Patents Examined by Hueng Luu
  • Patent number: 5459766
    Abstract: An integrated circuit comprises a time-discrete oscillator which generates numerical and time-discrete phase values of an oscillator signal. The circuit also comprises a time-continuous oscillator which generates a time-continuous oscillation signal. The circuit comprises a phasemeter which is coupled to the time-continuous oscillator in order to sample phase values of the time-continuous signal. The difference between the generated phase values and the sampled phase values is measured in a comparator circuit. This difference is utilized in a phase-locked loop in order to readjust the frequency of the time-continuous oscillator, so that the time-continuous oscillation is latched to the time-discrete oscillation. The phase comparison can thus be executed in a substantially time-discrete manner. As a result, the operational reproducibility of the circuit is very high.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 17, 1995
    Assignee: U.S. Philips Corporation
    Inventors: Cornelis M. Huizer, Laurens Doornhein