Reconfigurable Oscillator Amplifier for Fast Mode Switching

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing oscillator circuits face challenges in supporting different operation modes with quick settling, low power consumption, and high performance, particularly during mode transitions, which affects noise performance and frequency stability.

Innovation Solution

A reconfigurable oscillator amplifier and hybrid amplitude calibration circuit that employs shared circuit components and switches between different configurations to adapt to various operation modes, using continuous-time and discrete-time amplitude calibration schemes to determine final bias settings.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the oscillator amplifier uses a fixed circuit configuration, then the circuit design is simple, but it cannot support different operation modes with different performance requirements

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoperation mode supportVSAvoidcircuit configuration
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The oscillator amplifier employs reconfigurable circuit configurations that can dynamically switch between different operational states. The circuit includes switchable feedback paths and reconfigurable amplifier stages that allow transition between low-power mode and high-performance mode, enabling the system to adapt its characteristics based on operational requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The oscillator amplifier is designed with multi-functional circuit blocks that can serve different purposes depending on configuration. The same amplifier core can operate in voltage-controlled mode, current-controlled mode, or buffered mode, allowing a single circuit to fulfill multiple operational roles rather than requiring separate dedicated circuits for each mode.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Reliability

If the oscillator amplifier is reconfigured for different operation modes, then it can achieve low power consumption and high performance, but the mode transition takes time and may cause instability

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefrequency stabilityVSAvoidmode transition time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The oscillator amplifier prepares for mode transitions by pre-configuring feedback paths and maintaining warm standby states for different operational modes. The circuit keeps alternative configurations partially active or pre-loaded, reducing the time required to switch between modes while maintaining frequency stability through controlled transition sequences.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Adaptability or versatility

If the oscillator amplifier supports multiple operation modes, then it can adapt to different system scenarios, but the circuit design becomes complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecircuit configuration flexibilityVSAvoidnumber of circuit components
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The oscillator amplifier combines multiple functional capabilities into a unified circuit architecture. Different operation modes share common amplifier stages, feedback networks, and control logic, reducing the total component count compared to having separate dedicated circuits for each mode. The reconfigurable elements are integrated into the core amplifier structure rather than added as separate modules.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP3232564B1Oscillator circuit with reconfigurable oscillator amplifier and/or hybrid amplitude calibration circuit and associated method
Publication Date: 2019.08.28 MEDIATEK INC
  • EP3232564B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3232564B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3232564B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An oscillator circuit (100) has a reconfigurable oscillator amplifier (110, 400). The reconfigurable oscillator amplifier (110, 400) is used to be coupled to a resonant circuit (102, R2) in parallel. The reconfigurable oscillator amplifier (110, 400) supports different circuit configurations for different operation modes, respectively. The reconfigurable oscillator amplifier (110, 400) has at least one circuit component shared by the different circuit configurations. The reconfigurable oscillator amplifier (110, 400) employs one of the different circuit configurations under one of the different operation modes.