Patents by Inventor Thomas Obkircher

Thomas Obkircher 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).

  • Patent number: 9313079
    Abstract: A system provides closed-loop gain control in a WCDMA mode and open loop control in an EDGE/GSM mode. Gain control is distributed across analog devices and a digital scaler in a wireless receiver. In the WCDMA mode, a loop filter generates an error signal that is forwarded to analog and digital control paths. The analog control path includes a first adder, a programmable hysteresis element, and a lookup table. The analog control signal is responsive to thresholds, which when used in conjunction with a previous gain value determine a new gain value. The digital control path includes a second adder, a programmable delay element, and a converter. A control word is responsive to a difference of the error signal, a calibration value, and the analog control signal. Blocker detection is provided in the WCDMA mode of operation. A controller sets system parameters using a state machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: Skyworks Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Jaleh Komaili, John E. Vasa, Thomas Obkircher
  • Publication number: 20160087642
    Abstract: A fractional-N divider of a frequency synthesizer is driven by a dither-less error feedback modulator to alleviate fractional spurious tones introduced by the cyclic train of division ratios from delta-sigma modulators. A first feedback loop generates the feedback signal. A second feedback loop disrupts fractional spurious tones and a third feedback loop provides approximately zero static error.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2015
    Publication date: March 24, 2016
    Inventors: Tom Taoufik Bourdi, Thomas Obkircher, Bipul Agarwal, Chandra Mohan
  • Patent number: 9231606
    Abstract: A fractional-N divider of a frequency synthesizer is driven by a dither-less error feedback modulator to alleviate fractional spurious tones introduced by the cyclic train of division ratios from delta-sigma modulators. A first feedback loop generates the feedback signal. A second feedback loop disrupts fractional spurious tones and a third feedback loop provides approximately zero static error.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: Skyworks Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Tom Taoufik Bourdi, Thomas Obkircher, Bipul Agarwal, Chandra Mohan
  • Patent number: 9225349
    Abstract: A fractional-N divider of a frequency synthesizer is driven by a dither-less and seed-less multi-stage noise shaping (MASH) modulator to alleviate fractional spurious tones introduced by the cyclic train of division ratios from delta-sigma modulators. The MASH modulator includes at least two cascaded dither-less delta-sigma modulators where each modulator includes a first feedback loop the generates the modulator feedback signal, a second feedback loop that disrupts fractional spurious tones and a third feedback loop that provides approximately zero static error. The MASH modulator further includes a combining circuit delays at least one code sequence from at least one of the delta-sigma modulators and that combines the code sequence generated by each of the delta-sigma modulators and at least one delayed code sequence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: Skyworks Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Tom Taoufik Bourdi, Thomas Obkircher, Bipul Agarwal, Chandra Mohan
  • Publication number: 20150244556
    Abstract: A system provides closed-loop gain control in a WCDMA mode and open loop control in an EDGE/GSM mode. Gain control is distributed across analog devices and a digital scaler in a wireless receiver. In the WCDMA mode, a loop filter generates an error signal that is forwarded to analog and digital control paths. The analog control path includes a first adder, a programmable hysteresis element, and a lookup table. The analog control signal is responsive to thresholds, which when used in conjunction with a previous gain value determine a new gain value. The digital control path includes a second adder, a programmable delay element, and a converter. A control word is responsive to a difference of the error signal, a calibration value, and the analog control signal. Blocker detection is provided in the WCDMA mode of operation. A controller sets system parameters using a state machine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2014
    Publication date: August 27, 2015
    Inventors: Jaleh Komaili, John E. Vasa, Thomas Obkircher
  • Publication number: 20150236645
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods for adjusting a gain of an electronic oscillator, such as a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO), are disclosed. In one aspect, an apparatus for compensating for VCO gain variations includes a charge pump controller. The charge pump controller can be configured to select a VCO gain model based on a comparison of a VCO gain indicator and a threshold value stored in a memory, obtain VCO gain model parameters from the memory corresponding to the selected VCO gain model, and compute a charge pump current control value using the VCO gain model parameters. The charge pump current control value can be used to compensate for VCO gain variations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2015
    Publication date: August 20, 2015
    Inventors: Thomas Obkircher, Bipul Agarwal, Wei-Hong Chen
  • Patent number: 9054716
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods for adjusting a gain of an electronic oscillator, such as a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO), are disclosed. In one aspect, an apparatus for compensating for VCO gain variations includes a charge pump controller. The charge pump controller can be configured to select a VCO gain model based on a comparison of a VCO gain indicator and a threshold value stored in a memory, obtain VCO gain model parameters from the memory corresponding to the selected VCO gain model, and compute a charge pump current control value using the VCO gain model parameters. The charge pump current control value can be used to compensate for VCO gain variations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2015
    Assignee: Skyworks Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Obkircher, Bipul Agarwal, Wei-Hong Chen
  • Publication number: 20150055737
    Abstract: A fractional-N divider of a frequency synthesizer is driven by a dither-less and seed-less multi-stage noise shaping (MASH) modulator to alleviate fractional spurious tones introduced by the cyclic train of division ratios from delta-sigma modulators. The MASH modulator includes at least two cascaded dither-less delta-sigma modulators where each modulator includes a first feedback loop the generates the modulator feedback signal, a second feedback loop that disrupts fractional spurious tones and a third feedback loop that provides approximately zero static error. The MASH modulator further includes a combining circuit delays at least one code sequence from at least one of the delta-sigma modulators and that combines the code sequence generated by each of the delta-sigma modulators and at least one delayed code sequence.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2014
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Inventors: Tom Taoufik Bourdi, Thomas Obkircher, Bipul Agarwal, Chandra Mohan
  • Publication number: 20150055738
    Abstract: A fractional-N divider of a frequency synthesizer is driven by a dither-less error feedback modulator to alleviate fractional spurious tones introduced by the cyclic train of division ratios from delta-sigma modulators. A first feedback loop generates the feedback signal. A second feedback loop disrupts fractional spurious tones and a third feedback loop provides approximately zero static error.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2014
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Inventors: Tom Taoufik Bourdi, Thomas Obkircher, Bipul Agarwal, Chandra Mohan
  • Patent number: 8948322
    Abstract: A system provides closed-loop gain control in a WCDMA mode and open loop control in an EDGE/GSM mode. Gain control is distributed across analog devices and a digital scaler in a wireless receiver. In the WCDMA mode, a loop filter generates an error signal that is forwarded to analog and digital control paths. The analog control path includes a first adder, a programmable hysteresis element, and a lookup table. The analog control signal is responsive to thresholds, which when used in conjunction with a previous gain value determine a new gain value. The digital control path includes a second adder, a programmable delay element, and a converter. A control word is responsive to a difference of the error signal, a calibration value, and the analog control signal. Blocker detection is provided in the WCDMA mode of operation. A controller sets system parameters using a state machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Skyworks Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Jaleh Komaili, John E. Vasa, Thomas Obkircher
  • Publication number: 20140333350
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods for distributing spurious tones through the frequency domain are disclosed. One such apparatus can include a dithering circuit configured to generate a sequence of numbers that exhibit statistical randomness and a variable frequency circuit configured to adjust a frequency of an output based on the sequence of numbers so as to spread energy of spurious tones in a frequency response of the output to lower a noise floor. In one example, spurious tones can be reduced in a negative voltage generator of a radio frequency (RF) attenuator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2014
    Publication date: November 13, 2014
    Inventors: Thomas Obkircher, William J. Domino, Bipul Agarwal
  • Patent number: 8823459
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods for distributing spurious tones through the frequency domain are disclosed. One such apparatus can include a dithering circuit configured to generate a sequence of numbers that exhibit statistical randomness and a variable frequency circuit configured to adjust a frequency of an output based on the sequence of numbers so as to spread energy of spurious tones in a frequency response of the output to lower a noise floor. In one example, spurious tones can be reduced in a negative voltage generator of a radio frequency (RF) attenuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Skyworks Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Obkircher, William J. Domino, Bipul Agarwal
  • Patent number: 8698565
    Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for voltage-controlled oscillator selection in a multi-mode system having multiple voltage-controlled oscillators. Part of oscillator selection is a calibration operation that utilizes maximum and minimum capacitance limits for a voltage-controlled oscillator, which translates to a frequency range, to calculate overlap regions. Overlap regions comprise frequency ranges that overlap such that the overlap region may be generated by two voltage-controlled oscillators with adjacent frequency ranges. One voltage-controlled oscillator selection routine comprises a real time voltage-controlled oscillator calibration and selection routine that executes every time the system requests a new frequency. Another selection routine comprises a start-up routine that executes only at power up or periodically.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Skyworks Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Obkircher, Bipul Agarwal, Georgi Taskov
  • Publication number: 20140086370
    Abstract: A system provides closed-loop gain control in a WCDMA mode and open loop control in an EDGE/GSM mode. Gain control is distributed across analog devices and a digital scaler in a wireless receiver. In the WCDMA mode, a loop filter generates an error signal that is forwarded to analog and digital control paths. The analog control path includes a first adder, a programmable hysteresis element, and a lookup table. The analog control signal is responsive to thresholds, which when used in conjunction with a previous gain value determine a new gain value. The digital control path includes a second adder, a programmable delay element, and a converter. A control word is responsive to a difference of the error signal, a calibration value, and the analog control signal. Blocker detection is provided in the WCDMA mode of operation. A controller sets system parameters using a state machine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2013
    Publication date: March 27, 2014
    Applicant: SKYWORKS SOLUTIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Jaleh Komaili, John E. Vasa, Thomas Obkircher
  • Patent number: 8565358
    Abstract: A system provides closed-loop gain control in a WCDMA mode and open loop control in an EDGE/GSM mode. Gain control is distributed across analog devices and a digital scaler in a wireless receiver. In the WCDMA mode, a loop filter generates an error signal that is forwarded to analog and digital control paths. The analog control path includes a first adder, a programmable hysteresis element, and a lookup table. The analog control signal is responsive to thresholds, which when used in conjunction with a previous gain value determine a new gain value. The digital control path includes a second adder, a programmable delay element, and a converter. A control word is responsive to a difference of the error signal, a calibration value, and the analog control signal. Blocker detection is provided in the WCDMA mode of operation. A controller sets system parameters using a state machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Skyworks Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Jaleh Komaili, John E. Vasa, Thomas Obkircher
  • Publication number: 20130241612
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods for adjusting a gain of an electronic oscillator, such as a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO), are disclosed. In one aspect, an apparatus for compensating for VCO gain variations includes a charge pump controller. The charge pump controller can be configured to select a VCO gain model based on a comparison of a VCO gain indicator and a threshold value stored in a memory, obtain VCO gain model parameters from the memory corresponding to the selected VCO gain model, and compute a charge pump current control value using the VCO gain model parameters. The charge pump current control value can be used to compensate for VCO gain variations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2013
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Applicant: Skyworks Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Obkircher, Bipul Agarwal, Wei-Hong Chen
  • Patent number: 8456206
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods for detecting a lock in a phase-locked loop (PLL) are disclosed. In one aspect, a lock detect component includes a reference multiplier and a lock detect. The reference multiplier can receive a reference signal, a divider signal, and a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) output generated by a VCO in a PLL from which the divider signal is generated. The reference multiplier can also generate a multiplied reference signal using the reference signal and the VCO output. The multiplied reference signal can have a frequency that is an integer multiple of a frequency of the reference signal. The lock detect can detect a phase lock of the reference signal and the divider signal based at least in part on comparing a signal generated from a delayed reference signal and a signal generated from a delayed divider signal for a predetermined period of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: Skyworks Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Ardeshir Namdar-Mehdiabadi, Yong Hee Lee, Thomas Obkircher
  • Patent number: 8456244
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods for adjusting a gain of an electronic oscillator, such as a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO), are disclosed. In one aspect, an apparatus for compensating for VCO gain variations includes a charge pump controller. The charge pump controller can be configured to select a VCO gain model based on a comparison of a VCO gain indicator and a threshold value stored in a memory, obtain VCO gain model parameters from the memory corresponding to the selected VCO gain model, and compute a charge pump current control value using the VCO gain model parameters. The charge pump current control value can be used to compensate for VCO gain variations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: Skyworks Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Obkircher, Bipul Agarwal, Wei-Hong Chen
  • Patent number: 8417836
    Abstract: A serial peripheral interface (SPI) controller can be configured in response to data received via the interface. The SPI controller can perform read and write operations upon registers of a register bank in response to signals received via one or more of a data signal line, a clock signal line, and a select signal line. By detecting combinations of signals on one or more of the data signal line, clock signal line and select signal line, the SPI controller can detect the initiation of data read and write operations that may be in accordance with any of several different SPI protocols.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Skyworks Solutions, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas Obkircher
  • Patent number: 8374300
    Abstract: A controller and a circuit work together to enable a selective and dynamic adjustment to correct phase and gain imbalances in quadrature signal paths of a receiver. Under select conditions, it has been determined that statistical estimates of gain and phase imbalance can be applied to adjust signals in the quadrature signal paths of a receiver. The controller validates the select conditions before updating the estimate of the gain imbalance and the estimate of the phase imbalance. The controller directs a compensator under select operating conditions such that validated dynamic estimates of the gain and phase imbalance or calibration data is applied to the quadrature signal paths. The controller disables the compensator and enables an estimator and a calculator when estimates are unavailable for the present operating conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Jaleh Komalil, Thomas Obkircher, William J. Domino