abstract |
This invention relates to a Colpitts oscillator circuit for a radio capsule of the type adapted to be swallowed by a patient for investigating a condition of the gastrointestinal tract. The circuit includes a transistor as the active element and a parallel resonant LC circuit including the series combination of a variable capacitance diode and first and second capacitors, the capacitance of the second capacitor being the larger of the two in order to provide the minimum amount of positive feedback required to cause stable oscillation. The capacitance of the first capacitor, which is connected between the diode and the transistor emitter, approximates that of the diode at the lowest voltage applied to the diode by a sensor device. |