Abstract: A computer system may periodically calibrate an oscillator subsystem, which includes a voltage-controlled oscillator circuit configured to generate an oscillator signal using code signal. In response to activation of a calibration mode, an iterative calibration operation may be performed on the voltage-controlled oscillator circuit. In some cases, performing a given iteration of the calibration operation includes determining a value of the code signal using a number of pulses in the oscillator signal sampled during a particular time period, along with previous values of the code signal and a slope of an error function associated with the difference between a desired frequency and a current frequency of the oscillator signal. In other cases, iterations may employ variable sampling times with error handling, in order to decrease the duration of the calibration operation while maintaining a target accuracy.

Abstract: A computer system may periodically calibrate an oscillator subsystem, which includes a voltage-controlled oscillator circuit configured to generate an oscillator signal using code signal. In response to activation of a calibration mode, an iterative calibration operation may be performed on the voltage-controlled oscillator circuit. In some cases, performing a given iteration of the calibration operation includes determining a value of the code signal using a number of pulses in the oscillator signal sampled during a particular time period, along with previous values of the code signal and a slope of an error function associated with the difference between a desired frequency and a current frequency of the oscillator signal. In other cases, iterations may employ variable sampling times with error handling, in order to decrease the duration of the calibration operation while maintaining a target accuracy.

Abstract: In a computer system, a phase-locked loop circuit may generate a clock signal using a reference signal. The phase-locked loop circuit may include a programmable divider stage that includes multiple divider stages. When a frequency calibration is initiated on the phase-locked loop circuit, a control circuit may generate a pause signal in response to one or more of the divider stages reaching a particular logic state. The programmable divider stage may hold the one or more of the divider stages in the particular logic state using the pause signal.

Abstract: In a computer system, a phase-locked loop circuit may generate a clock signal using a reference signal. The phase-locked loop circuit may include a programmable divider stage that includes multiple divider stages. When a frequency calibration is initiated on the phase-locked loop circuit, a control circuit may generate a pause signal in response to one or more of the divider stages reaching a particular logic state. The programmable divider stage may hold the one or more of the divider stages in the particular logic state using the pause signal.

Abstract: An oscillator subsystem included in a phase-locked loop circuit of a computer system may include coarse and fine-tuning circuits. The coarse-tuning circuit may generate a coarse-tuning current based on a reference voltage, and the fine-tuning circuit may generate a fine-tuning current by combining respective currents generated by first and second complement current mirror circuits using a voltage level of a control signal. An oscillator circuit may generate a clock signal whose frequency is based on a combination of the coarse and fine-tuning circuits.

Abstract: Exemplary embodiments are directed to adaptive signal scaling in NFC transceivers. A transceiver may include a programmable load modulation element configured for load modulation in a tag mode. Further, the transceiver may include a sensing element for measuring an amount of power harvested by the transceiver in the tag mode. The transceiver may also include a controller configured for adjusting a depth of load modulation of the programmable load modulation element depending on the amount of power harvested.

Abstract: A frequency synthesizer for a WLAN transceiver is disclosed that may be used to generate 5.4 GHz and 2.4 GHz signals. The frequency synthesizer may be configured to minimize VCO pulling by using VCO operating frequencies that are not integer multiples of the RF bands. Further, the frequency synthesizer may be configured to minimize interference with other frequency bands used by existing wireless systems.

Abstract: A frequency synthesizer for a WLAN transceiver is disclosed that may be used to generate 5.4 GHz and 2.4 GHz signals. The frequency synthesizer may be configured to minimize VCO pulling by using VCO operating frequencies that are not integer multiples of the RF bands. Further, the frequency synthesizer may be configured to minimize interference with other frequency bands used by existing wireless systems.

Abstract: Exemplary embodiments are directed to adaptive signal scaling in NFC transceivers. A transceiver may include a programmable load modulation element configured for load modulation in a tag mode. Further, the transceiver may include a sensing element for measuring an amount of power harvested by the transceiver in the tag mode. The transceiver may also include a controller configured for adjusting a depth of load modulation of the programmable load modulation element depending on the amount of power harvested.

Abstract: A differential input envelope detector receives an unamplified Near Field Communication (NFC) input signal from an NFC antenna and downconverts an NFC intelligence signal to baseband. In one example, the NFC input signal includes the NFC intelligence signal modulated onto a carrier. The differential input envelope detector downconverts and outputs the downconverted NFC intelligence signal onto an output node in such a way that the fundamental and odd harmonics of the carrier are canceled on the output node. There is substantially no signal of the frequency of the carrier present on the output node and this facilitates filtering of the downconverted NFC intelligence signal from interference and data recovery. An NFC data recovery circuit receives the downconverted NFC intelligence signal from the envelope detector output node. The NFC data recovery circuit can be a low power digital circuit involving an ultra-low power ADC and subsequent low power digital processing circuitry.

Abstract: A differential low noise amplifier (LNA) involves two main amplifying transistors biased in saturation, and two cancel transistors biased in sub-threshold. In one example, the gates of the cancel transistors are coupled to the drains of main transistors, in a symmetrical and cross-coupled fashion. The main transistors are source degenerated. Because the gates of cancel transistors are not coupled to the differential input leads of the LNA, the input capacitance of the LNA is reduced. Noise introduced into the LNA output due to the cancel transistors being biased in the sub-threshold region is reduced because there are two stages. The first stage involves the main transistors, and the second stage involves the cancel transistors. By increasing the gain of the first stage and decreasing the gain of the second stage, overall LNA gain is maintained while reducing the noise that the sub-threshold biased transistors contribute to the LNA output.

Abstract: A differential low noise amplifier (LNA) involves two main amplifying transistors biased in saturation, and two cancel transistors biased in sub-threshold. In one example, the gates of the cancel transistors are coupled to the drains of main transistors, in a symmetrical and cross-coupled fashion. The main transistors are source degenerated. Because the gates of cancel transistors are not coupled to the differential input leads of the LNA, the input capacitance of the LNA is reduced. Noise introduced into the LNA output due to the cancel transistors being biased in the sub-threshold region is reduced because there are two stages. The first stage involves the main transistors, and the second stage involves the cancel transistors. By increasing the gain of the first stage and decreasing the gain of the second stage, overall LNA gain is maintained while reducing the noise that the sub-threshold biased transistors contribute to the LNA output.