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US 2008/0074202 A1Published application
Multi-phase Closed Loop LC Tank Circuits
AssigneeLCtank LLC
InventorThaddeus Gabara
Life of this patent
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Abstract
LC tank circuits can be coupled together to form closed loop oscillators. The interconnectivity of these LC tank circuits were performed by a physical connection such as a metal interconnect. The LC tank circuits may also comprise a plurality of inductors that are coupled together in parallel. These closed loop oscillators generate oscillations which have multi-phase components. Such circuits are useful for RF designs, clock generation for VLSI chips, adiabatic circuitry, analog circuitry, and high-speed digital circuitry.
Claims32
A closed loop oscillator, comprising:
- a first terminal and a second terminal;
- a plurality of oscillators;
- wherein,
- each oscillator comprises:
- a first input node and a second input node;
- a first output node and a second output node;
- and,
- and LC tank circuit coupled to the first and second output nodes;
- wherein
- the LC tank circuit is comprised of a plurality of inductors connected in parallel;
- the first terminal is coupled to the first input node of a first oscillator;
- the second terminal is coupled to the second input node of the first oscillator;
- and,
- the plurality of oscillators are coupled in series;
- wherein
- the first output node of a previous oscillator is coupled to one of the input nodes of a next oscillator;
- the second output node of the previous oscillator is coupled to the remaining input node of the next oscillator;
- the first output node of a last oscillator is coupled to either of the first or second terminals;
- and,
- the second output node of the last oscillator is coupled to the remaining terminal.
17 more elements
A method of forming a closed loop oscillator, comprising the steps of:
- selecting a plurality of oscillators where each oscillator comprises:
- a first input node and a second input node;
- a first output node and second output node;
- and
- an LC tank circuit coupled to the first and second output nodes;
- wherein,
- the LC tank circuit is comprised of a plurality of inductors connected in parallel;
- connecting the plurality of oscillators in series to form the closed loop;
- wherein,
- the first output node of a previous oscillator is coupled to one of the input nodes of a next oscillator;
- and,
- the second output node of the previous oscillator is coupled to the remaining input node of the next oscillator;
- coupling the first output node of a last oscillator to either of the first or second input nodes of a first oscillator;
- and,
- coupling the second output node of the last oscillator to the remaining input node of the first oscillator;
- thereby,
- forming the closed loop oscillator.
14 more elements
A closed loop oscillator, comprising:
- a plurality of oscillators;
- wherein,
- each oscillator comprises:
- a first input node and a second input node;
- a first output node and a second output node;
- a first component coupled between a power supply node and the first output node;
- wherein
- the first component is controlled by the first input node;
- a second component coupled between the power supply node and the second output node;
- wherein,
- the second component is controlled by the second input node;
- an LC tank circuit coupled to the first and second output nodes;
- and,
- a regenerative circuit coupled to the first and second output nodes;
- and,
- the plurality of oscillators coupled in series to form a closed loop;
- wherein,
- the first output node of a previous oscillator is coupled to one of the input nodes of a next oscillator;
- the second output node of the previous oscillator is coupled to the remaining input node of the next oscillator;
- the first output node of a last oscillator is coupled to one of the input nodes of a first oscillator;
- and,
- the second output node of the last oscillator is coupled to the remaining input node of the first oscillator.
19 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.