circuit frequency according to a reference frequency.
A method of trimming a capacitance of a printed circuit board (PCB), the PCB including a PCB inductor and a PCB capacitor to form an LC circuit, the LC circuit having an LC circuit frequency, comprising:
- coupling a variable capacitor to, and in parallel with, a fixed capacitor wherein the variable capacitor is incorporated into an integrated circuit mounted to a PCB and the fixed capacitor is mounted to the PCB as part of an LC circuit,
- comparing an LC circuit frequency of the LC circuit with a reference frequency,
- increasing a capacitance of a variable capacitor if the LC circuit frequency is higher than the reference frequency, and
- decreasing the capacitance of the variable capacitor if the LC circuit frequency is lower than the reference frequency.
A microcontroller configured to trim a capacitance of a printed circuit board (PCB), the PCB including a PCB inductor and a PCB capacitor to form an LC circuit, the LC circuit having an LC circuit frequency, the microcontroller comprising:
- a variable capacitor coupled to, and in parallel with, a fixed capacitor wherein the variable capacitor is incorporated into a microcontroller mounted to a PCB and the fixed capacitor is mounted to the PCB as part of an LC circuit,
- the microcontroller programmed to:
- compare an LC circuit frequency of the LC circuit with a reference frequency,
- increase a capacitance of a variable capacitor if the LC circuit frequency is higher than the reference frequency, and
- decrease the capacitance of the variable capacitor if the LC circuit frequency is lower than the reference frequency.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.