Apple Inc.

Catherine S Chou

William C Athas

Heather R Sullens

The disclosed embodiments provide a resonant oscillator circuit. The resonant oscillator circuit includes a clipping mechanism configured to clip an output voltage of a signal pulse generated by the resonant oscillator circuit to a predefined constant level. The resonant oscillator circuit also includes a feedback path configured to return energy from the clipping mechanism to an input of the resonant oscillator circuit.

Efficiency of clipped pulse generation

A system which starts up and shuts down a resonant oscillator circuit. During start up, the system operates a driving circuit, which is external to the resonant oscillator circuit, wherein the driving circuit uses a first clock signal to control a first phase output of the resonant oscillator circuit. At the same time, the driving circuit uses a second clock signal to control a second phase output of the resonant oscillator circuit, wherein the first and second clock signals have opposite phases. While the first and second phase outputs are being controlled, the system ramps up an input voltage, which is used to power the resonant oscillator circuit, wherein the ramping takes place across multiple initial oscillation periods. During shut down, the system shuts down the resonant oscillator circuit by ramping down the input voltage. Next, the system clamps the first and second phase outputs to a fixed voltage.

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Cupertino, CA, United States of America

Catherine S Chou