Abstract: A polyphase numerically controlled oscillator is disclosed. An input signal is received at a phase accumulator. The phase accumulator provides a phase to a phase interpolator. The phase interpolator then provides a plurality of output phases. The plurality of output phases are provided to a plurality of phase to amplitude converters. Each of said plurality of phase to amplitude converters process one of said plurality of output phases.

Abstract: A polyphase numerically controlled oscillator is disclosed. An input signal is received at a phase accumulator. The phase accumulator provides a phase to a phase interpolator. The phase interpolator then provides a plurality of output phases. The plurality of output phases are provided to a plurality of phase to amplitude converters. Each of said plurality of phase to amplitude converters process one of said plurality of output phases.

Abstract: A phase detection apparatus produces a phase difference signal in response to the phase difference between two applied input signals. The phase detector includes a lead/lag indicator receiving the input signals, and a logic block receiving the input signals. The logic block generates an output signal in response to the time delay between corresponding amplitude transitions, such as rising edges, of each of the input signals. The lead/lag indicator records which one of the two input signals leads in phase and generates an enable signal that steers the output signal from the logic block to one or the other of the phase detector's two output terminals.

Abstract: A phase detector provides a digital output having a linear relationship to the phase difference between a reference signal and an applied input signal. The phase detector counts the number of cycles of the reference signal within a time interval determined by the difference in arrival times of corresponding amplitude transitions of the reference signal and the input signal. A digital output representing the number of counted cycles is produced. A dither generator adds random time variation to the time interval over which the reference signal cycles are counted to introduce a corresponding random variation in the digital output.

Abstract: A variable frequency synthesis apparatus and method use a phase prediction signal to enable integer division in the feedback path of a phase-lock-loop to provide an output signal at a rational frequency multiple of an applied reference signal. A fixed integer divide ratio is maintained within each period of the reference signal. The output signal provided by a variable frequency oscillator is frequency divided and is phase compared to the reference signal. The phase comparison produces a predictable, time-varying phase difference signal based on a known frequency difference between the output signal and the reference signal. The phase prediction signal cancels the predictable phase difference signal and isolates an phase error signal used to steer, or adjust, the frequency of the oscillator to precisely equal the rational frequency multiple of the applied reference signal when the phase error signal is minimized.