A current control device for a differential circuit is provided. The current control device includes a differential circuit that generates differential signals comprising a positive signal and a negative signal in opposite phases, an amplitude detection circuit detecting an amplitude of the differential signal and outputting first and second detection voltages, an error amplification circuit controlling the differential circuit on the basis of an error voltage between the first and second detection voltages, and a current control circuit controlling the amplitude detection circuit on the basis of any one of the first and second detection voltages.

A voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) circuit is disclosed. The VCO circuit comprises a VCO tuning circuit comprising a primary inductive coil. In some embodiments, the VCO tuning circuit is configured to generate a VCO output signal at a first resonance frequency. The VCO circuit further comprises a filter circuit comprising a secondary inductive coil. In some embodiments, the filter circuit is configured to resonate at a second, different, resonance frequency, in order to filter a noise associated with the VCO tuning circuit. In some embodiments, the primary inductive coil associated with the VCO tuning circuit and the secondary inductive coil associated with the filter circuit are concentrically arranged with respect to one another. Further, in some embodiments, the primary inductive coil associated with the VCO tuning circuit and the secondary inductive coil associated with the filter circuit are magnetically decoupled with respect to one another.

An output buffer for an oscillator circuit and associated methodology. The output buffer has inverters and at least one negative feedback loop coupled to corresponding inverters. The negative feedback loop of the circuit is disabled in response to a control signal until one or more of a defined level of oscillation and a defined period of time is reached during start-up of the oscillator circuit, and is thereafter enabled. At least one of the inverters has at least one second negative feedback loop coupled to the corresponding inverter. An amount of feedback provided by the second negative feedback loop is adjustable in response to a control signal, where a first feedback level is present until a defined level of oscillation and/or a defined period of time is reached during start-up, a second feedback level is thereafter present in, and the first feedback level is less than the second feedback level.

A crystal oscillator circuit that can be controlled for fast start-up and for efficient operation is disclosed. The control includes adjusting a voltage applied to a body terminal of a transistor in order to control the amplification of the crystal oscillator. The amplification can be increased, relative to a motional resistance of the crystal oscillator, at start-up to reduce a start-up time necessary for oscillation. The amplification can also be decreased in order to maintain oscillation after start-up more efficiently. In some implementations, the transistor for control is a fully depleted silicon on insulator (FDSOI) transistor that accommodates a wide range of body bias voltages.

An oscillator start-up circuit and methodology for oscillator start-up is disclosed. The circuit includes a reference bias switch coupled to a reference node and a load node of a transconductor of an oscillator. The reference bias switch is responsive to a control signal for start-up of the oscillator and operable to close at a first time prior to start-up of the oscillator to maintain a voltage at the reference node equal to a voltage at the load node prior to application of bias to the transconductor. The reference bias switch is further operable to open at a second time subsequent to the first time. In one embodiment, a separate reference bias voltage is applied to a reference node of the transconductor.

A self-biased amplifier includes a capacitor, a bias generation circuit and a common source amplifier. The capacitor is used to receive an input voltage and output an alternating component of the input voltage. The bias generation circuit is coupled to the capacitor, and used to generate a first bias voltage according to the alternating component. The common source amplifier is coupled to the bias generation circuit, and used to generate an amplified voltage according to the first bias voltage.

An oscillation circuit has a charge-discharge type oscillation unit that performs an oscillation operation at an oscillating frequency that is in accordance with a control current value, and a control current generation unit that generates the control current. The control current generation unit includes a reference voltage generation circuit that generates a reference voltage that has a first temperature characteristic, a temperature characteristic slope correction circuit that corrects a slope of a temperature characteristic of a reference voltage in accordance with first correction information and generates an output voltage that has a second temperature characteristic, and a voltage-current conversion circuit that converts the output voltage of the temperature characteristic slope correction circuit into the control voltage, and that corrects the control current value in accordance with second correction information.

A frequency variable oscillator generates a clock having a frequency according to a control signal. A reference current source generates a reference current. A path selector distributes the reference current to a first path and a second path in a time-sharing manner in synchronization with the clock. An F/V conversion circuit includes a capacitor connected to the first path, and charges or discharges the capacitor with the reference current and generates a detection voltage. The reference voltage source includes a resistor connected to the second path, and outputs a reference voltage according to a voltage across the resistor. A feedback circuit adjusts a control signal so that the detection voltage approaches the reference voltage.

Provided is a temperature sensor including a bipolar transistor, a resistor, and a variable resistance circuit. The resistor is provided between a first node coupled to a base node of the bipolar transistor and a collector node of the bipolar transistor. The variable resistance circuit is provided between an emitter node of the bipolar transistor and a ground node.

A voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) circuit is disclosed. The VCO circuit comprises a VCO tuning circuit comprising a primary inductive coil. In some embodiments, the VCO tuning circuit is configured to generate a VCO output signal at a first resonance frequency. The VCO circuit further comprises a filter circuit comprising a secondary inductive coil. In some embodiments, the filter circuit is configured to resonate at a second, different, resonance frequency, in order to filter a noise associated with the VCO tuning circuit. In some embodiments, the primary inductive coil associated with the VCO tuning circuit and the secondary inductive coil associated with the filter circuit are concentrically arranged with respect to one another. Further, in some embodiments, the primary inductive coil associated with the VCO tuning circuit and the secondary inductive coil associated with the filter circuit are magnetically decoupled with respect to one another.