The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 21, 1986
Filed:
Dec. 18, 1984
William H Davenport, Hillsboro, OR (US);
Tektronix, Inc., Beaverton, OR (US);
Abstract
A programmable oscillator includes first and second transistors having their emitters coupled by a capacitor, and a pair of current sources coupling respective transistors to ground. A switching means is provided having a first state coupling the collector of the first transistor to the base of the second transistor and coupling the collector of the second transistor to the base of the first transistor, and a second state coupling the collectors of the first and second transistors to ground such that when the switching means is in the first state, the first and second transistors switch on and off in alternating fashion, and when the switching means is in the second state the first and second transistors remain on continuously. Means are provided to hold the base of the first transistor at a high logic level and to hold the base of the second transistor at a low logic level while the first switching means is in the second state, to couple a third current source to the collector of the first transistor while the second transistor is off and to the collector of the second transistor while the first transistor is off, and to prevent the switching means from switching from the first to the second state until the base of the first transistor is at a higher voltage level than the base of the second transistor.