Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided to re-configure an existing low-jitter phase locked loop (PLL) circuit for fast start-up during system wake-up. During system start-up, a feed-back path of the PLL is disconnected to independently control the VCO frequency. This independently controlled VCO then injects energy into a resonator (e.g., a crustal oscillator) for its fast start-up. Once a resonance frequency of the resonator is detected and an oscillation builds up in the resonator, a VCO control voltage is stored. The PLL feedback is then restored and the stored VCO control voltage is applied to perform phase-locking operation. Since the PLL control voltage is already set to the desired operating point, the PLL lock time is very small.

Abstract: Embodiments herein relate to a sampling phase-locked loop (PLL) with a compensation circuit for reducing ripples due to the use of a fractional N divider. The compensation circuit includes a ripple amplifier and a ripple divider. The ripple amplifier receives an output voltage, Vmain, of a main sampling circuit of the PLL and amplifies its alternating current (AC) components. The amplified output voltage is provided to a ripple integrator which samples the minimum and maximum values to provide inputs to an operational amplifier (op amp). An output of the op amp is fed back to a digital-to-analog converter (DAC), which provides a corresponding compensation voltage, Vcomp. Vcomp is added to Vmain to provide a final output control voltage, Vctrl, to control a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) of the PLL.

Abstract: Embodiments herein relate to a sampling phase-locked loop (PLL) with a compensation circuit for reducing ripples due to the use of a fractional N divider. The compensation circuit includes a ripple amplifier and a ripple divider. The ripple amplifier receives an output voltage, Vmain, of a main sampling circuit of the PLL and amplifies its alternating current (AC) components. The amplified output voltage is provided to a ripple integrator which samples the minimum and maximum values to provide inputs to an operational amplifier (op amp). An output of the op amp is fed back to a digital-to-analog converter (DAC), which provides a corresponding compensation voltage, Vcomp. Vcomp is added to Vmain to provide a final output control voltage, Vctrl, to control a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) of the PLL.

Abstract: An analog-to-digital converter, ADC, is provided. The ADC comprises multiple time-interleaved sub-ADCs, a detection circuit, and a calibration circuit. The sub-ADCs are configured to, when the ADC is in a calibration mode, generate a first signal by sampling a calibration signal based on a first clock signal and at least a second clock signal. The first clock signal comprises a phase shift relative to the second clock signal. The calibration circuit is configured to determine a first mismatch between the phase shift and a phase shift threshold based on the first signal. The detection circuit is configured to, when the ADC is in an operation mode, generate a second signal by sampling one of a biased signal to be received by the sub-ADCs or a second calibration signal based on at least one of the first clock signal and the second clock signal.

Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method for multi-frequency oscillator control are provided. A circuit can include a resonator circuit including an input and an output, the resonator circuit configured to resonate at a fundamental frequency and a different, non-fundamental frequency, a startup circuit electrically coupled to the input, the startup circuit configured to generate a signal at about the non-fundamental frequency and detect when the resonator circuit is resonating at the non-fundamental frequency, and an oscillator driver circuit electrically coupled to the output, the oscillator driver circuit configured to amplify and buffer the output of resonator circuit and drive a load.

Abstract: An apparatus can include a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) and calibration circuitry including an oscillator. The calibration circuitry can be coupled to an output of the DAC, the calibration circuitry to sample and count DAC output pulses for at least two consecutive pulses using at least two separate counter circuits. The calibration circuitry can determine error between at least two consecutive pulses and provide a correction value based on the error. The apparatus can further include correction circuitry to provide a calibration signal to the DAC based on the correction value.

Abstract: A differential voltage-to-time converter (VTC) architecture and method of providing VTC signals are disclosed. The VTC includes a ramp generator that generates a ramp voltage, capacitors having a bottom plate coupled with the ramp generator to receive the ramp voltage, and inverters having inputs coupled to top plates of the capacitors to provide signals based on a sampled signal. A threshold voltage or supply voltage of the inverters tracks a minimum input signal voltage.

Abstract: A digital-to-time converter (DTC)-based open loop frequency synthesis and calibration circuit may be used to provide a precise clock signal. The DTC calibration circuit may include a DTC to generate a DTC clock signal based on a received input clock frequency and a received initial digital input code, a phase-lock loop (PLL) to generate a PLL clock signal based on a received PLL input, a binary phase-detector (PD) to generate a PD output based on a comparison between the DTC clock signal and the PLL clock signal, a plurality of calibration bins to generate a signed accumulated PD portion based on the PD output, and an adder to generate a calibrated DTC input code based on a combination of the signed accumulated PD portion and a subsequent digital input code, where the DTC generates a calibrated clock signal based on the calibrated DTC input code.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided to re-configure an existing low-jitter phase locked loop (PLL) circuit for fast start-up during system wake-up. During system start-up, a feed-back path of the PLL is disconnected to independently control the VCO frequency. This independently controlled VCO then injects energy into a resonator (e.g., a crustal oscillator) for its fast start-up. Once a resonance frequency of the resonator is detected and an oscillation builds up in the resonator, a VCO control voltage is stored. The PLL feedback is then restored and the stored VCO control voltage is applied to perform phase-locking operation. Since the PLL control voltage is already set to the desired operating point, the PLL lock time is very small.

Abstract: Techniques for radiofrequency (RF) touch and gesture recognition are disclosed. In the illustrative embodiment, RF transmitters and receivers are connected to data lines and gate lines of a display. RF signals sent on one data or gate line may be scattered to a different data or gate line based on the presence of a nearby object, such as a finger. The amount of scattering on different data or gate lines can be used to determine a location of one or more objects.

Abstract: A reference sampling Type-I fractional-N PLL directly samples the reference clock and therefore does not use a reference buffer. Here, a phase-detector is a passive sampling switch which neither consumes any power nor generates any noise. Therefore, all the major contributors of in-band phase-noise are eliminated by the reference sampling Type-I fractional-N divider. A double sampling phase-detector with a switched-capacitor passive voltage interpolator circuit is used to achieve fractional-N output. To achieve a high resolution of the voltage interpolator or the switched capacitor, a sigma-delta modulator is used.

Abstract: A reference sampling Type-I fractional-N PLL directly samples the reference clock and therefore does not use a reference buffer. Here, a phase-detector is a passive sampling switch which neither consumes any power nor generates any noise. Therefore, all the major contributors of in-band phase-noise are eliminated by the reference sampling Type-I fractional-N divider. A double sampling phase-detector with a switched-capacitor passive voltage interpolator circuit is used to achieve fractional-N output. To achieve a high resolution of the voltage interpolator or the switched capacitor, a sigma-delta modulator is used.

Abstract: An apparatus injects a start clock to a crystal at the beginning to increase an overall start up speed of the crystal. The apparatus relies on an impedance change inside the crystal itself instead of searching for a synchronization on the yet small crystal oscillation. The apparatus includes an oscillator (separate from the crystal) to search for the crystal's resonance frequency by detecting the crystal's impedance change. Once the frequency of the oscillator matches the crystal's resonance, there is significant change in the crystal's impedance. Using that information, the apparatus can lock the oscillator frequency at the crystal resonance frequency and inject the clock with high efficiency.

Abstract: An apparatus injects a start clock to a crystal at the beginning to increase an overall start up speed of the crystal. The apparatus relies on an impedance change inside the crystal itself instead of searching for a synchronization on the yet small crystal oscillation. The apparatus includes an oscillator (separate from the crystal) to search for the crystal's resonance frequency by detecting the crystal's impedance change. Once the frequency of the oscillator matches the crystal's resonance, there is significant change in the crystal's impedance. Using that information, the apparatus can lock the oscillator frequency at the crystal resonance frequency and inject the clock with high efficiency.

Abstract: A sub-sampler phase locked loop (SSPLL) system having a frequency locking loop (FLL) and a phase locked loop (PLL) is disclosed. The FLL is configured to detect frequency variations between a phase locked loop (PLL) output signal and a reference frequency and automatically generate a pulsed correction signal upon the detected frequency variations and apply the pulsed correction signal to a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) control voltage. The PLL is configured to generate the PLL output signal based on the VCO control voltage.

Abstract: A quadrature based voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) local oscillator (LO) system is disclosed. The system includes a phase detector, a quadrature phase VCO, a quadrature control path, an in-phase control path, and an in-phase VCO. The phase detector is configured to compare and generate phase error between a reference clock and an in-phase VCO output. The quadrature control path configured to generate a quadrature control voltage based on a quadrature VCO output and the in-phase VCO output. The quadrature phase VCO configured to generate the quadrature VCO output based on the quadrature control voltage and the generated phase error. The in-phase control path configured to generate an in-phase control voltage based on the quadrature VCO output and the in-phase VCO output. The in-phase VCO is configured to generate the in-phase VCO output based on the in-phase control voltage and the generated phase error. An all digital dual mode phase locked/phase tracking loop LO generate system is also disclosed.

Abstract: A quadrature based voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) local oscillator (LO) system is disclosed. The system includes a phase detector, a quadrature phase VCO, a quadrature control path, an in-phase control path, and an in-phase VCO. The phase detector is configured to compare and generate phase error between a reference clock and an in-phase VCO output. The quadrature control path configured to generate a quadrature control voltage based on a quadrature VCO output and the in-phase VCO output. The quadrature phase VCO configured to generate the quadrature VCO output based on the quadrature control voltage and the generated phase error. The in-phase control path configured to generate an in-phase control voltage based on the quadrature VCO output and the in-phase VCO output. The in-phase VCO is configured to generate the in-phase VCO output based on the in-phase control voltage and the generated phase error. An all digital dual mode phase locked/phase tracking loop LO generate system is also disclosed.

Abstract: A sub-sampler phase locked loop (SSPLL) system having a frequency locking loop (FLL) and a phase locked loop (PLL) is disclosed. The FLL is configured to detect frequency variations between a phase locked loop (PLL) output signal and a reference frequency and automatically generate a pulsed correction signal upon the detected frequency variations and apply the pulsed correction signal to a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) control voltage. The PLL is configured to generate the PLL output signal based on the VCO control voltage.

Abstract: A time-based decision feedback equalizer (TB-DFE) circuit may include a voltage-to-time converter configured to convert a communication signal into a time-based signal. A timing of when an edge of the time-based signal occurs is indicative of a voltage level of the communication signal. The circuit may include a plurality of delay circuits arranged to process the time-based signal in series to generate a delay data signal. The delay circuits may adjust the timing of when the edge of the time-based signal occurs, and a corresponding time delay introduced by each of the delay circuits may be based on a respective weighting factor applied to one or more samples of an output digital signal previously generated by the TB-DFE circuit. A phase detector may compare a timing of an edge of the delay data signal with a reference clock signal and generate the output digital signal based on the comparison.

Abstract: A time-based decision feedback equalizer (TB-DFE) circuit may include a voltage-to-time converter configured to convert a communication signal into a time-based signal. A timing of when an edge of the time-based signal occurs is indicative of a voltage level of the communication signal. The circuit may include a plurality of delay circuits arranged to process the time-based signal in series to generate a delay data signal. The delay circuits may adjust the timing of when the edge of the time-based signal occurs, and a corresponding time delay introduced by each of the delay circuits may be based on a respective weighting factor applied to one or more samples of an output digital signal previously generated by the TB-DFE circuit. A phase detector may compare a timing of an edge of the delay data signal with a reference clock signal and generate the output digital signal based on the comparison.