Frequency synthesis
View Patent ↗An apparatus including a spin torque oscillator configured to receive an input electric current and to produce a radio frequency output signal; and a tunable current source for providing an input electric current to the spin torque oscillator.
1. An apparatus comprising:
a spin torque oscillator configured to receive an input electric current and to produce a radio frequency output signal; and
a tunable current source for providing the input electric current to the spin torque oscillator, wherein the tunable current source is configured to provide a succession of input electric current bursts to the spin torque oscillator, wherein each input electric current burst of the succession of input electric current bursts has a different current amplitude.
2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a controller is configured to control a frequency of the radio frequency output signal by controlling an amplitude of the input electric current provided to the spin torque oscillator.
3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a controller is configured to provide wideband frequency modulation by varying the amplitude of the input electric current.
4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a controller is configured to provide modulation by varying the amplitude of the input current between predetermined levels.
5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a controller is configured to provide multiband amplitude shift keying modulation by varying the input current between predetermined levels to provide respective multiband frequencies and by varying between a predetermined level and a base level to provide amplitude shift keying.
6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the amplitude shift keying is on-off keying.
7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a controller is configured to vary the amplitude of the input current between multiple predetermined levels within a single symbol interval.
8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , comprising a plurality of spin torque oscillators each configured to receive an input electric current and to produce a radio frequency output signal; and a plurality of tunable current source each configured to provide an input electric current to a respective spin torque oscillator.
9. An apparatus as claimed in claim 8 , wherein each controller is configured to maintain the input current at a different one of a plurality of predetermined levels within each symbol interval.
10. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a controller is configured to compensate the power of the radio frequency output signal.
11. A radio transmitter apparatus comprising the apparatus as claimed in claim 1 .
12. A radio frequency synthesizer comprising:
a spin torque oscillator configured to receive an input electric current and to produce a radio frequency output signal; and
a tunable current source for providing an input electric current to the spin torque oscillator, wherein the tunable current source is configured to provide a succession of input electric current bursts to the spin torque oscillator, wherein each input electric burst of the succession of input electric current bursts has a different current amplitude.
13. A method comprising:
obtaining an indication of output frequencies required;
controlling an input electric current provided to a spin torque oscillator to produce radio frequency output signals at the required output frequencies; and
providing a succession of input electric current bursts to the spin torque oscillator, wherein each input electric current burst of the succession of input electric current bursts has a different current amplitude.
14. A method as claimed in claim 13 , comprising varying the amplitude of the input current only between predetermined levels.
15. A method as claimed in claim 13 , comprising varying the input current between predetermined levels to provide respective multiband frequencies and varying between a predetermined level and a base level to provide amplitude shift keying.
16. A method as claimed in claim 13 , comprising varying the amplitude of the input current between multiple predetermined levels within a single symbol interval.
17. A method as claimed in claim 13 , comprising compensating the power of the radio frequency output signal.
18. A method comprising:
providing a succession of input electric current bursts to a spin torque oscillator, wherein each input electric current burst of the succession of input electric current bursts has a different current amplitude.
19. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer program instructions that, when performed by at least one processor, cause at least the following to be performed:
providing a succession of input electric current bursts to a spin torque oscillator, wherein each input electric current burst of the succession of input electric current bursts has a different current amplitude.