Rc time based locked voltage controlled oscillator
AssigneeSemiconductor Components Industries, LLC
InventorsJan PLOJHAR, Lucas Emiel Elie VANDER VOORDE, Pavel MARES
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Abstract
Circuits and processes for locking a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) at a high frequency signal are described. A circuit may include a voltage-controlled oscillator configured to generate a high frequency signal based on a control signal, a dummy load parallel to the voltage-controlled oscillator and configured to receive the control signal via a switch, and a digital-to-analog converter coupled to the voltage-controlled oscillator where the control signal is generated based on an output of the digital-to-analog converter.
Claims20
A circuit, comprising:
- a voltage-controlled oscillator configured to generate a high frequency signal based on a control signal;
- a dummy load parallel to the voltage-controlled oscillator and configured to receive the control signal via a switch;
- and
- a digital-to-analog converter coupled to the voltage-controlled oscillator, the control signal being generated based on an output of the digital-to-analog converter.
An apparatus, comprising:
- a voltage-controlled oscillator included in a timing circuit and configured to generate a high frequency signal based on a control signal;
- a dummy load switchably coupled within the timing circuit;
- and
- a digital-to-analog converter coupled to the voltage-controlled oscillator and configured to cause an adjustment of the control signal.
A method, comprising:
- enabling a voltage-controlled oscillator within a timing circuit to receive a control signal, the voltage-controlled oscillator configured to generate a high frequency signal based on the control signal;
- switchably disconnecting a dummy load within the timing circuit such that the dummy load is isolated from the control signal;
- and
- adjusting the control signal using a digital-to-analog converter coupled to the voltage-controlled oscillator.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.