Plural Comparators Or Discriminators Patents (Class 331/11)
  • Patent number: 7383160
    Abstract: A method a low cost and production-integrable technique for providing a signal diagram. The data signal is edge-detected and asynchronously sampled (or alternatively a clock signal is latched). The data signal or a second signal is compared to a settable threshold voltage and sampled. The edge and comparison data are folded according to a swept timebase to find a minimum jitter period. The crossing of the signal diagram edges is determined from a peak of a histogram of the folded edge data. A histogram of ratios of the sample values versus displacement from the position of the crossing location is generated for each threshold voltage. The technique is repeated over a range of settable threshold voltages. Then, the ratio counts are differentiated across the histograms with respect to threshold voltage, from which a signal diagram is populated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2008
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Hayden C. Cranford, Jr., Fadi H. Gebara, Jeremy D. Schaub
  • Patent number: 7372339
    Abstract: A phase-locked loop (PLL) circuit includes a power-on-reset (POR) to reset a digital block and set an initial input voltage value VCTRL of voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO). An input divider and a feedback divider are provided to set the frequency ratio of output to input and to raise the resolution of the output frequency. First and second phase frequency detectors are used to measure the phase difference between the two input signals and generate a pulse corresponding to the phase difference. First and second reducing dividers are inserted before the first and second phase frequency detectors to decrease the input frequency of the respective phase frequency detector and keep the ratio of the input frequency and natural frequency (Wn) as a constant. A lock-state detector is used to detect whether the PLL is locked or unlocked. A charge pump is used to provide charge signals corresponding to the pulse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2008
    Assignee: Semiconductor Manufacturing International (Shanghai) Corporation
    Inventor: Zhi Gang Fu
  • Publication number: 20080094145
    Abstract: A phase-locked loop (PLL) including a digital PFD, a digital loop filter, a decision circuit, a fractional-N PLL, and a frequency divider is provided. The digital PFD generates a first detection signal according to the phase error or frequency difference between an input signal and a feedback signal. The digital loop filter generates a first control signal according to the first detection signal. The decision circuit generates a divisor value according to the first control signal. The fractional-N PLL generates an oscillation signal according to the divisor value and a reference signal. The frequency divider divides the oscillation signal to produce the feedback signal. The fractional-N PLL includes a fractional-N frequency divider for generating a frequency-divided signal for use in tracking the reference signal according to the divisor value by employing phase swallow means.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2007
    Publication date: April 24, 2008
    Inventors: Chi-Kung Kuan, Yu-Pin Chou, Yi-Teng Chen
  • Patent number: 7362826
    Abstract: A receiver circuit includes an oscillator circuit configured to generate a calibration tone and a phase locked loop (PLL) reference signal. An output frequency of the VCO may be divided by respective amounts to derive a desired calibration tone frequency and a desired PLL reference signal frequency. In addition to the oscillator circuit, the receiver circuit may further include a phase locked circuit configured to generate a PLL output signal that is phase locked in relation to the PLL reference signal. During a calibration mode, a quadrature generator may be used to generate quadrature mixer local oscillator signals dependent upon the PLL output signal, and an in-phase/quadrature mixer may be used to mix the calibration tone with the quadrature mixer LO signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2008
    Assignee: Silicon Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventor: Scott D. Willingham
  • Patent number: 7362184
    Abstract: A circuit and method for monitoring a frequency divider. The circuit including a phase locked loop circuit including a voltage controlled oscillator and a feedback frequency divider, an output of the voltage controlled oscillator connected to an input of the feedback frequency divider, and output of the feedback frequency divider coupled to an input of the voltage controlled oscillator; and a frequency divider monitor having a first input, a second input and an output, the first input of the frequency divider monitor connected to the output of the voltage controlled oscillator and the second input of the frequency divider monitor coupled to an output of the feedback frequency divider.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2008
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Kai Di Feng, Zhenrong Jin
  • Patent number: 7352248
    Abstract: A method, algorithm, software, architecture, circuit, and/or system for detecting an idle condition and maintaining a frequency of a clock/data recovery circuit are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of maintaining a frequency of a clock/data recovery circuit can include the steps of: (i) comparing a difference value from a differential signal with a predetermined threshold (or value); (ii) controlling a variable frequency oscillator (VFO) with a frequency detector when the difference value is less than the threshold for at least a predetermined integration time; and (iii) controlling the VFO with a phase detector receiving the differential signal when the difference value is greater than the threshold. Embodiments of the present invention can advantageously provide a reliable and simplified design approach for clock data recovery (CDR) circuits operable with low power mode transmitters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2008
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: David Meltzer, Gregory A. Blum
  • Publication number: 20080061888
    Abstract: Disclosed is a multi-loop PLL circuit and a related method of which, the circuit includes: a first loop for generating a first control current; a second loop for generating a second control current; a loop filter for generating a control signal according to the first control current or the second control current; a voltage control oscillator for generating a first oscillating signal or a second oscillating signal according to the control signal; a first frequency divider for generating a first feed back clock signal; a second frequency divider for generating a second feed back clock signal; and a control circuit for switching the first loop or the second loop to generate the control signal. The frequency of the second reference clock signal is higher than which of the first reference clock signal. The control circuit turns on the second loop first and then turns on the first loop.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2007
    Publication date: March 13, 2008
    Inventor: Ren-Chieh Liu
  • Publication number: 20080061889
    Abstract: A phase synchronization circuit and an electronic apparatus equipped with the phase synchronization circuit are provided. The phase synchronization circuit includes an oscillation unit, a phase comparison unit, a loop unit, a drive unit, an oscillation control signal unit, and a gain characteristic information obtaining unit. In the phase synchronization unit, a compensation signal is generated based on the gain characteristic information obtained by the gain characteristic information obtaining unit at the time of the usual phase synchronizing operation, and the drive unit is controlled by the compensation signal so that a product of the input signal-oscillation frequency conversion gain at the time of actual operation and the drive signal with which the drive unit drives the loop filter unit is constant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2007
    Publication date: March 13, 2008
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Tomohiro Matsumoto, Yosuke Ueno
  • Patent number: 7343510
    Abstract: A clock detection and selection circuit (100) can include a first counter (102-0) that generates a first count value CNT1 according to a first clock signal CLK1 and a second counter (102-1) that generates a second count value CNT2 according to a second clock signal CLK2. First separation-detect logic (102-0) and second separation-detect logic (102-1) determine if a pre-specified difference exists between a first count value (CNT1/CNT1?) and second count value (CNT2/CNT2?). According to such determinations, separation information (INF—1 and INF—2) can be generated indicating which clock signal (CLK1 or CLK2) is faster. Selection logic (106) can select a faster of the clock signals (CLK1 or CLK2) if the separation information values confirm one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2008
    Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Mark Ross, S. Babar Raza, Dimitris Pantelakis, Anup Nayak, Walter Bridgewater
  • Patent number: 7339439
    Abstract: A multi-phase realigned voltage-controlled oscillator (MRVCO) achieves phase realignment based on charge injection in the VCO stages. The individual VCO stages provide an oscillating output signals having an asymmetric waveform with substantially different rise and fall times. This ensures that the VCO as a whole has a multiphase impulse response to the charge injection that is strictly positive or strictly negative, and substantially constant so as to be independent of the VCO phase or timing of charge injection. The MRVCO may form a component part of an implementation of a multi-phase realigned phase-locked loop (MRPLL).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2008
    Assignee: Atmel Corporation
    Inventors: Regis Roubadia, Sami Ajram
  • Patent number: 7323942
    Abstract: To provide dual loop PLLs capable of reducing the lock-up time in the initial start-up, and multiplication clock generators contributing to reduction of the power dissipation. The dual loop PLL comprises a dual loop PLL having a phase comparison loop having a phase comparator 1 for comparing phases, and a frequency comparison loop having a frequency comparator 7 for comparing frequencies, wherein the frequency comparator 7 carries out frequency comparison using an input signal inputted from a calibration clock line CLcal 18, the input signal being different from a reference clock signal inputted from an external reference clock line CLex 11, the reference clock signal being used for a phase comparator 1. Moreover, multiplication clock generators are configured using the dual loop PLL.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Ishizaka, Kazuaki Sogawa
  • Patent number: 7321267
    Abstract: A PLL comprises a VCO and a loop filter, wherein the VCO generates an AC output signal having a frequency which depends on an applied control voltage, and wherein the loop filter provides a control voltage to the VCO. The control voltage reflects determined phase differences between a potentially frequency divided output signal of the VCO and a reference signal. When operating the PLL, frequency deviations between a potentially frequency divided output signal of the VCO and a reference signal are detected and in addition, a resolution employed for detecting the frequency deviations is lower than a resolution employed for determining the phase differences. In case a frequency deviation is detected, a direct-current voltage shift is added to the control voltage provided by the loop filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2008
    Assignee: Nokia Corporation
    Inventors: Vesa Salonen, Sami Vilhonen
  • Patent number: 7315214
    Abstract: A phase locked loop includes a controlled oscillator for delivering an output signal at a determined output frequency, and a variable frequency divider for converting the output signal into a signal at divided frequency. The PLL is termed composite in that it includes at least one first loop having a loop filter for generating a first control signal for the oscillator on the basis of the signal at divided frequency, and a second loop having a loop filter, different from the loop filter of the first loop, for generating, on the basis of the signal at divided frequency, a second signal for additional control of the oscillator. The loop filter of the first loop and the loop filter of the second loop have different respective cutoff frequencies. The passband of the first loop, can be adapted to ensure the convergence and the stability of the PLL, while the second loop can afford extra passband increasing the speed of adaptation of the PLL in case of modification of the value of a preset for the output frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2008
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.A.
    Inventors: Franck Badets, Didier Belot, Vincent Lagareste, Yann Deval, Pierre Melchior, Jean-Baptiste Begueret
  • Patent number: 7301414
    Abstract: A Phase-Locked Loop (PPL) circuit includes a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO), a reference signal oscillator, first and second frequency dividers, a phase comparator, a charge pump and a loop filter. The VCO has a plural number of oscillation frequency boards and oscillates according to a control voltage in a selected band. The first frequency divider frequency divides the output signal of the VCO. The second frequency divider frequency divides the reference signal outputted from the reference signal oscillator. The phase comparator detects the phase difference between the output signal of the first and second frequency dividers and outputs a phase difference signal. The charge pump inputs and outputs a current generated by a gain that was set depending on the selected band based on the phase difference signal. The loop filter increases or decreases the voltage with a specified low pass filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2007
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takuo Hino
  • Patent number: 7292119
    Abstract: The phase locked loop frequency synthesizer, includes: an LC-tank circuit which includes an inductor and a variable capacitor in which the capacity changes depending on the input voltage; a group of fixed-value capacitors which is connected to the LC-tank circuit in parallel; a voltage control oscillating unit which outputs a signal with a frequency determined by the LC-tank circuit and the group of fixed-value capacitors; a phase control unit which generates an output current based on an error operator between a first signal with a divided frequency of a reference frequency and a second signal with a divided frequency of the frequency output from the voltage control oscillating unit; a fixed-value capacitor controlling unit which outputs a selection signal which determines the combination of the fixed-value capacitors to be connected to the LC-tank circuit in parallel based on a frequency dividing ratio setting signal including information about dividing ratio of the second signal, and controls the connectio
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2007
    Assignee: NEC Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Tatsuya Urakawa
  • Patent number: 7288997
    Abstract: A phase lock loop and the control method thereof. The phase lock loop adjusts operating states automatically to generate a feedback clock for tracing a reference clock. The control method generates the first and second clocks corresponding to the highest and lowest frequency oscillating clocks respectively generated by the phase lock loop when operating in one of select states. The frequencies of the first and second clocks are compared to the frequency of the reference clock respectively, thereby holding the select state of the phase lock loop when the first, second, and reference clocks are in a first predetermined condition or changing the select state of the phase lock loop when in a second predetermined condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2007
    Assignee: Via Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Po-Chun Chen
  • Patent number: 7286947
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining jitter and pulse width from clock signal comparisons provides a low cost and production-integrable mechanism for measuring a clock signal with a reference clock, both of unknown frequency. The measured clock signal is sampled at transitions of a reference clock and the sampled values are collected in a histogram according to a folding of the samples around a timebase which is either swept to detect a minimum jitter for the folded data or is obtained from direct frequency analysis for the sample set. The histogram for the correct estimated period is statistically analyzed to yield the pulse width, which is the difference between the peaks of the probability density function and jitter, which corresponds to width of the density function peaks. Frequency drift is corrected by adjusting the timebase used to fold the data across the sample set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2007
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Hayden C. Cranford, Jr., Fadi H. Gebara, Jeremy D. Schaub
  • Patent number: 7282999
    Abstract: A method and a device for generating a clock signal (Fout) are provided, wherein a digital phase difference signal (X) is formed depending on a phase difference between a reference clock signal (Fin) and a feedback signal (Ffb) derived from the clock signal (Fout) and wherein the digital phase difference signal (X) is digitally filtered, in order to form a digital filtered phase difference signal (U). A digitally controlled oscillator (5) is activated by a digital control signal dependent on the digital filtered phase difference signal (U) to generate the clock signal (Fout). With a device of this kind clock signals with frequencies in the gigahertz range can be generated with a minimum of analog circuit parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2007
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Nicola Da Dalt, Peter Gregorius
  • Patent number: 7276977
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention reduce static phase offset in timing loops. In one embodiment, the present invention includes a timing loop comprising first and second phase detectors, wherein during a first time period, the first phase detector is coupled in a closed timing loop and the second phase detector is decoupled from the closed timing loop and calibrated, and during a second time period, the second phase detector is coupled in a closed timing loop and the first phase detector is decoupled from the closed timing loop and calibrated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2007
    Inventor: Paul William Ronald Self
  • Patent number: 7259601
    Abstract: A clock synchronization circuit (200, FIG. 2) includes a signal selector (202), phase detector (204), and delay line (206). The signal selector compares an external clock signal (220) and a feedback signal (222) to evaluate the jitter present in the external clock signal. When the jitter falls within an acceptable range, the circuit operates in DLL mode. In DLL mode, the external clock signal is provided to the delay line, and the delayed external signal is output (224) from the circuit. If the jitter falls outside the acceptable range and the circuit is locked, the circuit is switched to PLL mode. In PLL mode, a clock signal based on the feedback signal is provided to the delay line, and the delayed feedback signal is output from the circuit. The PLL mode is only allowed to operate briefly before switching the circuit back into DLL mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2007
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Oliver F. Zarate, Tyler J. Gomm
  • Patent number: 7256655
    Abstract: A PLL device includes a first hybrid PLL and a second digital phase/frequency detection module. The second digital phase/frequency detection module and the first hybrid PLL's oscillator, switching unit, and analog control signal generating module are capable of forming a second hybrid PLL. The switching unit selectively activates either the first hybrid PLL or the second hybrid PLL according to a selection signal to generate an analog control signal with the analog control signal generating module for controlling the oscillator, in order to control the frequency of a clock signal generated by the oscillator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Assignee: Realtek Semiconductor Corp.
    Inventor: Wei-Hung He
  • Patent number: 7233183
    Abstract: In one embodiment of the present invention, a phase generator, comprising a plurality of delay blocks, is coupled in a feedback loop with a phase detector. When in an open loop mode, the phase generator is operable as a voltage controlled delay line. The phase detector compares an input signal with a first output signal of the phase generator and generates a first control signal based thereon. The phase generator is also coupled in a feedback loop with a phase-frequency detector. When in a closed loop mode, the phase generator is operable as a voltage controlled oscillator and the phase-frequency detector compares the input signal with a second output signal of the phase generator. The phase-frequency detector then generates a second control signal based thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2007
    Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventor: Sanjay K. Sancheti
  • Patent number: 7209008
    Abstract: Phase-locked loop (PLL) methods and apparatus are described for generating multiple output clocks synchronized to different frequencies of multiple input signals, wherein the multiple-output PLL employs a single voltage controlled oscillator (VCO). In an embodiment, the base module generates signals with a controlled frequency, multiple equidistant phase, and reduced duty cycles. Frequency dividers using barrel-shifters driven by an early-late detector combined with a left/right “one hot” shift-register or driven by an early-late detector combined with up-down counter/decoder are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Assignee: ForteMedia Inc.
    Inventor: Ion E. Opris
  • Patent number: 7205847
    Abstract: A phase locked loop (PLL) system for generating a reference clock to write recording data on an optical medium includes a clock generator generating the reference clock according to a phase difference between the reference signal and a first frequency-divided signal; a phase-shift detector generating a phase adjusting signal; and a phase-controllable frequency divider dividing the frequency of the reference clock to generate the first frequency-divided signal, and receiving the phase adjusting signal to adjust the phase of the first frequency-divided signal. The phase-shift detector includes an ADIP sync detector generating an ADIP synchronization signal synchronous to the ADIP units of the optical medium; a frequency divider dividing the reference clock to generate a second frequency-divided signal; and a phase difference detector detecting a phase difference between the second frequency-divided signal and the ADIP synchronization signal to generate the phase adjusting signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2007
    Assignee: Mediatek Inc.
    Inventors: Hong-Ching Chen, Chi-Ming Chang
  • Patent number: 7203149
    Abstract: Disclosed is a PLL circuit having a voltage-controlled oscillator, to which a difference voltage across non-inverting and inverting input terminals is input as a control voltage, for oscillating at a frequency in accordance with the control voltage; a phase comparator for comparing the phase of an output signal obtained by frequency-dividing the output of the voltage-controlled oscillator by a frequency-divider, with the phase of an input signal and outputting the result of this phase comparison; first and second loop filters connected at output terminals thereof to the non-inverting and inverting input terminals, respectively, of the voltage-controlled oscillator; and a charge pump, which is responsive to receipt of an UP signal supplied from the phase comparator, for supplying a first charging current from a PMOS transistor to a capacitor of the first loop filter and supplying a first discharge current from an NMOS transistor to a capacitor of the second loop filter, and which is responsive to receipt of a
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Assignee: NEC Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Masaki Sano
  • Patent number: 7203260
    Abstract: A method of receiving data, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, includes the acts of generating a data sampling clock signal and comparing a received clock signal to the data sampling clock signal. The data sampling clock signal is used to sample a data signal into sampled data representing a first zone, a second zone, and a third zone of the data signal. It is then determined which zone of the sampled data has a transition of the data signal and indicating a direction of change for the data sampling clock signal if the first zone or the third zone has the transition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Assignee: Silicon Image, Inc.
    Inventors: Yongsam Moon, Gijung Ahn, Deog-Kyoon Jeong
  • Patent number: 7184512
    Abstract: A clock generator is configured to generate, on the basis of an oscillation frequency clock of a voltage-controlled oscillator, a first signal having a phase the same as the oscillation frequency clock, a second signal having a phase delayed by a first phase amount to the first signal and a third signal having a phase delayed by a second phase amount to the first signal. A phase detection circuit is configured to provide a phase control on the basis of a phase difference between the third signal and an input signal. A frequency detection circuit is configured to sample the first and second signals synchronously with the input signal, thereby performing a frequency control for the voltage-controlled oscillator on the basis of the sampled signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2007
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Toru Takeshita, Takashi Nishimura
  • Patent number: 7173493
    Abstract: A range controller circuit has a master counter with a recovered clock input. A sampled counter has a reference clock input. A link fault indicator logic is coupled to an output of the master counter and an output the sampled counter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2007
    Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor Corp.
    Inventor: Keith Noel Smith
  • Patent number: 7154342
    Abstract: A phase regulating arrangement or circuit is disclosed, in which, in addition to a frequency divider, which is arranged in the feedback path of the PLL and, provision is made of a further frequency counter. The frequency counter is configured to be readable and is likewise connected to the oscillator output. The frequency counter drives a control unit that selects a desired frequency band of a multiband oscillator. The phase regulating arrangement or circuit described enables very fast settling in conjunction with low phase noise and good integration possibilities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2006
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Christian Münker, Markus Scholz
  • Patent number: 7154348
    Abstract: A frequency synthesizer is provided. The frequency synthesizer includes an adaptive frequency calibration circuit and a phase locked loop (PLL). The frequency synthesizer performs in a frequency lock mode and in a phase lock mode. In the frequency lock mode, the adaptive frequency calibration circuit compares the frequency of an input signal with the frequency of an output signal of a voltage controlled oscillator of the PLL and outputs control bits as a result of the comparison. The voltage controlled oscillator has a plurality of operating characteristic curves and selects a curve from among the plurality of operating characteristic curves in response to the control bits. In the phase lock mode, the PLL controls an output phase of the voltage controlled oscillator based on a tuning voltage from the selected operating characteristic curve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2006
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Han-il Lee, In-chul Hwang
  • Patent number: 7151413
    Abstract: A low noise charge pump for use in a PLL-based frequency synthesizer. The charge pump includes a timing controller and a plurality of charge-pump circuits. The timing controller receives a reference signal to generate a plurality of enable signals having non-overlapping phases, where the frequency of each enable signal is equal to that of the reference signal divided by the number of the enable signals. The charge-pump circuits are coupled in parallel and operate in a time-interleaved manner according to the enable signals. In response to a first and second control signal, the charge-pump circuits are able to generate respective output currents which are multiplexed together to form a charge-pump current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2006
    Assignee: Via Technologies Inc.
    Inventor: Chi-Hung Lin
  • Patent number: 7148754
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method and an apparatus for selectively pretuning and updating a phase lock loop, deployed in an integrated circuit including an agile radio, such as a wideband or an ultra wideband frequency agile radio in a telecommunication system, for example, a reconfigurable multiband and/or multistandard mobile communication system. In one embodiment, a phase lock loop may comprise a digital storage having a first desired frequency. An oscillator may provide an oscillator frequency and a frequency generator circuit capable of producing at least one control signal may cause the oscillator to adapt the oscillator frequency based on the first desired frequency in response to a trigger signal. A pretune unit may apply a pretune voltage to a tuning element to cause the oscillator to calibrate the oscillator frequency to the first desired frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2006
    Assignee: Lucent Technologies Inc.
    Inventor: Gerhard Kaminski
  • Patent number: 7145398
    Abstract: An improved coarse frequency detector includes a first storage device responsive to a data signal and a sub-multiple of a clock signal for detecting a first transition in the data signal during a predetermined state of the sub-multiple of the clock signal and generating an intermediate signal, and a second storage device responsive to the data signal and the intermediate signal for detecting a second transition in the data signal having the same polarity as the first transition during the predetermined state of the sub-multiple of the clock signal and generating an up-pulse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2006
    Assignee: Analog Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Declan M. Dalton, Lawrence M. DeVito, Mark Ferriss, Paul J. Murray
  • Patent number: 7142062
    Abstract: This invention describes a method for simultaneous precise center frequency tuning and limiting a gain variation of a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) of a phase locked loop (PLL) of an electronic device (e.g., a communication device, a mobile electronic device, a mobile phone, etc.). The invention utilizes frequency measurements and arithmetical optimizations. More specifically, the invention implementation is based on an analysis which includes measuring a frequency of a VCO and calculating a gain of the voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) using a predetermined criterion. The key element for implementing said analysis is a control and arithmetic block. The present invention can be used in any radio architecture that requires limiting of the VCO gain variation and tuning its center frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2006
    Assignee: Nokia Corporation
    Inventors: Paavo Väänänen, Petri Heliö
  • Patent number: 7129794
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method and an apparatus for reducing noise. The apparatus includes a phase detector adapted to determine a phase difference between a first and a second signal, a first circuit adapted to generate a control signal based upon the determined phase difference, and a second circuit. The second circuit is adapted to receive a third signal, receive a fourth signal, modify the fourth signal based upon the control signal, and provide the third signal and the modified fourth signal to the phase detector as the first and second signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2006
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Feng Lin
  • Patent number: 7126430
    Abstract: The frequency of a first voltage controlled oscillator is stabilized in a first PLL circuit part into which a reference frequency signal is inputted. In addition, a second PLL circuit part is formed by inputting a control voltage which is the same as the frequency control voltage of the first voltage controlled oscillator into a second voltage controlled oscillator having the same configuration as the first voltage controlled oscillator. The first PLL circuit part is provided with first and second variable frequency dividers which respectively divide the reference frequency signal and the output of the first voltage controlled oscillator. In response to an input signal into the second PLL circuit part, the free-running frequencies of the second and first voltage controlled oscillators are switched, and at the same time, the division ratio of first and second variable frequency dividers are switched.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2006
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Yasuo Oba, Makoto Ikuma
  • Patent number: 7126432
    Abstract: A multi-phase realigned voltage-controlled oscillator (MRVCO) achieves phase realignment based on charge injection in the VCO stages with the injection amount proportional to the instantaneous phase error between the VCO output clock and a reference clock. The MRVCO may be incorporated as part of an implementation of a multi-phase realigned phase-locked loop (MRPLL). A separate phase detector, as well as a specific realignment charge pump, may be provided in the PLL for controlling the VCO. The VCO has lower phase modulation noise, so that the PLL has very large equivalent bandwidth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2006
    Assignee: Atmel Corporation
    Inventors: Regis Roubadia, Sami Ajram
  • Patent number: 7109815
    Abstract: Voltage-controlled oscillator with apparatus for automatic calibration. The voltage-controlled oscillator includes switches connecting associated coarse-tuning capacitors to an LC resonant tank of the oscillator. The voltage-controlled oscillator also comprises a calibration loop used to appropriately set the switches associated with the coarse tuning capacitors based on a oscillator control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2006
    Assignee: Sequoia Communications Corp
    Inventors: John Groe, Joseph Austin
  • Patent number: 7102446
    Abstract: A phase lock loop (PLL) for controlling a sampling clock or other clock, and a data sampling circuit, transceiver, or other device including such a PLL. The PLL includes a multi-range VCO, at least one fine control loop for controlling the VCO, and a coarse control loop for controlling the VCO by changing its frequency-voltage characteristic. The coarse control loop includes a frequency lock detector and voltage range monitoring logic. Typically, the frequency lock detector locks operation of the coarse control loop when the difference between the VCO output clock frequency and a reference frequency decreases to within a predetermined threshold, and the unlocked coarse control loop employs the voltage range monitoring logic to change the VCO frequency-voltage characteristic when the VCO's fine control voltage leaves a predetermined range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2006
    Assignee: Silicon Image, Inc.
    Inventors: Hyung-Rok Lee, Moon-Sang Hwang, Sang-Hyun Lee, Bong-Joon Lee, Deog-Kyoon Jeong
  • Patent number: 7095287
    Abstract: Several open-loop calibration techniques for phase-locked-loop circuits (PLL) that provide a process, temperature and divider modulus independence for the loop bandwidth and damping factor are disclosed. Two categories of open-loop techniques are presented. The first method uses only a single measurement of the output frequency from the oscillator and adjusts a single PLL loop element that performs a simultaneous calibration of both the loop bandwidth and damping factor. The output frequency is measured for a given value of the oscillator control signal and the charge-pump current is adjusted such that it cancels the process variation of the oscillator gain. The second method uses two separate and orthogonal calibration steps, both of them based on the measurement of the output frequency from the oscillator when a known excitation is applied to the open loop signal path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2006
    Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Inc.
    Inventors: Adrian Maxim, James Kao
  • Patent number: 7088796
    Abstract: A phase detector customized for Clock Synthesis Unit (CSU) is disclosed. The phase detector improves jitter performance by providing minimal activity on VCO control lines and pushing ripple frequency to one octave higher, while maintaining wide linear characteristic. Moreover, it provides a frequency-scalable circuit that unlike a conventional phase-and-frequency detector (PFD), does not rely on asynchronous elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2006
    Assignee: PMC-Sierra Ltd.
    Inventors: Hormoz Djahanshahi, Graeme Boyd, Victor Lee
  • Patent number: 7084709
    Abstract: A hybrid frequency synthesizer includes an analog phase lock loop (PLL), a PLL, and a control circuit to control an output oscillator. The control circuit combines a control signal from the analog PLL with a control signal from the digital PLL to form a composite control signal. The composite control signal is conditioned depending on a state of lock of the analog PLL and/or the digital PLL. The composite signal controls the phase and frequency of the output oscillator. The analog control signal and the digital PLL control signal may be given a percentage of over the hybrid frequency synthesizer depending on the state of lock of the PLL and/or the digital PLL. The composite control signal provides both rapid, accurate, and robust acquisition by the digital PLL, and a smooth transition thereafter to low noise phase lock by the analog PLL.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2006
    Inventors: Colin Wai Mun Leong, Richard Miller, Jagdeep Singh Bal
  • Patent number: 7082294
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a self-adaptive band-pass filtering device in a microwave signal transmitter and/or receiver, the receiver being connected to a microwave signal receiving antenna connected to the input of a low-noise amplifier, a mixer that receives, on the one hand, the output signal of the low-noise amplifier and, on the other hand, the signal from a frequency synthesizer, characterized in that the self-adaptive filtering device comprises, upstream of the amplifier, on the one hand, at least one filtering means having at least two different frequency bands and, on the other hand, means for selecting either a filtering means or one of the frequency bands depending on the frequency of the signal to be received.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2006
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing
    Inventors: Bernard Denis, Philippe Gilberton
  • Patent number: 7082295
    Abstract: A phase locked loop that includes such a loop filter, the phase locked loop includes a difference detector, programmable charge pump, fixed loop filter, voltage controlled oscillator and adjustable divider module. The difference detector is operably coupled to determine a different signal based on differences in phase and/or frequency between a reference oscillation and a feedback oscillation. The programmable charge pump is operably coupled to generate a charge current based on the difference signal and a scaling signal. The fixed loop filter is operably coupled to convert the charge current into a control voltage. The voltage controlled oscillator generates an output oscillation based on the control voltage and the adjustable divider module generates the feedback oscillation based on the output oscillation and a divider value. The scaling module is operably coupled to produce the scaling signal based on the selected divider.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2006
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventor: Hung-Ming (Ed) Chien
  • Patent number: 7075375
    Abstract: A PLL system for generating an output signal according to a first reference signal is disclosed. The output signal is used as a reference clock to write recording data on an optical medium. The PLL system includes a clock generator for receiving the first reference signal and a first frequency-divided signal to generate the output signal according to a phase difference between the first reference signal and the first frequency-divided signal; a phase-shift detector for generating a phase adjusting signal; and a phase-controllable frequency divider for dividing the frequency of the output signal by a frequency dividing ratio to generate the first frequency-divided signal and for receiving the phase adjusting signal to adjust the phase of the first frequency-divided signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2006
    Assignee: Mediatek Incorporation
    Inventors: Hong-Ching Chen, Chi-Ming Chang
  • Patent number: 7068112
    Abstract: A circuit arrangement includes a phase locked loop configured to produce a controlled frequency. The phase locked loop has an actuating input and a control loop output, with it being possible to tap off the frequency at the control loop output. In addition, a frequency meter is provided, which is connected to the control loop output of the phase locked loop. The frequency meter is configured to measure the frequency of the phase locked loop. Finally, a computation unit is provided in order to determine a gradient associated with the phase locked loop and generate a correction value based thereon, wherein the correction value is employed to mitigate a deterioration in the loop bandwidth due to variations in the gradient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2006
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Edmund Götz, Günter Märzinger, Markus Scholz, Christian Muenker
  • Patent number: 7064621
    Abstract: At a first step, in a synchronous clock generation circuit, the number of delay stages serving as a digital PLL circuit is increased/decreased, and an oscillation circuit performs an oscillation operation when an optimal number of delay stages is set. Thereafter, in an operation at a second step, a control voltage is controlled with the optimal number of delay stages being set for serving as an analog PLL circuit, thereby attaining a lock-in state. As the lock-in state is finally maintained under analog control, an excellent jitter characteristic can be obtained. Thus, ensuring a lock-in range that has been a problem in the analog PLL circuit is solved by varying the number of delay stages in the operation at the first step, and a high jitter characteristic that has been a problem in a digital PLL circuit can be solved by analog control in the operation at the second step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2006
    Assignee: Renesas Technology Corp.
    Inventor: Jingo Nakanishi
  • Patent number: 7061330
    Abstract: An oscillator includes phase frequency detectors, each detecting the phase difference between two input signals (output signal and external reference signal) and outputting a control command signal for controlling the output signal to achieve a desired frequency on the basis of the phase difference. A plurality of ICs, each including a phase frequency detector, frequency dividers, a charge pump, and a lock detection circuit, is operated in parallel. A composite control command signal generated by combining outputs of the phase frequency detectors is output via a loop filter to a voltage-controlled oscillator. Whether phase noise is reduced sufficiently is determined on the basis of detection results by an amplitude detection circuit for detecting the amplitude of an AC component of the composite control command signal and the lock detection circuits. The phase frequency detectors are repeatedly reactivated until the phase noise is reduced sufficiently.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2006
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho
    Inventors: Koyo Kegasa, Chitaka Manabe
  • Patent number: 7053727
    Abstract: Method and system are disclosed for automated calibration of the VCO gain in phase modulators. The method and system of the invention comprises synthesizing, in a phase modulator, a signal having a given output frequency using a controlled oscillator having a frequency control input, a modulation input, and a feedback loop. A frequency control signal is applied to the frequency control input, and gain variation of the controlled oscillator is compensated for outside of the feedback loop via the modulation input. The method and system of the invention may be employed in any telecommunication system that uses phase and amplitude modulation, including EDGE and WCDMA systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2006
    Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ)
    Inventor: Magnus Nilsson
  • Patent number: RE39807
    Abstract: A PLL circuit comprises a frequency comparator for detecting a phase difference based on a difference in frequencies between a reproduced data pulse and a clock generated by a VCO; a phase comparator for detecting a difference in phases between the reproduced data pulse and the VCO clock; a selector for selectively outputting a signal supplied from the frequency comparator; a first charge pump for increasing/decreasing the output voltage on the basis of the output from the selector; a second charge pump for increasing/decreasing the output voltage on the basis of the output from the phase comparator; a loop filter for eliminating unnecessary components included in a signal obtained by adding the output from the first charge pump and the output from the second charge pump; and a VCO for generating a clock of a frequency corresponding to the output voltage of the loop filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2007
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshinori Miyada, Seiji Watanabe