Patents by Inventor Marco Zanuso

Marco Zanuso 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: 20240106623
    Abstract: Aspects described herein include devices and methods for phase tracking and correction using sampling. One aspect includes a wireless communication apparatus having an analog 1-bit sampler configured to sample a phase locked loop (PLL) output signal using a PLL reference clock to generate 1-bit samples and a digital phase computation and control circuit configured to receive the 1-bit samples from the analog 1-bit sampler and apply phase corrections to the PLL based on a phase error derived from the 1-bit samples.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2022
    Publication date: March 28, 2024
    Inventors: Gang LIU, Xiaotie WU, Razak HOSSAIN, Marco ZANUSO, Yiwu TANG
  • Patent number: 11595028
    Abstract: An apparatus can implement a frequency doubler with duty cycle correction in conjunction with, for instance, a phase-locked loop (PLL) to decrease phase noise. In an example aspect, an apparatus has a frequency doubler including a signal combiner, a first signal pathway, and a second signal pathway. The frequency doubler also includes a doubler input node and a doubler output node. The signal combiner is coupled to the doubler output node. The first signal pathway is coupled between the doubler input node and the signal combiner and includes a first adjustable delay cell. The second signal pathway is also coupled between the doubler input node and the signal combiner and includes a second adjustable delay cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Masoud Moslehi Bajestan, Marco Zanuso, Razak Hossain, Hasnain Lakdawala
  • Patent number: 11411569
    Abstract: An apparatus implements a multiplying delay-locked loop (MDLL) including a sampler to be calibrated. In an example aspect, an apparatus includes an MDLL and a sampler calibrator. The MDLL includes a locked-loop feedforward path with a sampler, a control output, a feedback input, and a reference input coupled to a reference signal source. The MDLL also includes a VCO, a multiplexer, and a divider. The VCO includes a VCO input, a VCO output, and a control input coupled to the control output. The multiplexer includes a first input coupled to the reference signal source, a second input coupled to the VCO output, and an output coupled to the VCO input. The divider is coupled between the VCO output and the feedback input. The sampler calibrator includes a first input coupled to the reference signal source, a second input coupled to the VCO output, and an output coupled to the sampler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Masoud Moslehi Bajestan, Marco Zanuso, Razak Hossain, Hasnain Lakdawala
  • Patent number: 11411567
    Abstract: A phase-locked loop (PLL) may include a phase-frequency detector (PFD), a phase interpolation (PI)-based sampler, a loop filter, a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO), and a fractional frequency divider. The PFD output corresponds to a phase error between a reference clock signal and a feedback signal. The PI-based sampler produces a slope signal in response to the PFD output, and adjusts the slope signal in response to a quantization error correction indication. The PI-based sampler also samples the slope signal. The loop filter produces a VCO control signal in response to a sampled slope signal. The VCO control signal controls the VCO frequency. The fractional frequency divider circuit divides the frequency of the VCO output signal and also determines the quantization error correction corresponding to the quantization error introduced by fractional division of the frequency of the VCO output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Masoud Moslehi Bajestan, Giovanni Marucci, Dongmin Park, Marco Zanuso, Yiwu Tang
  • Publication number: 20220190833
    Abstract: A phase-locked loop (PLL) may include a phase-frequency detector (PFD), a phase interpolation (PI)-based sampler, a loop filter, a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO), and a fractional frequency divider. The PFD output corresponds to a phase error between a reference clock signal and a feedback signal. The PI-based sampler produces a slope signal in response to the PFD output, and adjusts the slope signal in response to a quantization error correction indication. The PI-based sampler also samples the slope signal. The loop filter produces a VCO control signal in response to a sampled slope signal. The VCO control signal controls the VCO frequency. The fractional frequency divider circuit divides the frequency of the VCO output signal and also determines the quantization error correction corresponding to the quantization error introduced by fractional division of the frequency of the VCO output signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2020
    Publication date: June 16, 2022
    Inventors: Masoud MOSLEHI BAJESTAN, Giovanni MARUCCI, Dongmin PARK, Marco ZANUSO, Yiwu TANG
  • Patent number: 11336288
    Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for a charge pump with voltage tracking. In an example aspect, the apparatus includes a locked loop having a charge pump, a filter, a second switch, and a buffer. The charge pump includes a first current source, a second current source, and a first switch coupled between the first current source and the second current source. The filter is coupled to the charge pump between the first switch and the second current source. The second switch is coupled to the charge pump between the first current source and the first switch. The buffer is coupled between the filter and the second switch, with the buffer comprising a voltage buffer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Hung-Chuan Pai, Marco Zanuso
  • Patent number: 11290058
    Abstract: A voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) and buffer circuit includes a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO), a buffer circuit configured to receive a signal generated by the VCO, the buffer circuit comprising a first transistor having a parasitic gate-source capacitance (Cgs), and a second transistor coupled across the first transistor, wherein a gate of the first transistor is coupled to a drain and a source of the second transistor, and a gate of the second transistor is coupled to a source of the first transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Yue Chao, Yinghan Wang, Marco Zanuso, Rajagopalan Rangarajan
  • Publication number: 20210409007
    Abstract: An apparatus can implement a frequency doubler with duty cycle correction in conjunction with, for instance, a phase-locked loop (PLL) to decrease phase noise. In an example aspect, an apparatus has a frequency doubler including a signal combiner, a first signal pathway, and a second signal pathway. The frequency doubler also includes a doubler input node and a doubler output node. The signal combiner is coupled to the doubler output node. The first signal pathway is coupled between the doubler input node and the signal combiner and includes a first adjustable delay cell. The second signal pathway is also coupled between the doubler input node and the signal combiner and includes a second adjustable delay cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2021
    Publication date: December 30, 2021
    Inventors: Masoud Moslehi Bajestan, Marco Zanuso, Razak Hossain, Hasnain Lakdawala
  • Publication number: 20210409029
    Abstract: An apparatus implements a multiplying delay-locked loop (MDLL) including a sampler to be calibrated. In an example aspect, an apparatus includes an MDLL and a sampler calibrator. The MDLL includes a locked-loop feedforward path with a sampler, a control output, a feedback input, and a reference input coupled to a reference signal source. The MDLL also includes a VCO, a multiplexer, and a divider. The VCO includes a VCO input, a VCO output, and a control input coupled to the control output. The multiplexer includes a first input coupled to the reference signal source, a second input coupled to the VCO output, and an output coupled to the VCO input. The divider is coupled between the VCO output and the feedback input. The sampler calibrator includes a first input coupled to the reference signal source, a second input coupled to the VCO output, and an output coupled to the sampler.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2021
    Publication date: December 30, 2021
    Inventors: Masoud Moslehi Bajestan, Marco Zanuso, Razak Hossain, Hasnain Lakdawala
  • Patent number: 11025260
    Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed that implements a phase-locked loop (PLL) that uses multiple error determiners as part of a feedback loop. In an example aspect, an apparatus for generating a frequency includes a PLL. The PLL includes a loop filter, a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO), a frequency divider, and multiple error determiners. The loop filter includes a filter input node and a filter output node. The VCO includes a VCO input node and a VCO output node. The VCO input node is coupled to the filter output node. The frequency divider includes a divider input node and multiple divider output nodes. The divider input node is coupled to the VCO output node. The multiple error determiners are coupled between the multiple divider output nodes and the filter input node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Yue Chao, Marco Zanuso, Rajagopalan Rangarajan, Yiwu Tang
  • Patent number: 10990117
    Abstract: Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide a low drop-out (LDO) regulator. The LDO regulator generally includes a first p-type metal-oxide-semiconductor transistor (PMOS) having a drain coupled to an output node of the LDO regulator, a first amplifier having an input coupled to a reference voltage node and an output coupled to a gate of the first PMOS transistor, a second PMOS transistor having a source coupled to the output node, and a second amplifier having an input coupled to the output node and an output coupled to a gate of the second PMOS transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Yue Chao, Marco Zanuso, Rajagopalan Rangarajan, Yiwu Tang
  • Publication number: 20210072778
    Abstract: Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide a low drop-out (LDO) regulator. The LDO regulator generally includes a first p-type metal-oxide-semiconductor transistor (PMOS) having a drain coupled to an output node of the LDO regulator, a first amplifier having an input coupled to a reference voltage node and an output coupled to a gate of the first PMOS transistor, a second PMOS transistor having a source coupled to the output node, and a second amplifier having an input coupled to the output node and an output coupled to a gate of the second PMOS transistor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2019
    Publication date: March 11, 2021
    Inventors: Yue CHAO, Marco ZANUSO, Rajagopalan RANGARAJAN, Yiwu TANG
  • Publication number: 20210044253
    Abstract: A voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) and buffer circuit includes a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO), a buffer circuit configured to receive a signal generated by the VCO, the buffer circuit comprising a first transistor having a parasitic gate-source capacitance (Cgs), and a second transistor coupled across the first transistor, wherein a gate of the first transistor is coupled to a drain and a source of the second transistor, and a gate of the second transistor is coupled to a source of the first transistor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2020
    Publication date: February 11, 2021
    Inventors: Yue CHAO, Yinghan WANG, Marco ZANUSO, Rajagopalan RANGARAJAN
  • Patent number: 10848100
    Abstract: A voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) and buffer circuit includes a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO), a buffer circuit configured to receive a signal generated by the VCO, the buffer circuit comprising a first transistor having a parasitic gate-source capacitance (Cgs), and a second transistor coupled across the first transistor, wherein a gate of the first transistor is coupled to a drain and a source of the second transistor, and a gate of the second transistor is coupled to a source of the first transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Yue Chao, Yinghan Wang, Marco Zanuso, Rajagopalan Rangarajan
  • Publication number: 20200091866
    Abstract: A voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) and buffer circuit includes a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO), a buffer circuit configured to receive a signal generated by the VCO, the buffer circuit comprising a first transistor having a parasitic gate-source capacitance (Cgs), and a second transistor coupled across the first transistor, wherein a gate of the first transistor is coupled to a drain and a source of the second transistor, and a gate of the second transistor is coupled to a source of the first transistor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2018
    Publication date: March 19, 2020
    Inventors: Yue CHAO, Yinghan WANG, Marco ZANUSO, Rajagopalan RANGARAJAN
  • Publication number: 20190326915
    Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed that implements a sampling phase-locked loop. In an example aspect, the apparatus includes a phase frequency detector, a relative phase signal determiner, a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO), and a feedback path. The phase frequency detector is configured to produce a phase indication signal based on a reference signal and a feedback signal. The relative phase signal determiner is coupled to the phase frequency detector and includes a sampler. The relative phase signal determiner is configured to determine a relative phase signal based on the phase indication signal using the sampler. The VCO is coupled to the relative phase signal determiner and is configured to produce an oscillating signal based on the relative phase signal. The feedback path is disposed between the VCO and the phase frequency detector. The feedback path is configured to provide the feedback signal to the phase frequency detector using the oscillating signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2018
    Publication date: October 24, 2019
    Inventors: Masoud Moslehi Bajestan, Mehran Mohammadi Izad, Marco Zanuso
  • Patent number: 10291242
    Abstract: Certain aspects of the present disclosure generally relate to techniques and circuits for phase correction, or at least adjustment, of multiple local-oscillator (LO) signals. For example, certain aspects provide an apparatus for phase adjustment. The apparatus generally includes a phase-locked loop (PLL), at least one frequency divider coupled to an output of the PLL, the at least one first frequency divider being external to the PLL, a phase adjustment circuit having an input coupled to an output of the frequency divider, and at least one mixer having an input coupled to at least one output of the phase adjustment circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Mohammad Elbadry, Marco Zanuso, Tsai-Pi Hung, Francesco Gatta, Yunliang Zhu
  • Patent number: 10063366
    Abstract: A fast frequency hopping implementation in a phase lock loop (PLL) circuit achieves a PLL lock to a new frequency in a very short period of time. In one instant, frequency allocation at a transceiver is changed. In response, a local oscillator frequency hops to a new center frequency based on the changed frequency allocation. The hopping to the new center frequency is based on two-point modulation of a phase locked loop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Marco Zanuso, Giovanni Marucci, Tsai-Pi Hung, Francesco Gatta, Bo Sun
  • Patent number: 9893875
    Abstract: A phase discontinuity mitigation implementation within a phased lock loop (PLL) improves throughput of a radio access technology. The throughput is improved by maintaining a phase of the PLL while powering off some devices of the PLL, such as a local oscillator (LO) frequency divider. In one instance, when the PLL is powered down, one or more portions of a delta sigma modulator for the PLL are clocked with a reference clock for the PLL. This implementation maintains phase continuity when the first phase lock loop turns back on.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Marco Zanuso, Mohammad Elbadry, Tsai-Pi Hung, Ravi Sridhara, Francesco Gatta, Jingcheng Zhuang
  • Publication number: 20170338940
    Abstract: A phase discontinuity mitigation implementation within a phased lock loop (PLL) improves throughput of a radio access technology. The throughput is improved by maintaining a phase of the PLL while powering off some devices of the PLL, such as a local oscillator (LO) frequency divider. In one instance, when the PLL is powered down, one or more portions of a delta sigma modulator for the PLL are clocked with a reference clock for the PLL. This implementation maintains phase continuity when the first phase lock loop turns back on.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2016
    Publication date: November 23, 2017
    Inventors: Marco ZANUSO, Mohammad ELBADRY, Tsai-Pi HUNG, Ravi SRIDHARA, Francesco GATTA, Jingcheng ZHUANG