Crystal Patents (Class 331/158)
  • Patent number: 9825689
    Abstract: A unified device for adjacent and non-adjacent channels/carriers for processing Physical layer Protocol Data Units (PPDUs) includes a dual-use configuration capable of processing either 80+80 Megahertz (MHz) PPDUs with a single spatial stream (160/80+80 MHz 1×1) or 80 MHz PPDUs with two spatial streams (80 MHz 2×2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Andrei Popescu, Fei Tong
  • Patent number: 9820326
    Abstract: Systems and methods for communicating in a wireless network using a first radio access technology (RAT) and an assisting RAT are disclosed. A first connection can be established with an access point using the first RAT, and a second connection can be established with the access point using the assisting RAT. A timing of the first connection can be synchronized based at least in part on a timeline of the assisting RAT. Data can be communicated with the access point over at least the first connection based at least in part on synchronizing the timing, and control data can be communicated with the access point over at least the second connection, wherein the control data is related to the communicating data over at least the first connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Arthur Gubeskys, Assaf Touboul, Oz Barak, Raphael Cohen
  • Patent number: 9793861
    Abstract: Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide methods and apparatus for implementing an amplification system. The amplification system includes an amplifier comprising differential inputs and an output. The differential inputs include an inverting input and a non-inverting input. The amplification system further includes a feedback path from the output coupled to the inverting input. The feedback path from the output is coupled to at least one of an inverting amplifier or buffer, and the at least one of the inverting amplifier or buffer is further coupled to the non-inverting input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventor: Thomas Somerville
  • Patent number: 9793875
    Abstract: A vibration element includes a substrate having first and second principal surfaces, a first excitation electrode on the first principal surface, a second excitation electrode on the second principal surface, and a first extraction electrode on the first principal surface, and connected to the first excitation electrode. The first extraction electrode includes a first electrode section, and a second electrode section extending from the first electrode section in a first direction and connected to the first excitation electrode. The second electrode section is narrower in a second direction than the first electrode section. When an area of the first excitation electrode is S1, and an area of an overlapping part where the second electrode section overlaps the second excitation electrode is S2, (S2/S1)?0.1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Naohisa Obata, Yusuke Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 9787281
    Abstract: A resonator element includes a substrate having a first region performing thickness shear vibration, a second region located in a periphery of the first region and having a smaller thickness than the first region, a fixed end, and a free end opposite to the fixed end in the first region in a plan view. Excitation electrodes are disposed on a front and a rear of the first region and have regions overlapping each other in the plan view. A center of the first region and a center of the regions overlapping each other are located between a center of the substrate and the free end in the plan view. When Cs is a distance between the center of the regions overlapping each other and the center of the substrate in the plan view, a relation of 105 ?m<Cs<130 ?m is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Junji Kobayashi, Jun Nishide
  • Patent number: 9774296
    Abstract: A crystal unit includes a crystal substrate, a pair of excitation electrodes formed respectively on both surfaces of the crystal substrate, and a coil pattern formed around at least one of the pair of excitation electrodes. An oscillator includes a package and a crystal unit accommodated in the package. The crystal unit includes a crystal substrate, a pair of excitation electrodes formed respectively on both surfaces of the crystal substrate, and a coil pattern formed around at least one of the pair of excitation electrodes. An oscillation circuit is accommodated in the package and electrically connected to the crystal unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventors: Masakazu Kishi, Hajime Kubota, Masayuki Itoh, Yoshinori Mesaki
  • Patent number: 9761543
    Abstract: Integrated circuits with a molded package including a cavity and a semiconductor die spaced from an interior surface of the molded package within the cavity. The semiconductor die includes one or more electrical components, a thermal control component to control the temperature of the electrical component, and a driver to provide a current or voltage signal to the thermal control component at least partially according to a setpoint signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Barry Jon Male, Benjamin Cook, Robert Alan Neidorff, Steve Kummerl
  • Patent number: 9742449
    Abstract: A wireless receiver includes an RSSI generation circuit that obtains RSSI output corresponding to a carrier strength level of a received RF signal; a lookup table from which a threshold value corresponding to temperature information from a temperature sensor is read based on the temperature information; a comparison circuit that generates comparison output when the RSSI output is below the threshold value read from the lookup table, in which the threshold value is one input, and the RSSI output from the RSSI generation circuit is the other input; and a muting circuit that closes a signal line of an audio signal demodulated from the RF signal, and cuts off output of the audio signal, based on the comparison output from the comparison circuit. The above configuration enables the wireless receiver to eliminate fluctuation of a reception reaching distance relative to temperature change, and ensure stable mute operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA AUDIO-TECHNICA
    Inventor: Masaki Shiotani
  • Patent number: 9727077
    Abstract: A system for reducing peak electromagnetic interference in a network device. The network device includes multiple clock sources and multiple clocked components. Each clocked component receives a clock signal with an actual clock frequency from a separate clock source. The clock signals have an identical nominal frequency. The actual frequency of each clock signal deviates from the nominal frequency within a predetermined range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: Arista Networks, Inc.
    Inventors: James Weaver, Jeffrey Hirschman
  • Patent number: 9722638
    Abstract: A cellular radio architecture for a vehicle that includes a triplexer coupled to an antenna structure and including three signal paths, where each signal path includes a bandpass filter that passes a different frequency band than the other bandpass filters and a circulator that provides signal isolation between the transmit signals and the receive signals. The architecture also includes a receiver module having a separate signal channel for each of the signal paths in the triplexer, where each signal channel in the receiver module includes a receiver delta-sigma modulator that converts analog receive signals to a representative digital signal. The delta-sigma modulator includes an LC filter having a plurality of LC resonator circuits, a plurality of transconductance amplifiers and a plurality of integrator circuits, where a combination of one resonator circuit, transconductance amplifier and integrator circuit represents a two-order stage of the LC filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Timothy J. Talty, Andrew J. MacDonald, Cynthia D. Baringer, Mohiuddin Ahmed, Albert E. Cosand, James Chingwei Li, Peter Petre, Zhiwei A. Xu, Yen-Cheng Kuan
  • Patent number: 9722167
    Abstract: A piezoelectric vibration piece has an inverted mesa-type structure, comprising a thinned portion serving as a vibration region at a central part of a piezoelectric plate; and a thickened portion formed all along or partly along perimeter of the thinned portion to reinforce the thinned portion. In the piezoelectric vibration piece, contact metals including a large number of discrete metallic thin films are provided on the whole surfaces of the piezoelectric plate. A piezoelectric vibration device comprises the piezoelectric vibration piece which is housed in a package, wherein extraction electrodes of the piezoelectric vibration piece are connected to internal terminals of the package through a conductive adhesive. These structural and technical advantages prevent undesirable flowage of the conductive adhesive before thermal curing. As a result, the piezoelectric vibration piece and the piezoelectric vibration device comprising the same successfully attain excellent vibration characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: Daishinku Corporation
    Inventor: Naoki Kohda
  • Patent number: 9712138
    Abstract: A resonator element includes a first region which includes a first portion and a second portion having a thickness thinner than the first portion. In a plan view, the second portion includes an outer frame in two edges present in opposite regions to regions facing the first portion, and a contour of the outer frame is bent more gently than a contour of an edge of the first portion. When R is a length of the outer frame along the X axis, ? is a wavelength of flexural vibration of the quartz crystal substrate, and R/(?/2)=k, a relation of “0.1<k<1.4” is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Go Yamashita
  • Patent number: 9712110
    Abstract: A resonator element includes a quartz crystal substrate in which a plane including X and Z? axes is set as a main plane and a direction oriented along a Y? axis is a thickness direction. The quartz crystal substrate includes a first region in which thickness shear vibration is generated, a second region that has a thickness thinner than the first region, and first protrusions that are disposed between one pair of electrode pads disposed to be lined in a direction oriented along a Z? axis on a mounted side of the second region. When Lx is a length of the first protrusions along the X axis and ? is a wavelength of flexural vibration of the quartz crystal substrate, a relation of “?/2×(2n+1)?0.1??Lx??/2×(2n+1)+0.1?” (where n is a positive integer) is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Go Yamashita
  • Patent number: 9692354
    Abstract: An oscillator circuit comprises a first, high-Q crystal oscillator and a second, low-Q oscillator arranged for kick-starting the crystal oscillator at switch-on by coupling the second oscillator to the first oscillator for a time period. The oscillator circuit is arranged to select the frequency of the second oscillator by placing the second oscillator in a phase locked loop with the first oscillator providing a reference frequency, and adjusting the frequency of the second oscillator towards the frequency of the first oscillator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON (PUBL)
    Inventor: Christian Elgaard
  • Patent number: 9692425
    Abstract: An oscillator includes a control voltage generator that generates a control voltage between a first reference voltage and a second reference voltage with a digital signal, and a voltage controlled oscillation circuit that outputs a signal at a frequency in response to the control voltage. The control voltage generator includes a first D/A conversion circuit of resistor voltage-dividing type that generates a voltage between the first reference voltage and the second reference voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Akihiro Fukuzawa
  • Patent number: 9685889
    Abstract: A piezoelectric device includes an insulating substrate, a piezoelectric vibration device that is mounted on a device mounting pad, a metal lid member that seals the piezoelectric vibration device in an airtight manner, an external pad that is arranged outside the insulating substrate, an oscillation circuit, a temperature compensation circuit, and a temperature sensor. The lid member and the temperature sensor or the lid member and the IC component are connected to each other so as to be heat-transferable, and a heat transfer member having thermal conductivity higher than that of the material of the insulating substrate is additionally included.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Kyo Horie
  • Patent number: 9673785
    Abstract: A packaged MEMS device and a method of calibrating a packaged MEMS device are disclosed. In one embodiment a packaged MEMS device comprises a carrier, a MEMS device disposed on the substrate, a signal processing device disposed on the carrier, a validation circuit disposed on the carrier; and an encapsulation disposed on the carrier, wherein the encapsulation encapsulates the MEMS device, the signal processing device and the memory element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Christian Herzum, Martin Wurzer, Roland Helm, Michael Kropfitsch, Stefan Barzen
  • Patent number: 9666375
    Abstract: A voltage smoothing circuit includes a first multilayer capacitor, a second multilayer capacitor, and a regulator including an input terminal electrically connected to the second multilayer capacitor and an output terminal electrically connected to the first multilayer capacitor. The regulator calculates a first voltage applied to the first multilayer capacitor based on a second voltage applied to the second multilayer capacitor from the input terminal such that a potential difference which is applied to the first multilayer capacitor decreases or increases when a potential difference which is applied to the second multilayer capacitor increases or decreases, and outputs the first voltage from the output terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yasuo Fujii
  • Patent number: 9621106
    Abstract: An oscillation circuit includes a circuit for oscillation that oscillates a resonator, an output circuit that has a signal, output from the circuit for oscillation, input thereto to thereby output an oscillation signal, a connection terminal to which power is applied, a first wiring that connects from the connection terminal to the output circuit, and a second wiring that is connected to the first wiring through a connection node provided on the first wiring and connects from the connection node to the circuit for oscillation. The circuit for oscillation, the output circuit, the connection terminal, the first wiring, and the second wiring are provided on a semiconductor substrate. The length of a wiring extending from the connection terminal of the first wiring to the connection node is shorter than the length of the second wiring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yosuke Itasaka, Noboru Itomi
  • Patent number: 9606066
    Abstract: The objective of the present invention is to reduce the dispersion of a powdered substance, which is the target substance, during the analysis period in an analyzing device that analyzes the target substance by analyzing the light originated from the substance which is in the plasma state. The present invention relates to an analyzing device including a plasma generation means which generates plasma in the space and maintains plasma using the energy of EM radiation emitted from a radiation antenna; and an optical analysis means which analyzes a target substance by analyzing the plasma light generated from target substance of plasma state in the plasma area during the plasma maintenance period where the plasma is maintained by the plasma generation means using the energy of EM radiation. The plasma generation means emits the EM radiation from the radiation antenna in continuous waves during the plasma maintenance period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: IMAGINEERING, INC.
    Inventors: Yuji Ikeda, Ryoji Tsuruoka
  • Patent number: 9548699
    Abstract: An oscillator includes a circuit board including a supporting substrate (base member), a first VCXO (a first oscillator circuit), a second VCXO (a second oscillator circuit), and a ground terminal (terminal for ground). The first VCXO and the second VCXO are configured such that a second output frequency that is output from the second VCXO is higher than a first output frequency that is output from the first VCXO. The second VCXO is placed closer to the ground terminal than the first VCXO.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshiaki Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 9515604
    Abstract: A circuit includes a crystal oscillator to generate an output frequency for a circuit. A driving oscillator generates a startup signal having a driving frequency that is provided to activate the crystal oscillator. The driving frequency of the startup signal is varied over a range of frequencies that encompass the operating frequency of the crystal oscillator to facilitate startup of the crystal oscillator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Danielle Griffith, Per Torstein Roine, James Murdock, Ryan Smith
  • Patent number: 9475094
    Abstract: There is provided a vibration generating apparatus including a vibration transferring member transferring vibrations to outside the vibration generating apparatus, an elastic member having one or more end portions fixed to the vibration transferring member, a mass body vibrating in response to vibrations of the elastic member, and a piezoelectric element installed on one surface of the elastic member so as to be disposed to face the mass body. A lower surface of the mass body has step parts in order to prevent contact between the mass body and the piezoelectric element. The lower surface of the mass body in which the step parts are formed and the piezoelectric element are disposed so as to be spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: MPLUS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jae Kyung Kim, Yeon Ho Son, Sang Jin Lee, Dong Su Moon, Hwa Young Oh
  • Patent number: 9464899
    Abstract: A gyroscope device and method of operation therefor. The gyroscope device can include a power input, a charge pump portion coupled to the power input, a selection mechanism, a switching mechanism, an oscillator driving mechanism coupled to the switching mechanism, and an oscillator coupled to the charge pump portion and to the oscillator driving mechanism. The method of operation can include providing a first or second selection signal from a selection mechanism associated with the outputting of a DC input power or DC output power from a switching mechanism, respectively. These signals, along with an oscillator driving signal from an oscillator driving mechanism, can be used to initiate and maintain oscillation of an oscillator at a steady-state frequency within a predetermined range of frequencies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: mCube Inc.
    Inventor: Wenhua Zhang
  • Patent number: 9450562
    Abstract: A resonator includes a resonator device, a package on which the resonator device is mounted, and conductive adhesives which fix the resonator device to the package. A width of the base portion of the resonator device is set as W1, a width of a linkage portion is set as W2, a Young's modulus of the conductive adhesives is set as E, a relationship of ?1.3 GPa?log E??0.7 GPa is satisfied, and a relationship of 0.1?W2/W1?0.7 is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Akinori Yamada
  • Patent number: 9444403
    Abstract: A resonation element includes a basal portion, resonating arms extending out in a Y-axis direction from the basal portion, and a vibration substrate, formed of single crystal silicon, in which a Z-axis direction is set to a thickness direction, and is configured such that the resonating arms are flexurally vibrated in an XY in-plane direction. In addition, when resonation frequencies of the resonating arms are set to F [kHz], widths of the resonating arms are set to W [?m], and lengths of the resonating arms are set to L [?m], at least one expression of the following Expression (1) and the following Expression (2) is satisfied. W<10A×Log(F)+B??(1) where, A is ?5.006×10?1, and B is 2.451, and L<10C×log(F)+D??(2) where, C is ?7.507×10?1, and D is 4.268.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Akinori Yamada
  • Patent number: 9444435
    Abstract: A ring oscillator includes a first delay stage generating a first phase signal and a second delay stage generating a second phase signal. Each of the first and second delay stages includes variable resistance circuit. A phase comparator circuit performs a phase comparison between the first and second phase signals to generate a phase error signal. An amplifier circuit generates a control signal from the phase error signal. A feedback loop applies the control signal to control the resistance of the variable resistance circuits in the first and second delay stages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Enrico Monaco, Gabriele Anzalone, Simone Erba
  • Patent number: 9431995
    Abstract: A resonator element includes a quartz crystal substrate having a main surface along a plane including an X-axis and a Z?-axis, and a thickness in a Y?-axis direction. The quartz crystal substrate includes a vibrating portion including a side along the X-axis, a side along the Z?-axis, and a peripheral portion having a thickness smaller than that of the vibrating portion, which is provided along an outer edge of the vibrating portion. The vibrating portion includes a first portion and a second portion having a thickness smaller than that of the first portion, which is provided on at least an outer edge on a +X side of the X-axis and an outer edge on a ?X side thereof, among outer edges of the first portion. When Z is a length of the quartz crystal substrate along the Z?-axis, and t is a thickness of the first portion, 11<Z/t?53.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Go Yamashita
  • Patent number: 9419626
    Abstract: A device (110), comprising a temperature sensor (111) accesses an external time or frequency reference (121; 130) for adjusting an oscillation frequency of a VCTCXO oscillator (113). The device determines a variation in the VCTCXO oscillator's ambient temperature over a predetermined time range thanks to measurements from the temperature sensor, and adjusts a frequency, or rate, of access to the external time or frequency reference in order to obtain time or respectively frequency information for adjusting the oscillation frequency of the VCTCXO oscillator, according to the determined variation in temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: SAGEMCOM BROADBAND SAS
    Inventors: Freddy Donnenwirth, Laurent Jourdain
  • Patent number: 9413928
    Abstract: A dust removal apparatus includes a vibrating plate, a piezoelectric element, a power supply that applies the piezoelectric element with an alternating voltage; and a control circuit that changes a frequency of the alternating voltage, in which the piezoelectric element includes first and second electrodes and a piezoelectric material, a phase transition temperature T from a first crystal phase to a second crystal phase of the piezoelectric material is ?40° C.?T?85° C., the change of the frequency is for repeating a frequency sweep operation from a first frequency to a second frequency, and when a frequency at which an audible vibration is generated during the sweep operation is set as fns, a frequency at which the audible vibration is ended is set as fne, and a changing time from fns to fne during the sweep operation is set as ?tn, ?tn?10 ms is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasushi Shimizu, Kenichi Takeda, Toshihiro Ifuku, Makoto Kubota, Jumpei Hayashi, Tatsuo Furuta, Kazuki Matsushima
  • Patent number: 9413341
    Abstract: A cross-coupled complementary balanced voltage-controlled oscillator and a method for operating same. The oscillator comprises an electro-mechanical resonator, and an oscillator core. The oscillator core comprises capacitively cross-coupled complementary inverters and a resistor network. The oscillator may comprise a frequency tuning network having inductors for increasing the tuning range. The capacitance inhibit the inverters from latching to a static direct current state. The resistor network forms a high pass filter with the capacitance to inhibit relaxation oscillations. The method comprises enabling the resistor network to form a high pass filter and starting balanced oscillations in the oscillator, the capacitance of the high pass filter for inhibiting latching, and the high pass filter for inhibiting relaxation oscillations. The method may comprise tuning the frequency by varying the capacitance of the oscillator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: Microsemi Storage Solutions (U.S.), Inc.
    Inventors: Stanley Ho, Hormoz Djahanshahi
  • Patent number: 9407200
    Abstract: Circuits having corresponding methods and computer-readable media comprise: an amplifier; a crystal port configured to be electrically coupled to a crystal, wherein a first terminal of the crystal port is electrically coupled to an input of the amplifier, and wherein a second terminal of the crystal port is electrically coupled to an output of the amplifier; a first capacitor, wherein a first terminal of the first capacitor is electrically coupled to ground; a second capacitor, wherein a first terminal of the second capacitor is electrically coupled to ground; a first switch configured to selectively electrically couple the input of the amplifier to a second terminal of the first capacitor; and a second switch configured to selectively electrically couple the output of the amplifier to a second terminal of the second capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: Marvell World Trade Ltd.
    Inventors: Ashutosh Verma, Xiaoyue Wang, Shingo Hatanaka, Shafiq M. Jamal
  • Patent number: 9407239
    Abstract: An automatic tuning circuit for matching an antenna to a radio receiver. The automatic tuning circuit includes a tunable non-Foster circuit for coupling the receiver and the antenna; and sensing and feedback circuits for sensing the combined capacitance of the tunable non-Foster circuit and the antenna and for tuning the tunable non-Foster circuit to automatically minimize the combined capacitance of the tunable non-Foster circuit and the antenna.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: HRL Laboratories, LLC
    Inventors: Carson R. White, Joseph S. Colburn, Michael W. Yung, Donald A. Hitko
  • Patent number: 9379721
    Abstract: An electronic device has a capacitive arrangement for controlling a frequency characteristic. The capacitive arrangement has varactor banks having a number of parallel coupled varactors and a control input for switching the respective varactors on or off. A main varactor bank has N varactors and a series varactor bank has A varactors, the main varactor bank being connected in series with the series varactor bank. A shunt varactor bank of B varactors may be coupled to a ground reference and connected between the main varactor bank and the series varactor bank. When a varactor is switched in the main varactor bank, it provides an equivalent capacitance step size (or frequency step) smaller than size of a capacitance step when switching a single varactor on or off. According to the number of varactors selected in the shunt varactor, B, this frequency step can be made programmable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignee: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Cristian Pavao-Moreira, Dominique Delbecq, Jean-Stephane Vigier
  • Patent number: 9369225
    Abstract: An integrated circuit has a clock subsystem, and a circuit. The clock subsystem is configured to provide a reference clock signal to a first module and a second module. The circuit is configured to distribute information describing characteristics of the reference clock signal to the second module. The information distributed with the circuit enables the second module to adapt the reference clock signal based on the information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: INTEL DEUTSCHLAND GMBH
    Inventors: Markus Hammes, Christoph Schultz, Edoardo Valori, Michael Wilhelm, Junlin Yan
  • Patent number: 9362864
    Abstract: A dynamic gearshifting system includes a monitoring device configured to monitor a duty cycle of a clock output signal of a crystal oscillator circuit during oscillation buildup upon power-up of the crystal oscillator circuit. The dynamic gearshifting system also includes a detecting device configured to detect whether the duty cycle of the clock output signal of the crystal oscillator circuit meets a duty cycle threshold value. The dynamic gearshifting system may further include an assertion device configured to assert a control signal based on detecting the duty cycle meets the duty cycle threshold value. The asserted control signal configured to dynamically adjust a transconductance of the crystal oscillator circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: GAINSPAN CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kiyoshi Fukahori
  • Patent number: 9322921
    Abstract: A communications device includes a housing, an antenna carried by the housing, an oscillator carried by the housing to generate a reference signal, and an RF receiver carried by the housing, and coupled to the antenna and the oscillator, the RF receiver demodulating a received signal from the antenna based upon the reference signal. The communications device also includes a GPS receiver carried by the housing to generate a calibration signal, a temperature sensor carried by the housing to generate a sensed temperature value, and a processor carried by the housing and coupled to the oscillator, the RF receiver, the GPS receiver, and the temperature sensor. The processor may enter an oscillator calibration mode based upon the sensed temperature value for selectively calibrating the oscillator based upon the calibration signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: HARRIS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Brent Josefiak, Brian Padalino
  • Patent number: 9306578
    Abstract: An oscillator includes an oscillator circuit, a crystal filter, a package portion, and a heating portion. The oscillator circuit is configured to output an oscillation signal. The crystal filter has a frequency characteristic where an attenuation at a detuned frequency is larger than an attenuation at an oscillation frequency of the oscillation signal. The detuned frequency is a frequency different from the oscillation frequency. The package portion covers a crystal blank of the oscillator circuit and a crystal blank of the crystal filter. The heating portion is configured to heat the crystal blank of the oscillator circuit and the crystal blank of the crystal filter using a resistor disposed between: a wiring board to which the package portion is secured, and the package portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: NIHON DEMPA KOGYO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroki Kimura, Naoki Onishi
  • Patent number: 9281781
    Abstract: A semiconductor apparatus includes: first and second external terminals that are connected to respective both ends of an piezoelectric vibrator, in which the piezoelectric vibrator is externally disposed; an inverting amplifier that is disposed between the first and second external terminals; a feedback resistance that feeds back an output of the inverting amplifier to an input of the inverting amplifier; a first capacitative element that is disposed between the first external terminal and a reference voltage terminal; a first resistive element that is disposed in series with the first capacitative element; a second capacitative element that is disposed between the second external terminal and the reference voltage terminal; and a second resistive element that is disposed in series with the second capacitative element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: RENESAS ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Osamu Ozawa, Soshiro Nishioka
  • Patent number: 9263989
    Abstract: A differential oscillator includes a resonator, a differential amplifier circuit, and a filter. The filter is disposed in parallel to the resonator and the differential amplifier circuit. The filter has a first resonance frequency in the first resonance mode and a second resonance frequency in the second resonance mode. The filter has a lower impedance at one frequency in one of the first resonance frequency and the second resonance frequency than an impedance at one frequency at another in the first resonance frequency and the second resonance frequency. The differential oscillator has a negative resistance at a frequency at which the impedance of the filter is higher while the differential oscillator does not have a negative resistance at a frequency at which the impedance of the filter is lower among the first resonance frequency and the second resonance frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: NIHON DEMPA KOGYO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takashi Nakaoka, Hiroshi Hoshigami
  • Patent number: 9263988
    Abstract: A crystal oscillation circuit is provided with a crystal oscillator, an inverter unit coupled in parallel with the crystal oscillator and including a plurality of inverters, a current supply unit that supplies current to at least a first inverter of the plurality of inverters, a signal converter that supplies current to at least a last inverter of the plurality of inverters and outputs a voltage to an external circuit, and a current controller that makes the current supply unit provide current corresponding to a voltage level of the output voltage of the signal converter. The crystal oscillation circuit is capable of reducing power consumption.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Kimitoshi Niratsuka, Shingo Sakamoto
  • Patent number: 9257992
    Abstract: A communication device is provided in the present invention. The communication device comprises an oscillation signal source, a tunable capacitor array, a frame counter; and a control module. The control module is configured to jointly or separately control the tunable capacitor array and the frame counter to compensate a first frequency offset of the oscillation signal source when the communication device operates in a first mode, and to jointly or separately control the tunable capacitor array and the frame counter to compensate a second frequency offset of the oscillation signal source when the communication device operates in a second mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: MStar Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Chih-Ming Hung, Yueh-Ting Lee, Cheng-Chieh Lin, Yao-Chi Wang, Shih-Chieh Yen
  • Patent number: 9252783
    Abstract: An oscillator includes an oscillation element; an oscillation circuit which causes the oscillation element to oscillate; a heat generation element which heats the oscillation element; a temperature control circuit which controls the heat generation element; and a temperature correction circuit which corrects frequency-temperature characteristics of an output signal of the oscillation circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kensaku Isohata, Atsushi Kiyohara
  • Patent number: 9252708
    Abstract: A resonant element driver circuit includes a NMOS transistor and a PMOS transistor that are configured to drive a resonant element. The resonant element driver circuit includes biasing circuitry that is configured to bias the PMOS transistor. The biasing circuitry receives a reference signal that is used to set the biasing on the PMOS transistor. The resonant element driver further includes mirror circuitry that tracks current flowing through the NMOS and PMOS transistors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: Marvell International Ltd.
    Inventors: Dennis Sinitsky, Junshi Qiao, Shafiq M. Jamal, Tao Shui
  • Patent number: 9252789
    Abstract: An oscillator circuit includes a terminal T1, a terminal T2, a variable capacitance element having one end connected to the terminal T1, and a capacitance value varying in accordance with a frequency control signal, a variable capacitance element having one end connected to the terminal T2, and a capacitance value varying in accordance with the frequency control signal, a load capacitance circuit connected to the terminal T1, and a load capacitance circuit connected to the terminal T2, and oscillates a resonator element at a frequency corresponding to the frequency control signal. The oscillator circuit is capable of adjusting the capacitance values of the load capacitance circuits, a reference voltage (the electrical potential of the terminal T1), and a reference voltage (the electrical potential of the terminal T2) in accordance with configuration information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Yosuke Itasaka
  • Patent number: 9252784
    Abstract: An electronic device and a method for control of an output amplitude of a Voltage Control Oscillator (VCO) in the electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes a first circuit configured to output a frequency signal corresponding to a control voltage, and a second circuit configured to generate control bits that control an amplitude of the frequency signal based on a comparison result between a peak voltage of the frequency signal and a reference voltage of the frequency signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Joon-Hee Lee, Jong-Won Choi, Young-Taek Lee, Byung-Hak Cho, Young-Gun Pu
  • Patent number: 9246435
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for charging a crystal oscillator are provided. A voltage generating module outputs a ramp voltage signal to a ring oscillator. The ring oscillator generates and outputs a waveform based on the ramp voltage signal. The ramp voltage signal facilitates the ring oscillator to output the waveform at a frequency that varies with time, wherein the varying frequency is within a frequency range of the crystal oscillator. An inverter generates a digital input signal based on the waveform. The digital input signal is sent to an input of the crystal oscillator for charging the crystal oscillator. A feedback module outputs a feedback signal based on the digital input signal, wherein the feedback signal controls the voltage generating module to generate a fixed voltage signal that facilitates the ring oscillator to output the waveform at a frequency that is equal to a resonance frequency of the crystal oscillator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Amirpouya Kavousian, Yashar Rajavi, Alireza Khalili, Mohammad Bagher Vahid Far, Abbas Komijani
  • Patent number: 9224435
    Abstract: According to one aspect, embodiments herein provide a PVR comprising a resonator having an oscillation frequency, the resonator comprising at least one proof-mass, a mechanical reference, at least one drive plate located adjacent a first side of the at least one proof-mass, and at least one sense plate located adjacent a second side of the at least one proof-mass, a voltage source coupled to the drive and sense plates, a reference oscillator configured to provide a reference signal having a reference frequency to the voltage source; and an output, wherein the voltage source is configured to provide a bias voltage signal to the at least one drive and at least one sense plates of the resonator to drive the oscillation frequency of the resonator to match the reference frequency, and wherein the bias voltage signal is also provided to the output of the PVR as a voltage reference signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: THE CHARLES STARK DRAPER LABORATORY, INC.
    Inventors: Paul A. Ward, James S. Pringle, Marc S. Weinberg
  • Patent number: 9214947
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to an all digital phase-lock loop (ADPLL). The ADPLL determines an error generated by a digitally controlled oscillator (DCO) which is operated using a tuning word, stores information related to the error, and compensates for the error based on the stored information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignee: Intel Mobile Communications GmbH
    Inventor: Stefan Mendel
  • Patent number: 9209747
    Abstract: An oscillator includes an amplifier and a piezoelectric crystal coupled across a portion of the amplifier. A low pass filter (LPF) passes the common-mode voltage component of the crystal output signal. An auxiliary bias circuit uses a shared LPF component to charge a crystal load capacitor during start-up of the oscillator, and to provide a DC bias operating point to the oscillator driver transistor. A buffer amplifier receives the common-mode voltage component on the non-inverting input. The buffer amplifier output is coupled to both the inverting input and the drain terminal of the oscillator driver transistor such that the gate and drain DC bias voltages of the oscillator driver transistor are substantially the same. An automatic loop control circuit receives the crystal output signal and the common-mode voltage signal, and generates a bias control signal to bias the amplifier and the auxiliary bias circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
    Inventors: Anand Kumar Sinha, Ashish Ojha, Ateet Omer