Transformer based voltage controlled oscillator circuitry for phase-locked loop circuitry includes upper band circuitry and lower band circuitry. The upper band circuitry operates in a first frequency range and includes a first capacitor array having a variable capacitance. The lower band circuitry operates in a second frequency range and includes a second capacitor array having a variable capacitance. The first frequency range higher than the second frequency range. In a first operating mode, the first capacitor array has a first capacitance value and the second capacitor array has a second capacitance value. In a second operating mode, the second capacitor array has a third capacitance value different than the second capacitance value.

A semiconductor device according to the present embodiment includes a plurality of switching elements and a plurality of variable capacitance elements. The switching elements are switching elements connected in series between a first control terminal and a second control terminal and plural types of capacitance control signals can be supplied to the first control terminal and the second control terminal. The variable capacitance elements have capacitance control terminals connected to corresponding one ends of the switching elements, respectively.

The present disclosure provides a super-regenerative transceiver with a feedback element having a controllable gain. The super-regenerative transceiver utilizes the controllable gain to improve RF signal data sensitivity and improve RF signal data capture rates. Super-regenerative transceivers described herein permit signal data capture over a broad range of frequencies and for a range of communication protocols. Super-regenerative transceivers described herein are tunable, consume very little power for operation and maintenance, and permit long term operation even when powered by very small power sources (e.g., coin batteries).

Embodiments herein relate to an apparatus and method for calibrating a notch filter which filters a power supply signal for a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO). In one aspect, a control circuit performs a number of calibration cycles for the filter to determine a value of a calibration code for the filter which minimizes a change in a frequency of the output signal of the VCO due to a change in the voltage of the power supply signal. After each calibration cycle, the calibration code is adjusted based on whether the frequency of the output signal increase or decreases. The calibration cycles can therefore converge on an optimal calibration code which minimizes the change in frequency due to the change in voltage. This minimizes a sensitivity of the VCO to noise in the power supply signal.

Embodiments disclosed herein relate to oscillators including methods of operating the same, for example for use in radio frequency circuits. In an embodiment, an oscillator has cross-coupled transistors connected between a resonant circuit and a tail circuit. The resonant circuit and tail circuit have respective supply connections for powering the oscillator with an external power supply and the cross-coupled transistors have a bias circuit coupled to respective gates of the cross-coupled transistors and arranged to bias said transistors in an active region of operation. The tail circuit has a current source, a tail capacitor and a tail resistor coupled between a common node of the cross-coupled transistors and the supply connection of the tail circuit.

A bias-current-control circuit is provided. The bias-current-control circuit includes a transconductance circuit, a constant-current source, and a current-mirror circuit. The transconductance circuit is connected to a node and detects a voltage signal to generate a first current. The constant-current source is connected to the node and generates a tail current. The current-mirror circuit includes a reference current terminal and a bias current terminal, and the reference current terminal is coupled to the node. A second current which flows through the reference current terminal is determined by a current difference between the tail current and the first current. A bias current which flows through the bias current terminal is generated based on the second current. Furthermore, the second current and the bias current are in a predetermined ratio.

Phase-locked loop circuitry generates an output signal based on transformer based voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) circuitry. The VCO circuitry includes upper band circuitry including first oscillation circuitry, a first harmonic filter circuitry coupled to the first oscillation circuitry, and a first selection transistor coupled to the first harmonic filter circuitry and a current source. The first harmonic filter circuitry filters the output signal. The lower band circuitry includes second oscillation circuitry, a second harmonic filter circuitry coupled to the second oscillation circuitry, and a second selection transistor coupled to the second harmonic filter circuitry and the current source. The second harmonic filter circuitry filters the output signal.

A voltage-controlled oscillator includes a first transistor, a second transistor, a first center-tapped inductor, two first varactors, a second center-tapped inductor and two second varactors. The first and second transistors cooperatively forma cross-connected pair. The first center-tapped inductor and the first varactors cooperatively form a first LC tank. The second center-tapped inductor and the second varactors cooperatively forma second LC tank. The cross-connected pair is connected between the first and second LC tanks. The first and second center-tapped inductors are mutual-inductively coupled to each other. An oscillation signal pair is provided between the first LC tank and the cross-connected pair.

A semiconductor device and a communication circuit capable of reducing the effect of a noise generated in an inductor are provided. A semiconductor device according to an embodiment includes a substrate, a first circuit disposed in a first area of the substrate, a second circuit disposed in a second area of the substrate, the second circuit being configured to operate selectively with the first circuit, a first inductor disposed in the second area and connected to the first circuit, and a second inductor disposed in the first area and connected to the second circuit.

An apparatus comprises a digitally controlled circuit having a variable capacitance and a controller configured to adjust a magnitude of the variable capacitance of the digitally controlled circuit. The digitally controlled circuit comprises a plurality of gain elements, the plurality of gain elements comprising one or more positive voltage-to-frequency gain elements and one or more negative voltage-to-frequency gain elements. The controller is configured to adjust the magnitude of the capacitance by adjusting the gain provided by respective ones of the gain elements in an alternating sequence of the positive voltage-to-frequency gain elements and the negative voltage-to-frequency gain elements.