Patents by Inventor Benyong Zhang

Benyong Zhang has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20240007091
    Abstract: A clock generator circuit including an integer divider, having a first input receiving a reference clock and configured to generate an intermediate clock at a frequency divided down from a frequency of the reference clock by an integer value, a digital delay stage configured to generate a delayed intermediate clock delayed from the intermediate clock by a number of fractional cycles of the reference clock selected responsive to a fractional cycle value, and an analog delay stage configured to generate an output clock delayed from the delayed intermediate clock by a delay value selected responsive to a fine adjustment value. The clock generator circuit further includes math engine circuitry configured to compute a phase adjustment code responsive to the phase adjustment word, the phase adjustment code comprising the integer value, the fractional cycle value, and the fine adjustment value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2023
    Publication date: January 4, 2024
    Inventors: Madusudanan Srinivasan Gopalan, Christopher Schell, Benyong Zhang
  • Patent number: 11799460
    Abstract: A clock generator circuit including an integer divider, having a first input receiving a reference clock and configured to generate an intermediate clock at a frequency divided down from a frequency of the reference clock by an integer value, a digital delay stage configured to generate a delayed intermediate clock delayed from the intermediate clock by a number of fractional cycles of the reference clock selected responsive to a fractional cycle value, and an analog delay stage configured to generate an output clock delayed from the delayed intermediate clock by a delay value selected responsive to a fine adjustment value. The clock generator circuit further includes math engine circuitry configured to compute a phase adjustment code responsive to the phase adjustment word, the phase adjustment code comprising the integer value, the fractional cycle value, and the fine adjustment value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Madusudanan Srinivasan Gopalan, Christopher Schell, Benyong Zhang
  • Patent number: 9680484
    Abstract: Disclosed is a circuit, such as a clock conditioner, that provides an improved ability to exit from holdover operations, most notably during conditions where the clock signal inputs to a PLL of the clock conditioner are significantly out of phase. The circuit utilizes the PLL to generate output clocks based on a reference clock and a feedback clock. During holdover mode, the PLL is unlocked. When the reference clock becomes available and holdover mode can be exited, a holdover controller issues a reset signal that triggers a synchronization of the phases of the inputs to the PLL. The reset signal causes the feedback divider component that generates the feedback clock input to reset its phase and adjust its divide ratio for at least the first divide cycle after restart so that its next rising edge will be phase-aligned with the reference clock. Once the two inputs of the PLL phase detector are phase-aligned, the PLL is re-enabled and the PLL smoothly resumes normal operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Benyong Zhang, Anjin Du, Junqiang Shi
  • Publication number: 20160164532
    Abstract: Disclosed is a circuit, such as a clock conditioner, that provides an improved ability to exit from holdover operations, most notably during conditions where the clock signal inputs to a PLL of the clock conditioner are significantly out of phase. The circuit utilizes the PLL to generate output clocks based on a reference clock and a feedback clock. During holdover mode, the PLL is unlocked. When the reference clock becomes available and holdover mode can be exited, a holdover controller issues a reset signal that triggers a synchronization of the phases of the inputs to the PLL. The reset signal causes the feedback divider component that generates the feedback clock input to reset its phase and adjust its divide ratio for at least the first divide cycle after restart so that its next rising edge will be phase-aligned with the reference clock. Once the two inputs of the PLL phase detector are phase-aligned, the PLL is re-enabled and the PLL smoothly resumes normal operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2015
    Publication date: June 9, 2016
    Applicant: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Benyong Zhang, Anjin Du, Junqiang Shi
  • Patent number: 9140751
    Abstract: An electronic package having multiple pins may be tested in parallel for output short circuit current by simulating a direct short to ground by simultaneously connecting multiple output pins directly to ground in order to active a current limiter associated with each of the output pins. The pins are then connected to a resistive connection to ground via a set of resistors; the direct ground is then removed, such that the current limiter associated with each of the output pins remains activated. A voltage drop across each of the set of resistors is measured simultaneously. An output short circuit current fault is indicated when the voltage drop across any of the resistors exceeds a threshold value corresponding to a maximum output short circuit current value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Chee Peng Ong, Wen Hui Woon, Benyong Zhang, Eric Lindgren
  • Publication number: 20140292361
    Abstract: An electronic package having multiple pins may be tested in parallel for output short circuit current by simulating a direct short to ground by simultaneously connecting multiple output pins directly to ground in order to active a current limiter associated with each of the output pins. The pins are then connected to a resistive connection to ground via a set of resistors; the direct ground is then removed, such that the current limiter associated with each of the output pins remains activated. A voltage drop across each of the set of resistors is measured simultaneously.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2013
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicant: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Chee Peng Ong, Wen Hui Woon, Benyong Zhang, Eric Lindgren
  • Patent number: 8502575
    Abstract: A fractional spur compensation technique is implemented in a fractional-N PLL using multiple phase comparison frequencies Fpd, one of which is selected for any channel frequency Fch in a target frequency band to obtain a selected offset frequency Fos between the channel frequency Fch and its primary fractional spur throughout the target frequency band. Other features of an exemplary implementation of the fractional spur compensation technique include (a) maintaining the phase comparison frequency at less than a predetermined maximum value, (b) using a programmable reference frequency multiplier with selectable multiplication factors and/or a programmable reference frequency divider with selectable divide ratios to generate multiple phase comparison frequencies derived from a predetermined reference frequency Fref, and (c) using a programmable charge pump to select different charge pump currents for respective phase comparison frequencies to reduce loop gain variation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Benyong Zhang
  • Publication number: 20120074995
    Abstract: SEARCHES A fractional spur compensation technique is implemented in a fractional-N PLL using multiple phase comparison frequencies Fpd, one of which is selected for any channel frequency Fch in a target frequency band to obtain a selected offset frequency Fos between the channel frequency Fch and its primary fractional spur throughout the target frequency band. Other features of an exemplary implementation of the fractional spur compensation technique include (a) maintaining the phase comparison frequency at less than a predetermined maximum value, (b) using a programmable reference frequency multiplier with selectable multiplication factors and/or a programmable reference frequency divider with selectable divide ratios to generate multiple phase comparison frequencies derived from a predetermined reference frequency Fref, and (c) using a programmable charge pump to select different charge pump currents for respective phase comparison frequencies to reduce loop gain variation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Publication date: March 29, 2012
    Applicant: National Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventor: Benyong ZHANG
  • Patent number: 8102196
    Abstract: A clock signal generator and conditioner in which dual integrated phase-locked loop (PLL) circuits use an off-chip frequency-pullable crystal resonator or voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) module and an on-chip VCO with intra-PLL frequency doubling to provide a clock signal with reduced in-band phase noise and RMS jitter. As desired, synchronization between the input and output clocks can also be provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: National Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventor: Benyong Zhang
  • Patent number: 7038509
    Abstract: A method for providing a phase-locked loop with reduced spurious tones is provided that includes comparing a reference clock signal to an internal clock signal to generate a first signal. The first signal is sampled based on a sampling clock signal to generate a second signal. The sampling clock signal is reduced with respect to the reference clock signal. The internal clock signal is generated based on the second signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2006
    Assignee: National Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventor: Benyong Zhang