Frequency Multiplication (e.g., Harmonic Generation, Etc.) Patents (Class 327/119)
  • Patent number: 8212593
    Abstract: Systems and methods for providing a clock signal are provided. A frequency multiplier circuit is provided that can include a plurality of serially connected delay elements that are configured to generate a plurality of delay tap signals from an input signal. The frequency multiplier circuit can also include a phase detector configured to receive a first selected delay tap signal and the input signal. The phase detector can detect a phase shift between the first selected delay tap signal and the input signal, and can generate a phase detection signal indicative of a value of the phase shift. The frequency multiplier circuit can also include a digital logic gate configured to receive the input signal and a second selected delay tap signal. The digital logic gate can be further configured to generate an output signal responsive to the second selected delay tap signal and the input signal. The frequency multiplier circuit can also include a controller coupled to the phase detector and coupled to an output gate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Skyworks Solutions, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas Obkircher
  • Patent number: 8212592
    Abstract: Techniques for generating quadrature signals from a local oscillator signal, wherein the generated quadrature signals have a frequency half of the local oscillator frequency. In an exemplary embodiment, two oscillators, e.g., injection locked oscillators, are provided, each oscillator having a load, a cross-coupled transistor pair, an integrating capacitor, and current injection transistors. A differential pair is coupled to the leads of each of the integrating capacitors, and the drains of the differential pair are coupled to the outputs of the other oscillator to help increase the slew rate of the output voltages of the other oscillator. The inputs to the differential pair may be first amplified to improve the gain of the differential pair. In another exemplary embodiment, the power consumption of the differential pair may be reduced by operating them in a discontinuous mode, e.g., by coupling the source voltages of the differential pair to corresponding delayed versions of the drain voltages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: QUALCOMM, Incorporated
    Inventor: Russell J. Fagg
  • Patent number: 8207762
    Abstract: A digital time base generator and method for providing a first clock signal and a second clock signal in which a base clock signal having a base frequency is generated to provide two clock signals of slightly different frequencies with defined time or phase delay. Here, the base frequency is divided by a first integer to produce a first auxiliary signal, the frequency of the first auxiliary signal is multiplied by a factor to obtain the first clock signal, the base frequency is further divided by a second integer to produce a second auxiliary signal, and the frequency of the second auxiliary signal is multiplied by the factor to obtain the second clock signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Siemens Milltronics Process Instruments, Inc.
    Inventor: George Burcea
  • Patent number: 8203367
    Abstract: A frequency divider and a method for frequency division are disclosed that can achieve a balanced duty cycle when performing a frequency division with an odd division ratio, independently of an input frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: austriamicrosystems AG
    Inventor: Ruggero Leoncavallo
  • Publication number: 20120133400
    Abstract: A frequency multiplier includes an input circuit, an output circuit, and a resonance circuit. The input circuit is coupled to an input node and a middle node. The middle node provides a middle signal that has a signal component having the same frequency as an input signal that is provided to the input node. The middle signal further has an even number “n” multiple of the input signal frequency. The output circuit has a predetermined input impedance for the middle node. The resonance circuit includes an inductor that is coupled in series with a capacitor, where the capacitor is in a parallel connection to the middle node. The resonance circuit has a resonance frequency that is equal to a frequency of the input signal, and such resonance circuit also has an output impedance that matches with the predetermined input impedance of the output circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2011
    Publication date: May 31, 2012
    Applicants: DENSO CORPORATION, Waseda University
    Inventors: Toshihiko YOSHIMASU, Takayuki SHIBATA
  • Publication number: 20120001667
    Abstract: A frequency converting apparatus according to one embodiment is a frequency converting circuit which generates a multiplied signal obtained by multiplying a local signal by an amplified signal generated by an amplifying portion comprising a first transistor having a drain terminal connected to a first power source potential, the frequency converting circuit comprising: a converter which comprises a second transistor of which gate terminal is connected to the amplifying portion and which converts the amplified signal inputted to the gate terminal into a current signal; a switching circuit which comprises two third-transistors of which a source terminal is connected each other and which multiplies the current signal by the local signal and generates the multiplied signal; and an impedance element which comprises a first terminal connected to a source terminal of the first transistor, a second terminal connected to a drain terminal of the second transistor and a third terminal connected to the source terminal of
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 5, 2011
    Publication date: January 5, 2012
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Yuta Tsubouchi, Toshiya Mitomo, Tong Wang
  • Patent number: 8081019
    Abstract: An apparatus for generating a compensation signal for a power converter where the second harmonic ripple on the voltage bus is substantially removed from the compensation signal. The apparatus comprises a frequency-locked clock generator, a bus voltage data generator, a stack, and a compensation signal generator. The frequency-locked clock is coupled to the power converter voltage bus that contains harmonics of the AC line frequency. The clock generator frequency locks to the second harmonic of the AC line frequency and creates a system clock which is used for the synchronous operations throughout the apparatus. The bus-voltage data generator inputs a power converter scaled-bus voltage, generates bus-voltage data at a sampling rate which is determined by the coupled system clock. The output of the bus-voltage generator is input into a stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignee: Flextronics AP, LLC
    Inventor: Aaron Jungreis
  • Patent number: 8040166
    Abstract: In one aspect, the present invention provides a frequency multiplier. In some embodiments, the frequency multiplier includes: a first transistor and a second transistor, wherein a first terminal of the first transistor is connected to a third terminal of the second transistor through a first capacitor, and a first terminal of the second transistor is connected to a third terminal of the first transistor through a second capacitor. The frequency multiplier may also include a balun, wherein the third terminal of the first transistor is connected to a terminal of the balun, and the third terminal of the second transistor is connected to a different terminal of the balun.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget L M Ericsson (publ)
    Inventor: Mingquan Bao
  • Publication number: 20110227612
    Abstract: A frequency multiplier for generating an output signal having a frequency N times the input signal, with N equal to or greater than 3, the frequency multiplier including a phase splitter circuit responsive to the input signal for generating N signals with phase differences, and a mixer circuit responsive to the N signals of the phasor circuit for providing an output signal having a frequency N times the input signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2011
    Publication date: September 22, 2011
    Inventor: John A. Chiesa
  • Patent number: 8024686
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for retiming of multirate system for clock period minimization with a polynomial time without sub-optimality. In an embodiment, a normalized factor vector for the nodes of multirate graph is introduced, allowing the formulation of the multirate graph retiming constraints to a form similar to a single rate graph. In an aspect, the retiming constraints are formulated to allowed the usage of linear programming methodology instead of integer linear programming, thus significantly reducing the complexity of the solving algorithm. The present methodology also uses multirate constraints, avoiding unfolding to single rate equivalent, thus avoiding graph size increase. In a preferred embodiment, the parameters of the multirate system are normalized to the normalized factor vector, providing efficient algorithm in term of computational time and memory usage, without any sub-optimality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Synopsys, Inc.
    Inventors: Mustafa Ispir, Levent Oktem
  • Patent number: 8018290
    Abstract: An output terminal 6 is provided at the connecting point 5 between the collector terminal of a transistor 1 and an open-ended stub 4 by connecting the open-ended stub 4 to the collector terminal of the transistor 1, the open-ended stub 4 having a line length equal to a quarter of the wavelength of a signal of frequency 2N·F0 or 2N times the oscillation frequency F0. In addition, an output terminal 9 is provided at a connecting point 8 located at a distance equal to a quarter of the wavelength of a signal of oscillation frequency F0 from the end of an open-ended stub 7 by connecting the open-ended stub 7 to the base terminal of the transistor 1, the open-ended stub 7 having a line length longer than a quarter of the wavelength of the signal of oscillation frequency F0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Mizutani, Kazuhiro Nishida, Masaomi Tsuru, Kenji Kawakami, Morishige Hieda, Moriyasu Miyazaki
  • Publication number: 20110215844
    Abstract: A frequency multiplier circuit, comprising a first stage including a first differential pair of amplifier elements having respective current conduction paths connected in parallel between first and second nodes and respective control terminals connected to receive input signals of opposite polarity at an input frequency in the radio frequency range, the first and second nodes being connected to respective bias voltage supply terminals through first and second impedances respectively so that current flowing differentially in the current conduction paths of the first differential pair of amplifier elements produces a voltage difference across the first and second nodes at a frequency which contains a harmonic of the input frequency, and a second stage including a second differential pair of amplifier elements coupled at the harmonic of the input frequency with the first and second nodes to amplify differentially the voltage difference and produce an output signal at the harmonic of the input frequency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2008
    Publication date: September 8, 2011
    Applicant: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Saverio Trotta, Bernhard Dehlink
  • Publication number: 20110187420
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for identifying a specific number of communicating points having relatively smallest accumulated path values from a plurality of transmitting points for a receiving point in a communication system. The method includes steps of: (a) defining a first coordination of each of the plurality of transmitting points and the receiving point on a complex plane; (b) transferring the first coordination of the receiving point to a second coordination thereof, in which the second coordination of the receiving point is near an origin of the complex plane; and (c) identifying the specific number of transmitting points having relatively smallest accumulated path values based on the second coordination of the receiving point.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2010
    Publication date: August 4, 2011
    Applicant: NATIONAL CHIAO TUNG UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Chien-Nan Kuo, Tzu-Chao Yan
  • Patent number: 7990186
    Abstract: A circuit for signal conditioning including a first stage with a digital/analog converter, a second stage with an I/Q-modulator, and at least one third stage with a mixer. Instead of a multiplicity of independent oscillators, a shared oscillator is provided for the first, second, and third stages, from an output signal of which a respective oscillator signal and clock-pulse signal for each stage of the first, second, and third stages is derived. The oscillator signal and respective clock-pulse signal of the oscillator are supplied via a frequency divider to at least one stage of the first, second, and third stages, or the oscillator signal of the oscillator is supplied via a frequency multiplier to at least one stage. Also, the oscillator signal of the oscillator is supplied as a reference signal to a frequency synthesizer of at least one stage of the first, second, and third stages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: Rohde & Schwarz GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Martin Roth, Mattias Jelen, Gottfried Holzmann, Albert Moser, Martin Oetjen
  • Patent number: 7966510
    Abstract: A system and method for dynamic frequency adjustment for interoperability of differential clock recovery, comprising: a frequency generator for receiving a frequency reference clock signal and generating a plurality of frequency signals, the plurality of frequency signals being output from the frequency generator and each having a different frequency; a flexible distributor for receiving the plurality of frequency signals from the frequency generator, and transmitting selected frequency signals; and a plurality of differential units, each for receiving the selected frequency signals, applying a differential signal to the selected frequency signals, adding time stamps to the selected frequency signals, and outputting respective time stamped differential selected frequency signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2011
    Assignee: Alcatel Lucent
    Inventors: Steven Anthony Bernard Harrison, James Michael Schriel
  • Patent number: 7956656
    Abstract: Systems and methods for providing a clock signal are provided. A frequency multiplier circuit is provided that can include a plurality of serially connected delay elements that are configured to generate a plurality of delay tap signals from an input signal. The frequency multiplier circuit can also include a phase detector configured to receive a first selected delay tap signal and the input signal. The phase detector can detect a phase shift between the first selected delay tap signal and the input signal, and can generate a phase detection signal indicative of a value of the phase shift. The frequency multiplier circuit can also include a digital logic gate configured to receive the input signal and a second selected delay tap signal. The digital logic gate can be further configured to generate an output signal responsive to the second selected delay tap signal and the input signal. The frequency multiplier circuit can also include a controller coupled to the phase detector and coupled to an output gate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: Skyworks Solutions, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas Obkircher
  • Patent number: 7944253
    Abstract: A digital programmable frequency divider is constructed of Rapid Single Flux Quantum (RSFQ) logic elements. The logic elements may include an RSFQ non-destructive readout cell (NDRO), RSFQ D flip-flop and an RSFQ T flip-flop. A digital word comprising N bits is used to control the amount of frequency division and the frequency divider selectively imparts a respective frequency division for any of 2n states that can be represented by the digital word. The RSFQ logic elements utilize Josephson junctions which operate in superconducting temperature domains.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Assignee: Hypres, Inc.
    Inventor: Alexander F. Kirichenko
  • Publication number: 20110095792
    Abstract: A frequency multiplier including some embodiments, the frequency multiplier includes: a first transistor and a second transistor, wherein a first terminal of the first transistor is connected to a third terminal of the second transistor through a first capacitor, and a first terminal of the second transistor is connected to a third terminal of the first transistor through a second capacitor. The frequency multiplier also includes a balun, wherein the third terminal of the first transistor is connected to a terminal of the balun, and the third terminal of the second transistor is connected to a different terminal of the balun.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2008
    Publication date: April 28, 2011
    Applicant: TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET L M ERICSSON (PUBL)
    Inventor: Mingquan Bao
  • Patent number: 7933559
    Abstract: A system for testing radio frequency (RF) communications of a device capable of such communications is provided. The system includes a chamber for isolating the device from RF interference, an antenna that is suitable for RF communications with the device wherein the antenna is capable of communications over a range of frequencies, the antenna being located within the chamber, and a digital communication link for providing non-RF communications with the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: Psion Teklogix Inc.
    Inventor: Zivota Zeke Stojcevic
  • Patent number: 7919997
    Abstract: Systems and methods for providing a clock signal are provided. A frequency multiplier circuit is provided that can include a plurality of serially connected delay elements that are configured to generate a plurality of delay tap signals from an input signal. The frequency multiplier circuit can also include a phase detector configured to receive a first selected delay tap signal and the input signal. The phase detector can detect a phase shift between the first selected delay tap signal and the input signal, and can generate a phase detection signal indicative of a value of the phase shift. The frequency multiplier circuit can also include a digital logic gate configured to receive the input signal and a second selected delay tap signal. The digital logic gate can be further configured to generate an output signal responsive to the second selected delay tap signal and the input signal. The frequency multiplier circuit can also include a controller coupled to the phase detector and coupled to an output gate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2011
    Assignee: Skyworks Solutions, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas Obkircher
  • Patent number: 7911257
    Abstract: A circuit includes an input terminal adapted to receive an input voltage, a MOSFET having its drain terminal and its source terminal connected together, a first switching arrangement configured to be controlled by a first clock signal and adapted to selectively couple the gate terminal to the input terminal, and a further switching arrangement configured to be controlled by a further clock signal in timing relationship with the first clock signal and adapted to selectively couple the source terminal and a first voltage which is capable of pulling carriers out of a channel when the first switching arrangement is not coupling the input terminal to the gate terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: The Trustees of Columbia University in the city of New York
    Inventors: Yannis Tsividis, Sanjeev Ranganathan
  • Patent number: 7888978
    Abstract: A frequency synthesizer includes first and second frequency dividers for receiving and frequency-dividing a signal generated by a voltage-controlled oscillator, a frequency mixer for mixing output signals of the first and second frequency dividers, and a third frequency divider for receiving and frequency-dividing a signal having one frequency of two frequencies that are output by the frequency mixer. The first, second third and frequency dividers and the frequency mixer are provided in a feedback loop within a PLL circuit between the voltage-controlled oscillator and the phase comparator. The phase comparator has a first input terminal to which a signal to which a signal that is output by the third frequency divider is input and a second input terminal to which a reference clock signal that is output by a reference signal generator is input. A loop filter supplies the voltage-controlled oscillator with a voltage that is based upon result of the phase comparison by a phase comparator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Hidehiko Kuroda
  • Patent number: 7890076
    Abstract: A method of providing an input signal to a mixer circuit comprises coupling an output signal from a low-noise amplifier circuit to a mixer input of the mixer circuit via an AC coupling circuit, comprising an inductive of capacitive coupling circuit. For capacitive coupling configurations, a coupling capacitor is configured to have a capacitance value determined as a function of a transconductance sensitivity of the mixer circuit. For balanced output configurations of the low-noise amplifier circuit, matched coupling capacitors are used for coupling the balanced output signals to respective inputs of the mixer circuit. In one embodiment, the mixer circuit comprises a quadrature mixer circuit, which may be in a balanced or double-balanced configuration. In another embodiment, the mixer circuit comprises a four-phase mixer circuit, which may be configured as a balanced four-phase mixer circuit coupled to the low-noise amplifier circuit via inductive or capacitive embodiments of the coupling circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ)
    Inventors: Sven Mattisson, Magnus Nilsson, Andreas Nydahl, Thomas Mattsson
  • Patent number: 7830184
    Abstract: A frequency multiplier is disclosed. A plurality of voltage regulators each regulate levels of voltages at first and second common nodes in response to a corresponding one of input signals from a voltage-controlled delay line. An input buffer charges the first node or discharges the second node in response to a feedback signal. An output buffer regulates a level of a voltage at an output node and outputs a frequency-multiplied clock signal and the feedback signal corresponding to the voltage level of the output node. A discharge circuit discharges the first node before a rising edge of each of the input signals from the voltage-controlled delay line is inputted. A charge circuit charges the second node before the rising edge of each of the input signals from the voltage-controlled delay line is inputted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: Korea University Industry and Academy Cooperation Foundation
    Inventors: Chul-Woo Kim, Jin-Han Kim, Seok-Ryung Yoon, Young-Ho Kwak, Seok-Soo Yoon
  • Patent number: 7825741
    Abstract: A method of generating an output signal from an input signal includes a step of generating a set of n signals, n being an integer greater than or equal to 3, by generating a signal for each integer i such that 0?i?(n?1), each signal within the set having the same frequency and approximately equal amplitude and a phase equal to (360/n)i degrees. The method also includes a step of inputting each of the set of n signals to a gate terminal of a corresponding one of a set of n transistors. Each of the transistors has a source terminal electrically connected to a common voltage drain and each of the transistors has a drain terminal electrically connected to a coupling. The coupling is electrically connected to a common voltage source. The output signal at the coupling has a frequency equal to the frequency of the input signal multiplied by n.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Scott Kevin Reynolds, Mehmet Soyuer, Chinmaya Mishra
  • Patent number: 7786780
    Abstract: Apparatus for producing a signal, comprising a capacitor; a first current source for one of charging and discharging the capacitor over a first time period; a second current source for one of discharging and charging the capacitor over a first portion of a second time period; a detector for detecting when the voltage across the capacitor is substantially a first voltage and controlling the second current source for a second portion of the second time period to substantially maintain the voltage across the capacitor; and an apparatus output for indicating when the voltage across the capacitor is one of above and below the first voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2010
    Assignee: Jennic Limited
    Inventor: Timothy L. Farnsworth
  • Patent number: 7778377
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for generating a frequency with a predefined offset from a reference frequency. A spread spectrum generator circuit is disclosed that comprises a voltage controlled delay loop for generating a plurality of signals having a different phase; and at least one interpolator for processing at least two of the signals to generate an output signal having a phase between a phase of the at least two of the signals, wherein the output is varied between a phase of the at least two of the signals to generate the spread spectrum. A spread spectrum having a frequency lower than an applied clock signal is generated using a continuous phase delay increase and a spread spectrum having a frequency higher than the clock signal is generated using a continuous phase delay decrease.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Assignee: Agere Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Vladimir Sindalovsky, Lane A. Smith, Craig B. Ziemer
  • Patent number: 7759988
    Abstract: A frequency multiplier is provided that includes a switching component having a plurality of differential pairs of transistors. The frequency multiplier further includes a gain stage. A common mode feedback generated by the switching component is also provided to the gain stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2010
    Assignee: Autoliv ASP, Inc.
    Inventors: Yumin Lu, Robert Ian Gresham
  • Patent number: 7752477
    Abstract: A signal processor includes a reference clock generator configured to generate a reference clock as a synchronization reference for a signal processing. A counter is configured to count the reference clock. A frequency controller is configured to sample a count value of the counter by utilizing an input clock, to compare an increment value increased from the last sampled value with an expected value, and to control a frequency of the reference clock in accordance with a comparison result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2010
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Goichi Otomo
  • Patent number: 7746136
    Abstract: A frequency multiplier circuit comprising a delay line receiving at one end thereof a reference clock for generating clock tap outputs from respective ones of a plurality of period matched delay elements; a clock combining circuit responsive to pairs of tap outputs for generating a rising and falling edge of an output clock pulse from respective ones of the pairs whereby the output clock period is less than the input clock period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2010
    Assignee: Mosaid Technologies Incorporated
    Inventor: Paul W. Demone
  • Publication number: 20100156476
    Abstract: Systems and methods for providing a clock signal are provided. A frequency multiplier circuit is provided that can include a plurality of serially connected delay elements that are configured to generate a plurality of delay tap signals from an input signal. The frequency multiplier circuit can also include a phase detector configured to receive a first selected delay tap signal and the input signal. The phase detector can detect a phase shift between the first selected delay tap signal and the input signal, and can generate a phase detection signal indicative of a value of the phase shift. The frequency multiplier circuit can also include a digital logic gate configured to receive the input signal and a second selected delay tap signal. The digital logic gate can be further configured to generate an output signal responsive to the second selected delay tap signal and the input signal. The frequency multiplier circuit can also include a controller coupled to the phase detector and coupled to an output gate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2010
    Publication date: June 24, 2010
    Applicant: SKYWORKS SOLUTIONS, INC.
    Inventor: Thomas Obkircher
  • Patent number: 7741885
    Abstract: A device for modifying an input signal having an input signal frequency and a duty cycle is disclosed. The device determines two separate counts for each of the high and low pulses of the input signal. One of the two counts for each of the high and low pulses is divided. The divided count is then compared with the undivided count. Based on this comparison, an output module outputs an output signal that has the same duty cycle as the input signal but at a frequency that is a multiple of the input signal frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2010
    Assignee: Yazaki North America
    Inventors: Sam Y. Guo, Xiaopeng Wang
  • Publication number: 20100141307
    Abstract: A frequency multiplier according to the present invention comprises a period-to-voltage converter that generates a control signal in response to the period of an input signal. An oscillator generates an output signal in accordance with the control signal. The level of the control signal is corrected to the frequency of the input signal. The control signal is coupled to determine the frequency of the output signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2009
    Publication date: June 10, 2010
    Inventors: Ta-Yung Yang, Pei-Sheng Tsu, Chih-Ho Lin, Chuan-Chang Li
  • Patent number: 7724057
    Abstract: Various circuit techniques for implementing ultra high speed circuits use current-controlled CMOS (C3MOS) logic fabricated in conventional CMOS process technology. An entire family of logic elements including inverter/buffers, level shifters, NAND, NOR, XOR gates, latches, flip-flops and the like are implemented using C3MOS techniques. Optimum balance between power consumption and speed for each circuit application is achieve by combining high speed C3MOS logic with low power conventional CMOS logic. The combined C3MOS/CMOS logic allows greater integration of circuits such as high speed transceivers used in fiber optic communication systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2010
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventor: Armond Hairapetian
  • Patent number: 7683680
    Abstract: A phase comparison of timing signals is made by combinational circuitry which receives the timing signals and a window signal, the window signal identifying edges of the timing signals to be compared. The comparison may result in a charge pumped output which can be fed back to control the phase of one of the timing signals. The phase comparator and charge pump circuit can be included in a multiplier circuitry in which the phase of an input signal is directly compared to the phase of an edge of the multiplied signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignee: Rambus, Inc.
    Inventors: William J. Dally, Ramin Farjad-Rad, Teva J. Stone, Xiaoying Yu, John W. Poulton
  • Patent number: 7653167
    Abstract: Various embodiments provide a Phase Interpolator (PI) that receives input clocks, and outputs intersymbol interference-equalized, phase-shifted output clocks. In one embodiment, the Phase Interpolator comprises two PI Conditioners and a PI Mixer. In one embodiment, a PI Conditioner receives input clocks and is controlled by a different phase-shifted input clock by using a suitable circuit element, such as a flip-flop. Collectively, the input clock-controlled PI Conditioner and Mixer act in concert to control the band limiting effect of the PI Conditioner which, in turn, equalizes intersymbol interference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2010
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Hongjiang Song, Tofayel Ahmed
  • Publication number: 20100001773
    Abstract: An input clock dividing unit frequency-divides an input clock, and an input clock multiplying unit frequency-multiplies the input clock. An operation clock selecting unit selects the frequency-divided clock when the input clock is fast and selects the frequency-multiplied clock when the input clock is slow, based on the frequency detection result of frequency detecting unit. The operation clock selecting unit then outputs the selected clock to a phase comparing unit as an operation clock. The phase comparing unit operates according to the frequency-divided or frequency-multiplied clock, and controls an oscillating unit so that the phase difference between a reference signal and a comparison signal becomes zero. The phase of an output clock is thus caused to track the phase of the reference signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2008
    Publication date: January 7, 2010
    Inventor: Syuji Kato
  • Publication number: 20090315596
    Abstract: A complex waveform frequency matching device is disclosed. In various embodiments, the matching device comprises a plurality of radio frequency generators coupled in parallel with one another. Each subsequent one of the plurality of radio frequency generators is configured to produce a harmonic frequency related by an integral multiple to a frequency produced by any lower-frequency producing radio frequency generator, thereby generating a complex waveform. A plurality of frequency splitter circuits is coupled to an output of the plurality of radio frequency generators, and each of a plurality of matching networks has an input coupled to an output of one of the plurality of frequency splitter circuits and an output configured to be coupled to a plasma chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2008
    Publication date: December 24, 2009
    Applicant: LAM RESEARCH CORPORATION
    Inventors: Andres Leming, Andras Kuthi, Thomas Anderson
  • Patent number: 7636002
    Abstract: A clock multiplier for multiplying an input clock by N includes a phase/frequency detector, a clock selector, and a voltage-controlled delay line. The phase/frequency detector generates a first control signal and a second control signal according to a frequency/phase difference between the input clock and a count signal indicating a signal that is generated by delaying the input clock N times. The clock selector selects one of the input clock and a feedback clock based on the input clock and the count signal. The voltage-controlled delay line adjusts a delay time of the selected signal according to a control voltage that is generated based on the first control signal and the second control signal, and outputs the feedback clock based on the adjusted signal. The clock multiplier operates without accumulating a frequency/phase difference between the input clock and the output clock when the multiplying ratio is increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2009
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Woo-Seok Kim
  • Publication number: 20090302896
    Abstract: A circuit for signal conditioning including a first stage with a digital/analog converter, a second stage with an I/Q-modulator, and at least one third stage with a mixer. Instead of a multiplicity of independent oscillators, a shared oscillator is provided for the first, second, and third stages, from an output signal of which a respective oscillator signal and clock-pulse signal for each stage of the first, second, and third stages is derived. The oscillator signal and respective clock-pulse signal of the oscillator are supplied via a frequency divider to at least one stage of the first, second, and third stages, or the oscillator signal of the oscillator is supplied via a frequency multiplier to at least one stage. Also, the oscillator signal of the oscillator is supplied as a reference signal to a frequency synthesizer of at least one stage of the first, second, and third stages.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2006
    Publication date: December 10, 2009
    Applicant: RHODE & SCHWARZ GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Martin Roth, Mattias Jelen, Gottfried Holzmann, Albert Moser, Martin Oetjen
  • Patent number: 7602386
    Abstract: A reference clock signal generation circuit for generating a reference clock signal for a charge-pump operation which raises or lowers a voltage includes a clock signal generation circuit which generates a reference clock signal having one of first to nth (n is an integer of two or more) frequencies, a wait time setting register in which a value corresponding to a wait time is set, and a frequency setting register in which a value corresponding to one of the first to nth frequencies is set. The clock signal generation circuit generates the reference clock signal having a predetermined frequency in a start period from start of the charge-pump operation to completion of the wait time, and generates the reference clock signal having a frequency corresponding to the value set in the frequency setting register in an operation period after the start period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2009
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Kazuhiro Maekawa
  • Patent number: 7598782
    Abstract: A circuit is provided for multiplying a frequency by a cascade formed of a transadmittance having a transfer characteristic and a transimpedance having a transfer characteristic. The transadmittance includes two terminals for a signal of a first frequency and the transimpedance includes two terminals for a signal of a second frequency. A transfer characteristic of the transimpedance is steeper than a transfer characteristic of the transadmittance, and a modulation region of the transadmittance is larger than a modulation region of the transimpedance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2009
    Assignee: ATMEL Germany GmbH
    Inventor: Reinhard Reimann
  • Patent number: 7579884
    Abstract: A frequency doubler circuit includes first and second arrangements of switches connected to the positive and negative inputs of a comparator, respectively, and arranged in such a way that first and third voltages during the first phase of a reference clock signal and second and fourth voltages during a second phase opposite to the first phase are applied to the positive and negative inputs, where the first and second voltages and the third and fourth voltages are shifted with respect to each other at a half-period of the reference clock signal and the ratio between slopes of the voltages is fixed with respect to a selected current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2009
    Assignee: Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique
    Inventor: Gilles Masson
  • Patent number: 7577418
    Abstract: A sub-harmonic mixer and a down converter with the sub-harmonic mixer are provided. The sub-harmonic mixer includes a differential amplifying unit, a current buffer unit, and a switching unit. The differential amplifying unit is used to amplify a radio frequency (RF) signal and employs a first resonance circuit to force a leakage signal to flow to a first voltage. The current buffer unit is used to amplify the gain of an output signal of the differential amplifying unit and employs a second resonance circuit to force the leakage signal to flow to a second voltage. Finally, the switching unit switches an output signal of the current buffer unit into a base band signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2009
    Assignees: United Microelectronics Corp., National Taiwan University
    Inventors: Jen-Chung Chang, Chia-Jung Hsu, Shey-Shi Lu, Hsiao-Chin Chen, Tzu-Chao Lin
  • Publication number: 20090174494
    Abstract: It is an object of the invention to provide a pulse generation circuit and a modulator for realizing a high On/Off ratio in a small circuit scale and with lower power consumption. A short pulse generation circuit according to the invention includes an oscillator 101, a control signal generation circuit 102, an intermittent frequency multiplier 103, a filter 104, and an output terminal 105. The oscillator 101 and the intermittent frequency multiplier 103 are active circuits implemented as active elements. A continuous signal is output from the oscillator 101 and is input to the intermittent frequency multiplier 103 and the intermittent frequency multiplier 103 intermittently operates according to a control signal output from the control signal generation circuit 102, thereby generating a short pulse signal, and a spurious component is removed through the filter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2007
    Publication date: July 9, 2009
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shigeru Kobayashi, Michiaki Matsuo, Suguru Fujita
  • Patent number: 7554369
    Abstract: A digital programmable frequency divider is constructed of Rapid Single Flux Quantum (RSFQ) logic elements. The logic elements may include an RSFQ non-destructive readout cell (NDRO), RSFQ D flip-flop and an RSFQ T flip-flop. A digital word comprising N bits is used to control the amount of frequency division and the frequency divider selectively imparts a respective frequency division for any of 2N states that can be represented by the digital word. The RSFQ logic elements utilize Josephson junctions which operate in superconducting temperature domains.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2009
    Assignee: Hypres, Inc.
    Inventor: Alexander F. Kirichenko
  • Publication number: 20090160502
    Abstract: A frequency multiplier is provided that includes a switching component having a plurality of differential pairs of transistors. The frequency multiplier further includes a gain stage. A common mode feedback generated by the switching component is also provided to the gain stage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2007
    Publication date: June 25, 2009
    Inventors: Yumin Lu, Robert Ian Gresham
  • Patent number: 7551742
    Abstract: A band-dividing unit is operable to extract a low frequency component from an input signal in order to generate overtones based on the extracted low frequency component, and is further operable to divide the extracted low frequency component into signals that belongs to different frequency bands. Each of overtone-generating units is disposed for corresponding one of the different frequency bands, and is operable to generate overtones based on an output signal from corresponding one of band pass filters. An adder adds the generated overtones to the input signal that has passed through a delay. The resulting acoustic signal is sent to the outside through a high-pass filter. One overtone-generating unit designed for a higher frequency band among the different frequency bands is set to produce the same or fewer overtones than another overtone-generating unit suited for a lower frequency band thereamong does.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2009
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Naoyuki Katou, Yoshinori Kumamoto
  • Patent number: 7529533
    Abstract: The embodiments of the present invention provide a configurable homodyne/heterodyne RF receiver including first and second mixers. The configurable homodyne/heterodyne RF receiver functions as a homodyne receiver when the first and second mixers are configured to operate in parallel, and as a heterodyne receiver when the first and second mixers are configured to operate in series. The embodiments of the present invention further provides an RFID reader employing the configurable homodyne/heterodyne RF receiver to facilitate a listen-before-talk function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2009
    Assignee: TriQuint Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventor: John Vincent Bellantoni
  • Patent number: 7509107
    Abstract: Circuitry is provided to drive a step recovery diode (SRD) (8) in a sampler based vector network analyzer (VNA) that allows harmonic samplers (10, 11) to operate over many octaves. The circuit includes a digital pulse generator (FIG. 5) for providing a LO signal. The LO signal is provided over an octave frequency range as in previous SRD driver circuits, but pulse forming circuitry is provided to decrease the pulse rate to a sub multiple of the LO generating oscillator signal. The pulse forming circuitry includes a programmable frequency divider (50) to vary the pulse rate. The pulse forming network further includes registers (50, 52) connected to the programmable frequency divider (50) to limit the pulse width resulting in reduced heating of the SRDs. With an effectively wider frequency operation range using the SRD (8), only one downconversion is required in the VNA, eliminating the need for additional mixers (30, 31) and a second LO signal generator (24) to provide a second downconversion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2009
    Assignee: Anritsu Company
    Inventor: Donald Anthony Bradley