Abstract: A communication unit (300) is described that includes a plurality of cascaded devices that includes at least one master device and at least one slave device configured in a master-slave arrangement. The at least one master device comprises a modulator circuit (362) configured to: receive a system clock signal and a frame start signal; modulate the system clock signal with the frame start signal to produce a modulated master-slave clock signal (384); and transmit the modulated master-slave clock signal (384) to the at least one slave device. The at least one slave device comprises a demodulator circuit (364) configured to: receive and demodulate the modulated master-slave clock signal (384); and re-create therefrom the system clock signal (388, 385) and the frame start signal (390, 386).

Abstract: A communication unit (700) is described that includes a plurality of cascaded devices that comprise at least one master device (710) and at least one slave device (720, 723) configured in a master-slave arrangement. The at least one master device (710) and at least one slave device (720, 723) each comprise: an analog-to-digital converter, ADC, (741, 742) configured to use a same re-created system clock signal (788, 790) to align respective sampling instants between each ADC (741, 742). The at least one master device (710) comprises: a clock generation circuit comprising an internally-generated reference phase locked loop circuit (708), configured to output a system clock signal (782, 784); and a modulator circuit (762) coupled to the clock generation circuit and configured to receive and distribute the system clock signal (784).

Abstract: Disclosed is a temperature sensor including a first current generator configured to generate a proportional to absolute temperature (PTAT) current, a second current generator configured to generate an inverse PTAT (IPTAT) current, the PTAT current and IPTAT current being combined to form a reference current having a sensitivity relative to temperature, a plurality of current mirrors to adjust the sensitivity and gain of the reference current, and a variable resistor to set an output calibration voltage based on the generated current.

Abstract: A communication unit (300) is described that includes a plurality of cascaded devices that includes at least one master device and at least one slave device configured in a master-slave arrangement. The at least one master device comprises a modulator circuit (362) configured to: receive a system clock signal and a frame start signal; modulate the system clock signal with the frame start signal to produce a modulated master-slave clock signal (384); and transmit the modulated master-slave clock signal (384) to the at least one slave device. The at least one slave device comprises a demodulator circuit (364) configured to: receive and demodulate the modulated master-slave clock signal (384); and re-create therefrom the system clock signal (388, 385) and the frame start signal (390, 386).

Abstract: A communication unit (900) includes a plurality of cascaded devices that comprise at least one master device (910) and at least one slave device (920, 923) configured in a master-slave arrangement. The at least one master device (910) and at least one slave device (920, 923) each include: a demodulator circuit (964, 965) configured to receive a distributed reference clock signal (984) and re-create a system clock signal (988, 990) therefrom; a clock generation circuit comprising an internally-generated reference phase locked loop configured to receive the re-created system clock signal (988, 990) to create a master-slave clock signal; and an analog-to-digital converter, ADC, (941, 942) coupled to the reference phase locked loop and configured to use a same master-slave clock signal (988, 990) to align respective sampling instants between each ADC (941, 942) of the at least one master device (910) and at least one slave device (920, 923).

Abstract: A communication unit (700) is described that includes a plurality of cascaded devices that comprise at least one master device (710) and at least one slave device (720, 723) configured in a master-slave arrangement. The at least one master device (710) and at least one slave device (720, 723) each comprise: an analog-to-digital converter, ADC, (741, 742) configured to use a same re-created system clock signal (788, 790) to align respective sampling instants between each ADC (741, 742). The at least one master device (710) comprises: a clock generation circuit comprising an internally-generated reference phase locked loop circuit (708), configured to output a system clock signal (782, 784); and a modulator circuit (762) coupled to the clock generation circuit and configured to receive and distribute the system clock signal (784).

Abstract: A calibration circuit and a method for calibrating a RC circuit, such as a high-pass filter, of an integrated circuit are provided. The calibration circuit comprises a filter arrangement having tuneable filter for filtering an input signal having a predetermined frequency. The filter comprises tuneable resistor elements, a saturation detector for detecting saturation and non-saturation of the tuneable filter by comparing a comparison voltage with the signal voltage of the filtered input signal, calibration control logic for providing incrementing and decrementing counter signals.

Abstract: Various embodiments include a time to digital converter device comprising: a medium resolution delay unit including a plurality of buffers, the medium resolution delay unit configured to receive as inputs a reference clock signal and a data clock signal and configured to output a plurality of delayed data clock signals wherein the delay between the plurality of delayed data clock signal is a medium resolution delay value; a fine resolution delay unit including a plurality of cores configured to receive as inputs the reference clock signal and the plurality of delayed data clock signals from the medium resolution delay unit, wherein the plurality of cores includes: a first bank of delays configured to receive one of the plurality of the delayed data clock signals, a second bank of delays configured to receive the reference clock signal, and; and a fast flip flop connected to the outputs of the first bank of delays and the second bank of delays, wherein the output of the fast flip flop is used to check the phas

Abstract: An integrated circuit for a radar device comprises at least one transmitter and at least one receiver. The integrated circuit comprises: a direct digital synthesizer, DDS, configured to output a control signal; and a multiplier configured to receive a local oscillator input signal and a further input signal from the DDS. In a first mode of operation, the DDS and multiplier cooperate to generate at least one transmitter signal to be transmitted from the radar device; and in a second mode of operation the DDS and multiplier cooperate to generate at least one low frequency modulated transmitter signal to be internally routed to the at least one receiver for calibrating the at least one receiver.

Abstract: Disclosed is a temperature sensor including a first current generator configured to generate a proportional to absolute temperature (PTAT) current, a second current generator configured to generate an inverse PTAT (IPTAT) current, the PTAT current and IPTAT current being combined to form a reference current having a sensitivity relative to temperature, a plurality of current mirrors to adjust the sensitivity and gain of the reference current, and a variable resistor to set an output calibration voltage based on the generated current.

Abstract: Various embodiments include a time to digital converter device comprising: a medium resolution delay unit including a plurality of buffers, the medium resolution delay unit configured to receive as inputs a reference clock signal and a data clock signal and configured to output a plurality of delayed data clock signals wherein the delay between the plurality of delayed data clock signal is a medium resolution delay value; a fine resolution delay unit including a plurality of cores configured to receive as inputs the reference clock signal and the plurality of delayed data clock signals from the medium resolution delay unit, wherein the plurality of cores includes: a first bank of delays configured to receive one of the plurality of the delayed data clock signals, a second bank of delays configured to receive the reference clock signal, and; and a fast flip flop connected to the outputs of the first bank of delays and the second bank of delays, wherein the output of the fast flip flop is used to check the phas

Abstract: A circuitry for and a method of generating a frequency modulated radar transmitter signal are provided. The circuitry comprises a modulation signal generator for generating a modulation signal having a waveform describing a required frequency modulation of the frequency modulated radar transmitter signal and comprises a PLL circuitry for generating the frequency modulated radar transmitter signal in dependence of the modulation signal. In the PLL circuitry a controllable frequency divider controls the output frequency of the PLL circuitry in dependence of the modulation signal. The PLL circuitry further comprises a phase detector, a controllable oscillator and possibly a low pass filter. The PLL circuitry further comprises a calibration circuitry being configured to control a parameter of at least one of the phase detector and the controllable oscillator to maintain a loop gain of PLL circuitry.

Abstract: An integrated circuit comprises a frequency detector. The frequency detector comprises a timer state machine unit operably couplable to a timer and arranged to receive an incoming carrier signal; determine whether the incoming carrier signal comprises a valid frequency; generate a valid carrier indication when the incoming carrier signal is determined as having a valid frequency; and adjust the timer between at least a first timing mode of operation and a second timing mode of operation of the frequency detector in response to the determination.

Abstract: A calibration circuit and a method for calibrating a RC circuit, such as a high-pass filter, of an integrated circuit are provided. The calibration circuit comprises a filter arrangement having tuneable filter for filtering an input signal having a predetermined frequency. The filter comprises tuneable resistor elements, a saturation detector for detecting saturation and non-saturation of the tuneable filter by comparing a comparison voltage with the signal voltage of the filtered input signal, calibration control logic for providing incrementing and decrementing counter signals.

Abstract: An integrated circuit for a radar device comprises at least one transmitter and at least one receiver. The integrated circuit comprises: a direct digital synthesiser, DDS, configured to output a control signal; and a multiplier configured to receive a local oscillator input signal and a further input signal from the DDS. In a first mode of operation, the DDS and multiplier cooperate to generate at least one transmitter signal to be transmitted from the radar device; and in a second mode of operation the DDS and multiplier cooperate to generate at least one low frequency modulated transmitter signal to be internally routed to the at least one receiver for calibrating the at least one receiver.

Abstract: Versatility and flexibility of integrated circuits can be accomplished by remote control via a serial interface, such as SPI. Read/write accesses to the SPI slave node can be achieved according to SPI protocol by the master node. Additionally, a state machine associated to the slave node SPI needs a local clock to exercise the control of the analog functions following a write access. The serial protocol defines a serial data word transfer to comprise a number of reserved clock cycles that are not assigned for communicating a data bit value of the data word. The slave device comprises a clock unit coupled to the serial clock line for providing a derived clock based on reserved clock cycles. The derived clock is used internally in the slave device to perform internal synchronous operations.

Abstract: A circuitry for and a method of generating a frequency modulated radar transmitter signal are provided. The circuitry comprises a modulation signal generator for generating a modulation signal having a waveform describing a required frequency modulation of the frequency modulated radar transmitter signal and comprises a PLL circuitry for generating the frequency modulated radar transmitter signal in dependence of the modulation signal. In the PLL circuitry a controllable frequency divider controls the output frequency of the PLL circuitry in dependence of the modulation signal. The PLL circuitry further comprises a phase detector, a controllable oscillator and possibly a low pass filter. The PLL circuitry further comprises a calibration circuitry being configured to control a parameter of at least one of the phase detector and the controllable oscillator to maintain a loop gain of PLL circuitry.

Abstract: Versatility and flexibility of integrated circuits can be accomplished by remote control via a serial interface, such as SPI. Read/write accesses to the SPI slave node can be achieved according to SPI protocol by the master node. Additionally, a state machine associated to the slave node SPI needs a local clock to exercise the control of the analog functions following a write access. The serial protocol defines a serial data word transfer to comprise a number of reserved clock cycles that are not assigned for communicating a data bit value of the data word. The slave device comprises a clock unit coupled to the serial clock line for providing a derived clock based on reserved clock cycles. The derived clock is used internally in the slave device to perform internal synchronous operations.

Abstract: An integrated circuit comprises frequency generation circuitry for controlling a frequency source for use in an automotive radar system. The frequency generation circuitry comprises low-path modulation circuitry arranged to generate a first, low-path control signal for providing lower frequency modulation of the frequency source, the low-path modulation circuitry comprising a Phase Locked Loop (PLL) arranged to generate the low-path control signal for controlling the frequency source and a fractional-N divider located within a feedback loop of the PLL, and frequency pattern control module operably coupled to the fractional-N divider and arranged to control the fractional-N divider, by way of at least a first, lower frequency pattern control signal. The frequency generation circuitry further comprises high-path modulation circuitry arranged to generate a second, high-path control signal for providing higher frequency modulation of the frequency source.

Abstract: An integrated circuit comprises a frequency detector. The frequency detector comprises a timer state machine unit operably couplable to a timer and arranged to receive an incoming carrier signal; determine whether the incoming carrier signal comprises a valid frequency; generate a valid carrier indication when the incoming carrier signal is determined as having a valid frequency; and adjust the timer between at least a first timing mode of operation and a second timing mode of operation of the frequency detector in response to the determination.