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US 8,797,106 B2Granted
Circuits, apparatuses, and methods for oscillators
AssigneeMicron Technology, Inc.
InventorsMing H. Li, Dong Pan
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Circuits, apparatuses, and methods are disclosed for oscillators. In one such example oscillator circuit, a plurality of delay stages are coupled in series. A variable delay circuit stage is coupled to the plurality of delay stages and is configured to delay a signal through the variable delay circuit stage by a variable delay. The variable delay increases responsive to a rising magnitude of a supply voltage provided to the variable delay circuit stage.
Claims22
An oscillator circuit, comprising:
- a plurality of non-adjustable delay stages coupled in series;
- and
- a variable delay circuit stage coupled to the plurality of non-adjustable delay stages and configured to delay a signal through the variable delay circuit stage by a variable delay, the variable delay increasing responsive to a rising magnitude of a supply voltage provided to the variable delay circuit stage and the variable delay is proportional to an amount of time required to discharge a node in the variable delay circuit stage, wherein the node is discharged by a current source that is substantially independent of the magnitude of the supply voltage provided to the variable delay circuit stage.
An apparatus, comprising:
- an oscillator circuit comprising:
- a first stage configured to charge a node and incur a delay to charge the node that is substantially independent of a magnitude of a supply voltage, the node coupled to a capacitance;
- and
- a variable delay stage configured to discharge the node, the delay incurred in discharging the node being proportional to the magnitude of the supply voltage provided to the variable delay stage.
1 more element
A method, comprising:
- generating a periodic oscillation signal in an oscillator circuit including a plurality of delay stages;
- varying the frequency of the periodic oscillation signal by varying a delay of the periodic signal through a variable delay circuit stage of the oscillator circuit, the delay increasing responsive to an increasing magnitude of a supply voltage provided to the variable delay circuit stage and the delay of the variable delay circuit stage different than a delay stage of the plurality of delay stages;
- and
- increasing the delay by charging a capacitance of the variable delay circuit stage to a voltage level that is proportional to a magnitude of the supply voltage provided to the variable delay circuit stage and discharging the capacitance throe current source that is substantially constant responsive to changes in the magnitude of the supply voltage.
1 more element
A method, comprising:
- charging a node of a variable delay circuit stage to a voltage level that is proportional to a magnitude of a supply voltage;
- mirroring a supply-voltage-independent reference current to discharge the node, with the amount of time incurred in discharging the node being proportional to the voltage level on the node and wherein the amount of time incurred in charging of the node is substantially independent of the supply-voltage-independent reference current;
- and
- providing a periodic signal responsive to the amount of time incurred in discharging the node.
1 more element
A method, comprising:
- charging a node of a variable delay circuit stage, with a charging delay incurred in charging the node substantially independent of a magnitude of a supply voltage provided to the variable delay stage;
- discharging the node of the variable delay circuit stage, with a discharging delay incurred in discharging the node proportional to the magnitude of the supply voltage provided to the variable delay stage;
- and
- providing a periodic signal having a frequency that is inversely proportional to the discharging delay incurred in discharging the node.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.