Patent ID: 7256657

Claim:
A voltage controlled oscillator having digitally controlled phase adjustment comprising: means for providing a bias current or a bias voltage to the voltage controlled oscillator; a plurality of stages coupled to the means for providing a bias current or bias voltage, each of the plurality of stages inverting a signal to provide oscillation; and a phase adjusting circuit coupled to at least one of the plurality of stages, the phase adjusting circuit comprising a plurality of transistors with multiple control electrodes and coupled to an output of the at least one of the plurality of stages, each of the plurality of multiple control electrode transistors having a first control electrode coupled to a same control signal, a first portion of the plurality of multiple control electrode transistors having a second control electrode coupled to a respective one of a first plurality of digital control signals which make the first portion of the plurality of multiple control electrode transistors conductive unless selectively made non-conductive, a second portion of the plurality of multiple control electrode transistors having a second control electrode coupled to a respective one of a second plurality of digital control signals which make the second portion of the plurality of multiple control electrode transistors be non-conductive unless selectively made conductive, the first plurality and the second plurality of digital control signals adjusting phase of the signal.