Voltage controlled oscillator

1. A voltage controlled oscillator (VCO), comprising:

a first and a second n-type transistor, wherein the input of the first n-type transistor is connected to the power-facing connection of the second n-type transistor and the input of the second n-type transistor is connected to the power-facing connection of the first n-type transistor;

a first and a second p-type transistor, wherein the input of the first p-type transistor is connected to the ground-facing connection of the second p-type transistor, the input of the second p-type transistor is connected to the ground-facing connection of the first p-type transistor, the ground-facing connection of the first n-type transistor is connected to the power-facing connection of the first p-type transistor, and the ground-facing connection of the second n-type transistor is connected to the power-facing connection of the second p-type transistor;

a first capacitive element, wherein a first side of the first capacitive element is connected to the power-facing connection of the first n-type transistor and a second side of the first capacitive element is connected to the ground-facing connection of the first p-type transistor;

a second capacitive element, wherein a first side of the second capacitive element is connected to the power-facing connection of the second n-type transistor and a second side of the second capacitive element is connected to the ground-facing connection of the second p-type transistor;

a bridge connecting (1) the ground-facing connection of the first n-type transistor and power-facing connection of the first p-type transistor to (2) the ground-facing connection of the second n-type transistor and power-facing connection of the second p-type transistor;

a first inductive element, wherein a first side of the first inductive element is connected to the power-facing connection of the second n-type transistor and a second side of the first inductive element is connected to the power-facing connection of the first n-type transistor;

a first capacitor bank, wherein a first side of the first capacitor bank is connected to the power-facing connection of the second n-type transistor and a second side of the first capacitor bank is connected to the power-facing connection of the first n-type transistor;

a second inductive element, wherein a first side of the second inductive element is connected to the ground-facing connection of the second p-type transistor and a second side of the second inductive element is connected to the ground-facing connection of the first p-type transistor;

a second capacitor bank, wherein a first side of the second capacitor bank is connected to the ground-facing connection of the second p-type transistor and a second side of the second capacitor bank is connected to the ground-facing connection of the first p-type transistor.

2. The VCO recited in claim 1 , wherein the first and the second n-type transistors are matched and the first and the second p-type transistors are matched.

3. The VCO recited in claim 1 , wherein the first and the second n-type transistors and the first and the second p-type transistors include bipolar transistors.

4. The VCO recited in claim 1 ; wherein the first and the second n-type transistors and the first and the second p-type transistors include GaAs transistors.

5. The VCO recited in claim 1 , wherein the first and the second n-type transistors and the first and the second p-type transistors include CMOS transistors.

6. The VCO recited in claim 1 , wherein the power-facing connections of the first and second n-type transistors are drains, the inputs of the first and second n-type transistors are gates, the ground-facing connections of the first and second n-type transistors are sources, the power-facing connections of the first and second p-type transistors are sources, the inputs of the first and second p-type transistors are gates, and the ground-facing connections of the first and second p-type transistors are drains.

7. The VCO recited in claim 1 , wherein the first capacitor bank and/or the second capacitor bank includes a varactor.

8. The VCO recited in claim 1 , wherein the first inductive element has a center tap connected to a first side of a power bias network and a second side of the power bias network is connected to a power supply.

9. The VCO recited in claim 1 , wherein the second inductive element has a center tap connected to a first side of a ground bias network and a second side of the ground bias network is connected to ground.

10. The VCO recited in claim 1 , wherein the bridge includes a direct connection between (1) the ground-facing connection of the first n-type transistor and power-facing connection of the first p-type transistor and (2) the ground-facing connection of the second n-type transistor and power-facing connection of the second p-type transistor.

11. The VCO recited in claim 1 , wherein the bridge includes a capacitor, wherein a first side of the capacitor is connected to the ground-facing connection of the first n-type transistor and power-facing connection of the first p-type transistor and a second side of the capacitor is connected to the ground-facing connection of the second n-type transistor and power-facing connection of the second p-type transistor.

12. The VCO recited in claim 1 , wherein the bridge includes a tuning block, wherein a first side of the tuning block is connected to the ground-facing connection of the first n-type transistor and power-facing connection of the first p-type transistor and a second side of the tuning block is connected to the ground-facing connection of the second n-type transistor and power-facing connection of the second p-type transistor.

13. The VCO recited in claim 1 further comprising:

a first capacitor, wherein a first side of the first capacitor is connected to the power-facing connection of the first n-type transistor and a second side of the first capacitor is connected to the ground-facing connection of the first n-type transistor;

a second capacitor, wherein a first side of the second capacitor is connected to the ground-facing connection of the first p-type transistor and a second side of the second capacitor is connected to the power-facing connection of the first p-type transistor;

a third capacitor, wherein a first side of the third capacitor is connected to the power-facing connection of the second n-type transistor and a second side of the third capacitor is connected to the ground-facing connection of the second n-type transistor; and

a fourth capacitor, wherein a first side of the fourth capacitor is connected to the ground-facing connection of the second p-type transistor and a second side of the fourth capacitor is connected to the power-facing connection of the second p-type transistor.

14. The VCO recited in claim 1 further comprising:

a first tuning block, wherein a first side of the first tuning block is connected to the power-facing connection of the first n-type transistor and a second side of the first tuning block is connected to the ground-facing connection of the first n-type transistor;

a second tuning block, wherein a first side of the second tuning block is connected to the ground-facing connection of the first p-type transistor and a second side of the second tuning block is connected to the power-facing connection of the first p-type transistor;

a third tuning block, wherein a first side of the third tuning block is connected to the power-facing connection of the second n-type transistor and a second side of the third tuning block is connected to the ground-facing connection of the second n-type transistor; and

a fourth tuning block, wherein a first side of the fourth tuning block is connected to the ground-facing connection of the second p-type transistor and a second side of the fourth tuning block is connected to the power-facing connection of the second p-type transistor.

15. The VCO recited in claim 14 further comprising:

a fifth tuning block, wherein a first side of the fifth tuning block is connected to the power-facing connection of the second n-type transistor and the second side of the fifth tuning block is connected to the input of the first n-type transistor;

a sixth tuning block, wherein a first side of the sixth tuning block is connected to the input of the second n-type transistor and the second side of the sixth tuning block is connected to the power-facing connection of the first n-type transistor;

a seventh tuning block, wherein a first side of the seventh tuning block is connected to the ground-facing connection of the second n-type transistor and the second side of the seventh tuning block is connected to the input of the first n-type transistor;

an eighth tuning block, wherein a first side of the eighth tuning block is connected to the input of the second n-type transistor and the second side of the eighth tuning block is connected to the ground-facing connection of the first n-type transistor;

a ninth tuning block, wherein a first side of the ninth tuning block is connected to the power-facing connection of the second p-type transistor and the second side of the ninth tuning block is connected to the input of the first p-type transistor;

a tenth tuning block, wherein a first side of the tenth tuning block is connected to the input of the second p-type transistor and the second side of the tenth tuning block is connected to the power-facing connection of the first p-type transistor;

a eleventh tuning block, wherein a first side of the eleventh tuning block is connected to the ground-facing connection of the second p-type transistor and the second side of the eleventh tuning block is connected to the input of the first p-type transistor; and

a twelfth tuning block, wherein a first side of the twelfth tuning block is connected to the input of the second p-type transistor and the second side of the twelfth tuning block is connected to the ground-facing connection of the first p-type transistor.

16. The VCO recited in claim 15 further comprising a thirteenth tuning block, wherein a first side of the thirteenth tuning block is connected to the ground-facing connection of the first n-type transistor and power-facing connection of the first p-type transistor and a second side of the thirteenth tuning block is connected to the ground-facing connection of the second n-type transistor and power-facing connection of the second p-type transistor.

17. The VCO recited in claim 1 , wherein the first capacitor bank and/or the second capacitor bank include(s):

a first and a second capacitor;

a switch; and

a first and a second resistor, wherein:

one side of the first capacitor is connected to a first side of the switch and a first side of a first resistor;

a second side of the first resistor is connected to a first side of the second resistor;

and

a second side of the second resistor is connected to a second side of the switch and a first side of the second capacitor.

18. The VCO recited in claim 17 , wherein the first capacitor bank and/or the second capacitor bank further include(s) a varactor branch in parallel with a branch comprising of the first capacitor, the second capacitor, the switch, the first resistor, and the second resistor.

19. The VCO recited in claim 18 , wherein the varactor branch includes:

a first and a second capacitor;

a first and a second varactor element; and

a first and a second resistor, wherein:

one side of the first capacitor is connected to a first side of the first varactor element and a first side of the first resistor;

a second side of the first varactor element is connected to a first side of the second varactor element;

a second side of the first resistor is connected to a first side of the second resistor;

and

one side of the second capacitor is connected to a second side of the second varactor element and a second side of the second resistor.