Abstract: Self-biased bipolar ring-oscillator phase-locked loops with a wide tuning range are disclosed. In a particular example, an apparatus to provide a phase-locked loop is described, comprising a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) to provide an output clock signal having a frequency, a quantizer, a phase-frequency detector to generate an adjustment signal, and a charge pump to modify the control voltage. The example VCO includes several ring-oscillator stages, where each ring-oscillator stage includes several gain stages to provide several output currents based on a comparison of a control voltage and several corresponding threshold voltages. The example quantizer includes several comparators to generate digital signals based on the output currents. The example charge pump modifies the control voltage based on the digital signals and the adjustment signal, and includes several switching elements to increase or decrease current to the charge pump based on the digital signals.

Abstract: A digital-controlled oscillator (DCO) is utilized in an all-digital phase-locked loop for eliminating frequency discontinuities. The DCO includes a tank module and a negative gm cell. The tank module comprises a plurality of cells, at least a portion of the cells comprising a first tracking set and a second tracking set for respectively handling an odd bit or an even bit. The odd bit and the even bit are related to an integer signal, a fractional signal or a combination thereof, the fractional signal is indicated by a primary voltage inputted to the DCO. With the DCO, frequency discontinuities and undesired spurs are eliminated.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a voltage control and oscillation circuit oscillating at a frequency according to a first control voltage to output an oscillation signal, a frequency/voltage conversion circuit receiving the oscillation signal from the voltage control and oscillation circuit and converting a frequency of the oscillation signal into a voltage, a control voltage generation circuit generating a new second control voltage having a level between that of the voltage converted by the frequency/voltage conversion circuit and that of a second control voltage generated previously, and an analog integration circuit integrating the second control voltage to generate the first control voltage and outputting the first control voltage to the voltage control and oscillation circuit.

Abstract: A design structure embodied in a machine readable medium used in a design process includes a current controlled, phase locked loop device having a phase detector configured to compare a reference frequency to an output frequency of a current controlled oscillator (ICO), a charge pump coupled to the phase detector and a low pass filter coupled to the charge pump. A voltage to current (V to I) converter is coupled to the low pass filter, providing an output current for integral control of the ICO. A control circuit is coupled to the ICO, and receives increment and decrement outputs of the phase detector, wherein the control circuit is configured to provide proportional control of the ICO through an amount of bias current applied thereto.

Abstract: In particular embodiments, a charge pump includes a first input transistor operable to receive an up signal and in response to receiving the UP signal, transmit a corresponding output current from a positive power supply to an output node. The charge pump further includes a second input transistor operable to receive a down signal and in response to receiving the DN signal, transmit a second corresponding output current from a negative power supply to the output node. Additionally, the charge pump includes a first cascode transistor and a second cascode transistor positioned in a first current path between the first input transistor and the output node, and a third cascode transistor and a fourth cascode transistor positioned in a second current path between the second input transistor and the output node. The charge pump further includes a current mirror coupled to gates of the first, second, third, and fourth cascode transistors.

Abstract: A design structure for an integrated circuit including a phase-locked loop (PLL) circuit responsive to a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) frequency band selection circuit that provides automatic frequency band selection in real time to account for run-time variations, such as power supply and temperature variations over time. The PLL includes a charge pump and an LC tank circuit that provides the automatic frequency band selection based on a VCO control voltage signal supplied by the charge pump.

Abstract: A voltage-controlled oscillator includes a voltage regulator, and a delay unit. The voltage regulator independently receives a first oscillation control signal and a second oscillation control signal to provide a regulated voltage signal which is represented by a regular ratio of combination of the first and second oscillation control signals, and the regulated voltage signal is feedback to the voltage regulator. The delay unit generates an output signal having a frequency varying in response to the regulated voltage signal.

Abstract: A communication system and an oscillation signal provision method based thereon are provided. In the communication system, a high frequency oscillator generates a first high frequency signal upon receipt of an enable signal. The first high frequency signal is commonly shared by a first module and a second module. The first module is coupled to the high frequency oscillator, operating in either busy or idle mode, wherein the first module operates at the first high frequency signal when in busy mode. The second module converts the first high frequency signal to a second high frequency signal and operates at the second high frequency signal when in busy mode.

Abstract: A voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) circuit includes a level shifter, and a semiconductor device includes the VCO circuit. The VCO circuit includes an input voltage receiver, a current mirror, and a frequency oscillator. The input voltage receiver receives a first voltage input to the VCO circuit so as to generate a first current. The current mirror copies the first current so as to generate a second current. The frequency oscillator oscillates in response to the second current. The input voltage receiver includes a level shifter and a first current generator. The level shifter shifts a voltage level of the first voltage to a voltage level of a second voltage.

Abstract: A gain circuit of an oscillator circuit includes an inverter portion having an input IN and an output OUT arranged for connection to an external feedback circuit comprising a pi network. A feedback member having a first resistive element is coupled between the input IN and output OUT. An offset sense and correction block (OSCB) is configured to detect a dc offset potential difference between said input IN and output OUT and to reduce the offset potential by supplying a current to said input IN.

Abstract: A frequency synthesizer. The frequency synthesizer comprises a harmonic locked phase/frequency detector, a low pass filter, a voltage controlled oscillator, and a frequency divider. The harmonic locked phase/frequency detector receives a reference signal and a divided signal. The low pass filter is coupled to the harmonic locked phase/frequency detector. The voltage controlled oscillator is coupled to the low pass filter and provides an output signal. The frequency divider is coupled between the voltage controlled oscillator and the harmonic locked phase/frequency detector. Frequency of the divided signal is a harmonic frequency of the reference signal.

Abstract: Multiple carrier frequencies are provided from a phase locked loop, especially closely adjacent quadrature amplitude modulated subcarriers for multiplexed data communications. A quadrature voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) and cascaded frequency dividers provide feedback to a phase comparator to lock the VCO to a reference signal. In addition to frequency divider outputs for use as subcarriers, e.g., binary division factors of the VCO frequency, a quadrature mixer multiplies and adds corresponding quadrature components at two of the frequencies, to generate a differential signal at a difference frequency. The mixer may be outside of the feedback signal path but preferably is in the feedback path to suppress noise. A polyphase filter converts the mixer output to a quadrature signal useful as a subcarrier. The technique efficiently generates sequential integer multiples of a basic frequency, such as sixteen adjacent integer multiples of a frequency reference.

Abstract: A voltage-controlled oscillator is implemented with a succession of delay cells coupled in series to form an oscillator loop. The oscillator loop is supplied with reference voltages produced by a voltage generator. The reference voltages produce stable operation of the voltage-controlled oscillator. Cascode reference current generators are incorporated within the voltage generator to supply a cross-coupled arrangement of pull-up devices within each delay cell. The cross-coupled pull-up devices are instrumental in producing complementary output signaling from each delay cell. A pair of cascode current generators is configured in parallel to produce a magnitude of current according to an applied voltage and be selectable for dual or single operation with a corresponding frequency determination.

Abstract: An integrated circuit, a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) and a phase-locked loop (PLL). In one embodiment, the VCO includes: (1) a voltage tune line configured to receive a tuning voltage for the VCO and (2) an odd number of ring-coupled delay elements. Each of the delay elements includes: (2A) an inverter having a power supply line being coupled to the voltage tune line and (2B) a feedback path having a gain-attenuating transistor with a gate thereof being coupled to the voltage tune line.

Abstract: A PLL circuit according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a phase comparator to output an up signal and a down signal based on a phase difference between a reference clock signal and a feedback clock signal; an offset correcting circuit to correct a pulse width of at least one of the up signal and the down signal to output a modified up signal and a modified down signal; a first charge pump circuit to increase or decrease a charge pump output voltage to be output in accordance with the modified up signal and the modified down signal; a loop filter to filter out noise of the charge pump output voltage and generate a filter voltage; and a voltage-controlled oscillation circuit having an oscillation frequency controlled based on a voltage value of the filter voltage and outputting an output clock signal.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for obtaining a desired phase locked loop (PLL) duty cycle without a pre-scaler are provided. The PLL circuit of the illustrative embodiments utilizes two separate loops that simultaneously operate on the VCO. One loop ensures the frequency and phase lock while the other loop ensures the duty cycle lock. The VCO is modified to have an additional control port to adjust the duty cycle. Thus, the VCO has one control port for performing frequency adjustment and one control port for duty cycle adjustment. As a result, both the duty cycle and the frequency may be controlled using the VCO of the PLL circuit of the illustrative embodiments so as to achieve any desired duty cycle output without requiring a VCO pre-scaler circuit or duty cycle correction circuit.

Abstract: A voltage controlled oscillator may include a plurality of inverting units connected in serial and connected between a first and a second voltage sources to produce an oscillating frequency. Each of the inverting units may have a first current source for producing a constant current that may determine an oscillating frequency, a switching inverter connected between the first voltage source and the first current source that may produce a current having a phase opposite to an output current from a preceding inverting unit, and a frequency adjuster that may control the oscillating frequency by charging and/or discharging the current from the inverting unit.

Abstract: A gain compensator compensates for the gain variation of a varactor-tuned voltage tuned oscillator (VCO) in a phase lock loop (PLL). The VCO includes a parallel LC circuit having multiple fixed capacitors that can be switched-in or switched-out of the LC circuit according to a capacitor control signal to perform band-select tuning of the VCO. The gain compensator compensates for the variable VCO gain by generating a charge pump reference current that is based on the same capacitor control signal that controls the fixed capacitors in the LC circuit. The gain compensator generates the charge pump reference current by replicating a reference scale current using unit current sources. The number of times the reference scale current is replicated is based on the fixed capacitance that is switched-in to the LC circuit and therefore the frequency band of the PLL.

Abstract: In a differential-to-single-ended (D2S) converter having reduced power consumption and excellent duty ratio characteristics, and a phase-locked loop (PLL) circuit having the same, the D2S converter includes a differential amplifier and a latch circuit. The differential amplifier amplifies a differential input signal to generate a differential output signal. The latch circuit latches the differential output signal to generate a single output signal. A bias current of the differential amplifier may be determined according to a bias voltage proportional to a voltage which is provided to a delay cell of a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO). The D2S converter may have reduced power consumption and excellent duty ratio characteristics, and the PLL circuit having the D2S converter may have a simple circuit configuration and less power consumption.

Abstract: A charge-pump includes a first charge-pump sub-circuit having a control terminal that communicates with a first bias voltage line. A first charge-pump mirror sub-circuit regulates current on the control terminal. A first capacitance and a first ripple reducing sub-circuit communicate with the first bias voltage line. A second charge-pump sub-circuit and a second charge-pump mirror sub-circuit communicate with a second bias voltage line. A second capacitance and a second ripple reducing sub-circuit communicate with the second bias voltage line. An output communicates with the first and second charge-pump sub-circuits.

Abstract: An integrated circuit including a phase-locked loop (PLL) circuit responsive to a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) frequency band selection circuit that provides automatic frequency band selection in real time to account for run-time variations, such as power supply and temperature variations over time. The PLL includes a charge pump and an LC tank circuit that provides the automatic frequency band selection based on a VCO control voltage signal supplied by the charge pump.

Abstract: The present invention provides a frequency synthesizer capable of switching an oscillation frequency band while maintaining a lock state realized with a small-scale and low-current-consumption circuit configuration, and an oscillation control method of the frequency synthesizer.

Abstract: This invention adds a non-linear sweep accumulator to the conventional sigma-delta fractional-N divider to produce a N.F value that is a polynomial function of time. This allows any non-linear sweep profiles to be approximated.

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).

Abstract: A phase locked loop includes a phase difference detector for detecting a phase difference between an input clock signal and an output clock signal to generate an up signal and a down signal; a charge pump for raising a level of a control signal by supplying a supply current in response to the up signal, for lowering a level of the control signal by discharging a discharge current in response to the down signal, and for adjusting the supply current in response to a first control voltage and by discharge current in response to a second control voltage in a locked state; a compensator for generating the first and second control voltages corresponding to difference between the up signal and the down signal in the locked state; and a voltage controlled oscillator for varying a frequency of the output clock signal in response to the control signal.

Abstract: A method is described that involves developing a more detailed description of a phase lock loop system by substituting, into a monomial or posynomial equation that is part of a family of monomial and posynomial expressions that describe functional characteristics of the PLL at the system level, a lower level expression that describes a characteristic of one the PLL's basic building blocks.

Abstract: A clock generator circuit is provided wherein a comparison clock signal is generated by comparing a standard clock signal and an operating clock signal. The comparison clock signal is converted into a current signal. The current signal is converted to multiple current signals and an operating clock signal having multiple varying frequencies is generated based on the multiple current signals.

Abstract: A frequency generator with a phase locked loop includes a loop filter, the transfer function of which has a pair of complex conjugated poles. The present invention provides an optimum and greatly improved compromise, in particular as opposed to the prior art, between phase noise and settling time of the phase locked loop of the frequency generator.

Abstract: A precharge circuit that initializes an electronic filter to a middle voltage level of an operational voltage includes a filter isolation device, a filter communication device, and an initializing device. The filter isolation device isolates the electronic filter from electronic circuits connected to an input and an output of the electronic filter to segregate the electronic filter from the electronic circuits connected to the input and the output of the electronic filter during a precharge time. The filter communication device allows communication between the precharge circuit and the electronic filter for initializing the charge state during the precharge time. The initializing device provides an initializing signal to the charge state of the electronic filter during the precharge time. The precharge circuit further has a biasing device in communication with the initializing device to provide a mid level control signal providing a reference level of the charge state.

Abstract: An offset related to a feedback system for a VCO is quantified and then a parameter of the feedback system is adjusted in response to the quantified offset to correct for the offset. Correcting for offset in a feedback system can improve the performance of a PLL by reducing phase drift between the input signal and the VCO signal. The reduced phase drift can have benefits such as, for example, reduced bit errors and/or improved phase tracking accuracy.

Abstract: A local oscillator (LO) circuit is disclosed which provides improved isolation between the unselected LO source and a mixer. The LO circuit includes a first LO source to generate a first periodic signal cycling at a first frequency, a second LO source to generate a second periodic signal cycling at a second frequency different than the first frequency, a limiter, a first switching element to selectively couple the first LO source to the limiter, and a second switching element to selectively couple the second LO source to the limiter. The limiter improves the isolation of the leakage LO signal (i.e. the unselected LO signal) with respect to the selected LO signal. The improved isolation comes about because the limiter gain associated with the selected LO signal is greater than the gain associated with the leakage LO signal. A receiver and transmitter using the LO circuit are also disclosed.

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.

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.

Abstract: A voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) enabling proper gain adjustment with a simple configuration. The VCO includes a first current source for generating a first control current in accordance with the first control voltage and a second current source for generating a second control current in accordance with the second control voltage. A control voltage generation circuit synthesizes the first and second control currents to generate an oscillation control voltage in accordance with the synthesized current. A ring oscillator generates an oscillation signal with a frequency corresponding to the oscillation control voltage. The first current source varies a changing amount of the first control current relative to a change in the first control voltage. The second current source varies a changing amount of the second control current relative to a change in the second control voltage.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a ring oscillator includes a plurality of delay cells coupled in series as a ring, and a replica cell coupled to the delay cells to provide at least one bias signal to the delay cells. The replica cell includes a differential transistor pair formed of a first transistor and a second transistor. The first transistor has a drain terminal and a gate terminal coupled to the drain terminal. The second transistor has a drain terminal and a gate terminal coupled to the drain terminal of the second transistor.

Abstract: A self-biased phase locked loop (PLL) circuit includes a charge pump to generate a control voltage, a controlled oscillator coupled to the charge pump to generate the output signal based at least in part upon the control voltage, discharge circuitry coupled to the charge pump to discharge the control voltage, and frequency detection circuitry coupled to the controlled oscillator and the discharge circuitry to generate a digital feedback signal for terminating discharge of the control voltage by the discharge circuitry when the output signal reaches a threshold frequency that is a fraction of the target frequency.

Abstract: A method is described that involves developing a more detailed description of a phase lock loop system by substituting, into a monomial or posynomial equation that is part of a family of monomial and posynomial expressions that describe functional characteristics of the PLL at the system level, a lower level expression that describes a characteristic of one the PLL's basic building blocks.

Abstract: A high precision charge pump used in a phase-lock-loop incorporating a phase/frequency detector is designed and constructed to substantially eliminate the effects of DC offset and glitch errors on the charge pump output current. The high precision charge pump is constructed of parallel current paths each having a central node which is, in turn, connected to a feedback element. The feedback element defines a feedback current which is applied to the charge pump so as to maintain the two central nodes at an equi-potential level and to maintain the value of the pump-down current exactly equal to the value of the pump-up current output by the device.

Abstract: The present invention is related to a fast frequency locking method and architecture realized by employing adaptive asymmetric charge-pump current mechanism, whose circuit is composed of elements such as: a pair of frequency-dependent main current sources, a pair of (rising, descending) frequency-dependent assistant current sources, a digital control circuit, a voltage controlled oscillator, an impedance, a sampling frequency sampled from output frequency of the voltage controlled oscillator, a fixed reference frequency and a phase detector, etc. The difference between the present invention and traditional charge-pump circuit is that the present invention had added at least one pair of frequency-dependent assistant current sources.

Abstract: Phase locked loop charge pump comprising a drain node (A, B) and at least a cascode transistor (M4, M6) for limiting the variation of the voltage of said drain node, characterized in that an intermediate switch transistor (M3, M5) is placed between the drain node (A, B) and the cascode transistor (M4, M6).

Abstract: A voltage controlled oscillator generates an output signal whose frequency varies as a first function of a control voltage applied to a control terminal. The voltage controlled oscillator has a wide range of frequency of operation. A gain adjust circuit adjusts the gain of the voltage controlled oscillator such that the first function varies as a second function of the gain. In a preferred embodiment the gain adjust circuit includes a variable impedance that may be external or integrated onto a common chip with the oscillator core.

Abstract: A correction circuit for a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) is arranged outwardly of the voltage-controlled oscillator. The oscillation of the selected frequency and the frequency modulation are carried out independently of each other. The correction circuit includes a frequency selection controller generating a frequency selection signal of the DC potential, and a frequency modulation controller generating a modulation adjusting signal responsive to the input of a modulating signal. When a frequency modulation control signal, including the DC potential of the frequency selection signal and the modulation adjusting signal, is supplied to the voltage-controlled oscillator, the capacitance is lowered even if the frequency is increased, thus allowing the modulation degree to frequency to be decreased to a substantially constant level.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed that is an analog phase detector where a summation technique is used to determine the phase difference of the two input waveforms of the phase detector. Instead of multiplying the two signals—a technique used in the prior art—a difference amplifier subtracts one waveform from the other. The difference amplifier produces a waveform whose maximum peak-to-peak amplitude is directly proportional to the phase difference. Feeding this waveform into an envelope detector followed by a low pass filter, we are able to get a DC voltage level that is directly proportional to the phase difference of the two input waveforms.

Abstract: A the charge pump suitable for use in phase-locked loop (PLL) circuits employed by mixed signal integrated circuits (IC) is disclosed. The PLL charge pump includes a constant current source that generates constant current source references with high power supply rejection for the P- and N-channel devices of the charge pump. Pass-gate transistors are inserted between the output terminals and the drains of the respective P- and N-channel devices. The switching transients power supply and ground are confined to the turn on/off leads of the pass-gate transistors and, thus, are isolated from the constant current source P- and N-channel devices. In exemplary embodiments of the invention, the constant current of the P- and N-channel devices may be made programmable and used for controlling the range of the current controlled oscillator of the PLL circuit.

Abstract: The phase comparator in a phase locked loop synthesizer has a identical first and second transmission gates connected to a front row and a back row of 2N−1 gate delay elements, respectively. Third and fourth transmission gates are permanently set to an ON setting. The first transmission gate and NAND gates operate as a gate delay element when a COUNT signal is at a low logical level and operate as a ring oscillator when the COUNT signal is at a high logical level.

Abstract: A phase locked loop (10) for generating a variable output frequency signal. The phase locked loop (10) includes a controlled oscillator (14) to generate the variable output frequency signal in response to a tune signal. A phase detector (18) is activable in response to a gating signal (20) to generate an error signal representing a difference between a reference frequency signal and the variable output frequency signal. A loop filter (12) having a filter characteristic, filters the error signal and generates the tune signal. An offset cancellation circuit (22) is coupled to the loop filter (12). In response to an error signal representing phase offset of the phase locked loop (10), the offset cancellation circuit (22) supplies a compensating signal to reduce the phase offset.

Abstract: A gain compensator compensates for the gain variation of a varactor-tuned voltage tuned oscillator (VCO) in a phase lock loop (PLL). The VCO includes a parallel LC circuit having multiple fixed capacitors that can be switched-in or switched-out of the LC circuit according to a capacitor control signal to perform band-select tuning of the VCO. The gain compensator compensates for the variable VCO gain by generating a charge pump reference current that is based on the same capacitor control signal that controls the fixed capacitors in the LC circuit. The gain compensator generates the charge pump reference current by replicating a reference scale current using unit current sources. The number of times the reference scale current is replicated is based on the fixed capacitance that is switched-in to the LC circuit and therefore the frequency band of the PLL.

Abstract: The present invention provides a phase locked loop (10) for generating a variable output frequency signal. The phase locked loop (10) includes a controlled oscillator (14) to generate the variable output frequency signal in response to a tune signal. A feedback frequency divider (16) coupled to the controlled oscillator (14) is operable to generate a divided frequency signal from the variable output frequency signal. A phase detector (18) generates an error signal representing a difference between a reference frequency signal and the divided frequency signal. A sample and hold circuit (22) is activable in response to a gating signal (20) derived from the reference frequency, to sample the error signal and generate a sampled signal. A loop filter (12) filters the sampled signal and generates the tune signal.

Abstract: A phase locked loop (10) for generating an output frequency signal. The phase locked loop (10) includes a controlled oscillator (14) to generate the output frequency signal in response to a tune signal. A phase detector (18) generates an error signal representing a difference between a reference frequency signal and the output frequency signal. A loop filter (12) having a filter characteristic, filters the error signal and generates the tune signal. The loop filter (12) includes a bandwidth switching circuit (19) to vary the filter characteristics. A charge cancellation circuit (22) is coupled to the loop filter (12). In response to the error signal, the charge cancellation circuit (22) cancels errors associated with the bandwidth switching circuit.

Abstract: A phase-locked loop circuit is described and has a digital circuit section and an analog circuit section that are fed with different supply voltages. Control signals generated by the digital circuit section are conducted to the analog circuit section via level converters and therefore can control functions in the analog circuit section.