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:
Dec. 09, 2003
Filed:
Dec. 20, 2000
Steven H. Pepper, Portland, OR (US);
Tektronix, Inc., Beaverton, OR (US);
Abstract
A multi-octave, wideband voltage controlled oscillator has a plurality of high impedance current output individual voltage controlled oscillators coupled in parallel to form a bank of voltage controlled oscillators covering at least one high frequency octave. The outputs of the VCOs are wire-OR'd together and the VCOs are selected by a select signal that turns on the desired oscillator(s). A main limiter/divider selects a frequency octave at either the fundamental frequency of the selected VCO or a sub-harmonic thereof as the multi-octave, wideband voltage controlled oscillator output. A reference limiter/divider selects a reference frequency from the selected VCO for use in a phase locked loop. Each VCO has a tank circuit coupled across the bases of a pair of transistors, the emitters of which are coupled through respective current sources to ground. The collectors of the transistors are coupled to the wire-OR'd network. A summer/subtracting circuit may be added at the output of the VCOs or at the inputs of the limiter/dividers so that either the fundamental or second harmonic frequency of the selected VCO is selected.