Periodic Crystal Oscillator Kick-Start for Faster Start-Up
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Solution Overview
Problem
Crystal oscillators have long start-up times, which is a problem in battery-powered applications where energy efficiency is crucial, as they take several seconds to milliseconds to stabilize, and existing kick-start methods like mono-stable one shot oscillators are ineffective due to energy frequency mismatch.
Innovation Solution
A periodic kickstarter is introduced, which provides pulses with a repetition rate close to the crystal oscillator's resonant frequency, delivering more energy and reducing start-up time by exciting the crystal oscillator with fundamental and harmonic frequencies, and is controlled by an oscillator counter or amplitude detector to disable the kick-start once stable.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a mono-stable one shot oscillator is used to kick-start the crystal oscillator, then the oscillator can be initiated, but the start-up time remains long because the energy frequency spectrum falls far outside the crystal oscillation operating frequency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the frequency parameter of the kick-start signal from a single pulse (mono-stable one shot) to a periodic signal with repetition rate matching the crystal's resonant frequency. This parameter change ensures the kick-start energy spectrum aligns with the crystal operating frequency, enabling effective energy transfer and rapid start-up.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention employs periodic kick-start pulses instead of a single pulse. The periodic action with repetition rate equal to the crystal resonant frequency continuously delivers energy at the optimal frequency, building up oscillation amplitude rapidly and reducing start-up time to a fraction of the original duration.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the crystal oscillator runs continuously to ensure stable operation, then frequency stability is maintained, but energy consumption increases in battery-powered applications
Solution Approach 1:
The periodic kick-start circuit performs preliminary action by delivering concentrated energy pulses at the resonant frequency to rapidly build up oscillation amplitude. This allows the oscillator to reach stable operation quickly, enabling it to be turned off longer in battery-powered applications, thus reducing overall energy consumption while maintaining frequency stability when active.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach significantly reduces the start-up time of crystal oscillators, making them operational over ten times faster than without kick-starting, while also allowing them to run at lower power once established.
Implementation Method 1
Their piezoelectric properties (voltage across the crystal deforms it; deforming the crystal generates a voltage) allow them to be the frequency-determining element in electronic circuits.
Implementation Method 2
provides pulses with a repetition rate close to the crystal oscillator's resonant frequency, delivering more energy and reducing start-up time by exciting the crystal oscillator with fundamental and harmonic frequencies
Data Source
AI summary
A cyclical pulsing oscillator having a pulse repetition rate close to a crystal resonant frequency in an oscillator provides more useful start-up energy to the crystal oscillator circuit and thus provides much faster start-up time. The start-up pulsing oscillator runs for a number of cycles or until the crystal oscillator amplitude as built up to a desired value. The pulsing oscillator may have a repetition rate of from about one-third to about one-half the crystal resonant frequency, thus providing more useful start-up energy to the crystal oscillator circuit.