Abstract: A phase-locked loop (PLL) has at least two parallel loops. The loops share an oscillator, a counter connected with the oscillator, a multiplexer, and a loop filter. Each loop has a register sampling the oscillator phase from the counter, and a phase predictor which uses a fractional-N frequency control word (FCW) to calculate a predicted phase as an integer number. The loop forwards the integer difference between the sampled phase and the predicted phase to the multiplexer, which selects one of the loops and provides the difference to the loop filter. Loops that are not selected use a monitor-and-adjust function to keep the difference in track with the difference of a selected loop. Loops may provide a loop sleep function and the PLL may also provide an oscillator sleep function.

Abstract: A phase-locked loop (PLL) has a primary loop (with a reference clock) and a secondary loop (with a stable reference clock). The secondary loop may include a fractional-N PLL, and may include a secondary loop filter, oscillator, output clock counter, and phase predictor using a rational secondary frequency control word (FCW). The primary loop has a register sampling the oscillator phase from the counter, and a phase predictor which uses a primary fractional-N FCW to calculate a predicted phase as an integer number. The primary loop forwards the integer difference between the sampled phase and the predicted phase to a primary loop filter, which outputs the secondary FCW. The primary loop filter has a much lower bandwidth than the secondary loop filter. The PLL may have multiple primary loops, with a hitless switching function. A primary loop may have sleep mode. The PLL may also provide an oscillator sleep function.

Abstract: A phase-locked loop (PLL) has an oscillator, a counter and a register to sample the oscillator phase as an integer number. A phase predictor uses a fractional-N frequency control word (FCW) to calculate a predicted phase as an integer number. The integer difference between the sampled phase and the predicted phase is used as loop filter input, to generate an oscillator control code that adjusts the oscillator frequency. The phase predictor may provide noise shaping, for example via a MASH modulator. The PLL may be implemented with dedicated or off-the-shelf circuitry, in an FPGA, or with a programmable processor. A tangible non-transitory memory may hold an associated software instructions for fractional-N phase locking.

Abstract: A phase-locked loop (PLL) has at least two parallel loops. The loops share an oscillator, a counter connected with the oscillator, a multiplexer, and a loop filter. Each loop has a register sampling the oscillator phase from the counter, and a phase predictor which uses a fractional-N frequency control word (FCW) to calculate a predicted phase as an integer number. The loop forwards the integer difference between the sampled phase and the predicted phase to the multiplexer, which selects one of the loops and provides the difference to the loop filter. Loops that are not selected use a monitor-and-adjust function to keep the difference in track with the difference of a selected loop. Loops may provide a loop sleep function and the PLL may also provide an oscillator sleep function.

Abstract: A phase-locked loop (PLL) has a primary loop (with a reference clock) and a secondary loop (with a stable reference clock). The secondary loop may include a fractional-N PLL, and may include a secondary loop filter, oscillator, output clock counter, and phase predictor using a rational secondary frequency control word (FCW). The primary loop has a register sampling the oscillator phase from the counter, and a phase predictor which uses a primary fractional-N FCW to calculate a predicted phase as an integer number. The primary loop forwards the integer difference between the sampled phase and the predicted phase to a primary loop filter, which outputs the secondary FCW. The primary loop filter has a much lower bandwidth than the secondary loop filter. The PLL may have multiple primary loops, with a hitless switching function. A primary loop may have sleep mode. The PLL may also provide an oscillator sleep function.

Abstract: A phase-locked loop (PLL) has an oscillator, a counter and a register to sample the oscillator phase as an integer number. A phase predictor uses a fractional-N frequency control word (FCW) to calculate a predicted phase as an integer number. The integer difference between the sampled phase and the predicted phase is used as loop filter input, to generate an oscillator control signal that adjusts the oscillator frequency. The phase predictor may provide noise shaping, for example via a MASH modulator. A first sleep mode control signal blocks a reference clock and feedback of the oscillator clock to the counter. It may also freeze loop filter parameters and block the output clock. A second sleep mode control signal may stop the oscillator.

Abstract: Invented is a method of treating degenerative diseases/injuries, in a mammal, including a human, in need thereof which comprises the administration of a therapeutically effective amount of a non-peptide TPO receptor agonist to such mammal.

Abstract: A block of logic gates has MOS transistors whose body terminals are connected with a body voltage rail and whose source terminals are connected with a logic reference voltage rail. The logic reference voltage rail is connected to the body voltage rail via a resistor. The resistor creates a negative feedback loop for leakage currents that stabilizes a reverse body bias voltage and reduces the influence of temperature, voltage, and process variations. The block may be NMOS, PMOS, or CMOS. In the case of CMOS, there are two body voltage rails, powered by a voltage source, two logic reference voltage rails, and two resistors. The reverse body bias voltages over the two resistors may be stabilized by decoupling capacitors. The two resistors may be trimmable. The resistors may be calibrated such that leakage currents are at a minimum value and the logic gates can switch just fast enough.

Abstract: A voltage or current regulator has a power DAC and ADC in a negative feedback loop, locked to a reference voltage or current. The ADC may have one or more parallel comparators followed by one or more parallel filters. The regulator may include a multiplexer to select between filter output signals and to forward the selected signal to the power DAC. The regulator may receive power management mode control codes to modify filter behavior and/or to select between multiple parallel filters. By modifying the loop behavior, the regulator is able to swiftly change between power management modes supporting different power level and noise profiles. Regulators with a single comparator can lock the output to a single reference voltage or current. Regulators with two comparators can regulate the output to vary within a range limited by an upper and a lower reference voltage or current.

Abstract: An amplifier calibration system has a calibration controller, a comparator coupled between an amplifier to be tested and the calibration controller, and an analog test signal generator driven by the calibration controller and coupled to the amplifier input. The system applies a cycle of analog tests to the amplifier input. The cycle has an upward path and a downward path. The upward path includes three signal levels: lowest, medium low, and medium high. The downward path includes: highest, medium high, and medium low. The comparator determines successive polarities of the amplifier's responses to the cycle of analog tests. Based on the polarities, the system determines amplifier characteristics, and calibrates amplifier parameters to change the amplifier characteristics to desired values. Characteristics may include hysteresis, offset, input range values, and other amplifier specifications.

Abstract: A comparator circuit has a sense amplifier with a differential pair, a voltage excursion limiter, and a switch. The differential pair receives two analog input signals. Its differential outputs operate at a common mode voltage approximately half the supply voltage. The voltage limiter is coupled with one of the differential pair outputs. A capacitor may store comparison results. The switch energizes the differential pair and the voltage excursion limiter during a first phase of a clock, and de-energizes them during a second phase of the clock. During this phase, the comparator may provide the stored comparison result to an amplifier with positive feedback.

Abstract: A delay line is constructed by combining a phase generator and a fabric. The phase generator splits a digital input signal in multiple incrementally delayed versions, which are input to the fabric. The fabric has an array of node filters. Inputs of filters in the first array column are inputs of the fabric. A node filter has a delay element and a cross-coupling element, whose output signals are added or subtracted to form a filter output signal. A node filter in a row is concatenated to the previous filter in the row through its delay element. Inputs of cross-coupling elements are connected to other array rows. Outputs of node filters form the outputs of the fabric. Delay times of delay elements and cross-coupling elements are nominally equal. Drive strengths of cross-coupling elements may be lower than drive strengths of delay elements.

Abstract: A fabric for delaying digital signals in continuous time has an array of node filters. Inputs of filters in the first column are inputs of the fabric. A node filter has a delay element and a cross-coupling element, whose output signals are added or subtracted to form an output signal of the filter. A node filter in a row is concatenated to the previous filter in the row through its delay element. Inputs of cross-coupling elements are connected to other rows of the array. Outputs of node filters form the outputs of the fabric. Delay times of delay elements and cross-coupling elements are nominally equal. Drive strengths of cross-coupling elements may be lower than drive strengths of delay elements. A delay line is constructed by combining a phase generator and a fabric, where the phase generator splits a digital input signal in multiple incrementally delayed versions for the fabric inputs.

Abstract: Invented is a method of treating degenerative diseases/injuries, in a mammal, including a human, in need thereof which comprises the administration of a therapeutically effective amount of a non-peptide TPO receptor agonist to such mammal.

Abstract: Invented is a method of treating degenerative diseases/injuries, in a mammal, including a human, in need thereof which comprises the administration of a therapeutically effective amount of a non-peptide TPO receptor agonist to such mammal.

Abstract: A PLL includes an oscillator, multiple time-to-digital converters (TDCs) and a system for the remaining functionality. The TDCs measure the oscillator's phase against respective multiple reference clocks. The system compares the respective measured phases with respective desired phases to obtain phase error signals. One is selected to close the loop. The others are monitored and adjusted when not equal to zero. When a new reference clock must be used, the loop is changed from including the old phase error signal to the new. The old phase error was zero because the loop was in lock, the new phase error is zero because it was monitored and adjusted. Therefore, upon switching the loop from the old to the new phase error signal, the loop remains locked and switching is hitless.

Abstract: A PLL includes an oscillator, a time-to-digital converter (TDC) and a system for the remaining functionality. The TDC measures the oscillator's phase against a reference clock. The measured phase has an integer part obtained from a modulus-K counter, and a fractional part measured by a fine TDC. The system compares the measured phase with a desired phase, and filters it to obtain a parameter that controls the oscillator frequency. The TDC may also include a synchronization block to align the fine TDC and a pulse hider to reduce the power used by the fine TDC. The system may include an integrator to calculate the integer part of the desired phase, a second integrator to calculate the fractional part, and an interpolator for an even finer fraction. A method to obtain fast lock includes using the phase error rate of change to control the oscillator frequency.

Abstract: A transconductance amplifier has a pair of input terminals and a pair of output terminals. A first pair of transconductors is connected to the input terminals and the output terminals. A second pair of transconductors has inputs connected to output terminals, and outputs connected to the opposing output terminals. A third pair of transconductors has both its inputs and its outputs connected to the output terminals. One or more of the transconductors have a control port for a control signal to adjust its transconductance. The control signal may switch the transconductance of this or these transconductors between two or more values. One or more of the transconductors in the transconductance amplifier may include a tri-state inverter, which may be enabled or disabled through a control port.

Abstract: Invented is a method of treating degenerative diseases/injuries, in a mammal, including a human, in need thereof which comprises the administration of a therapeutically effective amount of a non-peptide TPO receptor agonist to such mammal.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for digital-to-analog conversion. A digital-to-analog converter includes a sampler for resampling a digital signal and a DAC array. The DAC array includes a sequencer, a unit element activator, and an array of one-bit DACs (unit elements). The unit elements are activated in a cyclical sequence, based on the resampled digital signal. Unit elements in the sequence may be skipped, based on a disruption probability. The disruption probability may be determined randomly, or pseudo-randomly. Output signals of the unit elements are summed or averaged to form an analog signal. The converter may include a filter to filter the analog signal.