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:
May. 08, 2001
Filed:
Jul. 28, 1999
Yasuhiko Sekimoto, Hamamatsu, JP;
Yamaha Corporation, Hamamatsu, JP;
Abstract
A voltage-controlled oscillator is provided which has input and output characteristics that do not depend upon fluctuations or variations in the power supply voltage, operating temperature, and manufacturing process, and which provides a high oscillation frequency. A ring oscillator comprises a plurality of inverters that are connected in a ring-like arrangement. A voltage-current converter controls an amount of current flowing through each of the inverters of the ring oscillator according to a voltage of an input signal. The voltage-current converter comprises a first transistor (P,) that is connected to a power supply line and disposed such that current corresponding to the voltage of the input signal flows through the first transistor. Each of the inverters of the ring oscillator has a second transistor (P,) that is connected to the power supply line and forms a current mirror circuit with the first transistor. The second transistor is biased so that it operates at a boundary between a saturation region and a non-saturation region.