Phase Lock Loop Patents (Class 327/156)
  • Patent number: 10291386
    Abstract: A circuit and method enables multiple serializer/deserializer (SerDes) data lanes of a physical layer device (PHY) to operate across a broad range of diversified data rates that are independent from lane to lane. The multiple SerDes data lanes may operate at data rates independent from one another. A single low frequency clock is input to the PHY. A frequency of the single low frequency clock is increased via a common integer-N phase-locked loop (PLL) on the PHY to produce a higher frequency clock. Each of the SerDes data lanes is operated, independently, as a fractional-N PLL that employs the higher frequency clock. Use of the common integer-N PLL enables modulation noise of the fractional-N PLLs to be suppressed by moving the modulation noise to higher frequencies where a level of the modulation noise is filtered, avoiding use of high risk noise cancellation techniques.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: Cavium, LLC
    Inventor: Scott E. Meninger
  • Patent number: 10291242
    Abstract: Certain aspects of the present disclosure generally relate to techniques and circuits for phase correction, or at least adjustment, of multiple local-oscillator (LO) signals. For example, certain aspects provide an apparatus for phase adjustment. The apparatus generally includes a phase-locked loop (PLL), at least one frequency divider coupled to an output of the PLL, the at least one first frequency divider being external to the PLL, a phase adjustment circuit having an input coupled to an output of the frequency divider, and at least one mixer having an input coupled to at least one output of the phase adjustment circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Mohammad Elbadry, Marco Zanuso, Tsai-Pi Hung, Francesco Gatta, Yunliang Zhu
  • Patent number: 10291214
    Abstract: Clock systems with phase noise compensation are provided herein. In certain implementations, a clock system includes a phase noise detector for detecting a phase noise of a clock signal, and an adjustable delay circuit for generating an adjusted clock signal based on delaying the clock signal with a controllable delay. Additionally, the phase noise detector generates an error signal indicated the phase noise of the clock signal, and controls the delay of the adjustable delay circuit with the error signal over time to thereby compensate the clock signal for phase noise. Thus, the adjusted clock signal has reduced phase noise compared to the clock signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: Analog Devices Global Unlimited Company
    Inventors: Bartholomeus Jacobus Thijssen, Eric Antonius Maria Klumperink, Bram Nauta, Philip Eugene Quinlan
  • Patent number: 10291238
    Abstract: An object is to improve Power Supply Rejection Ratio in a PLL circuit. A proportional path 103 is provided in a first power supply system 101 and outputs analog proportional signal AP according to a detection signal DET. An integral path 104 is provided in a second power supply system and outputs an analog integral signal AI according to the DET. A CCO driver 16 is provided in the first power supply system 101 and outputs control current ICCO according to the AP and the AI. A CCO 17 is provided in the second power supply system 102 and outputs an output signal Fout according to the ICCO. A phase frequency detector 11 is provided in the second power supply system 102 and configured to detect a phase difference between a reference signal Fref and a signal FM obtained by feeding back the Fout and then outputs the DET.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Atsushi Motozawa, Yoshitaka Hirai
  • Patent number: 10284205
    Abstract: A clock generator and a method to control an associated system are described. The clock generator (e.g., a PLL) can include a charge pump that can generate a current, and a controller coupled to the charge pump. The controller can determine a characteristic impacting operation of the clock generator and control the charge pump to adjust the current based on the determined characteristic to adjust a bandwidth of the clock generator. The clock generator and method can include adjusting the bandwidth to compensate for variations (e.g. PVT variations) that impact the operation of the clock generator to maintain constant or substantially constant bandwidth independent of such variations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Samaksh Sinha, Sai Siddharth Pothapragada
  • Patent number: 10270487
    Abstract: A frequency generator is disclosed. The frequency generator is for generating an oscillator clock according to a reference clock, and the frequency generator is used in a frequency hopping system that switches a carrier frequency among a plurality of channels, and the carrier frequency further carries a modulation frequency for data transmission. The frequency generator includes: a frequency hopping and modulation control unit arranged for generating a current channel according to a channel hopping sequence and a frequency command word (FCW) based on the reference clock, wherein the modulation frequency is higher than a frequency of the reference clock; a reference phase generating unit arranged for generating a reference phase according to the reference clock, the modulation clock, the first FCW, the second FCW, and the third FCW; a digital-controlled oscillator (DCO) arranged for to generating the oscillator clock according to the reference phase. An associated method is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY LTD.
    Inventors: Chia-Chun Liao, Min-Shueh Yuan, Chao-Chieh Li, Robert Bogdan Staszewski
  • Patent number: 10263626
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods for tuning a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) are provided. In one aspect, a method of auto-tuning in a phase-locked loop includes generating a VCO clock signal using a VCO coupled to a capacitor array, dividing the VCO clock signal to generate a divided clock signal using a prescaler circuit having a selectable division ratio, controlling a value of the selectable division ratio using a first counter and a second counter of a counter module, generating a phase-frequency detector feedback signal based on a division control signal M and the divided clock signal using the counter module, counting a number of cycles of the divided clock signal that occur during a calibration interval using a cycle counter of a digital processing logic circuit, and determining the value of a capacitor array control signal based on the number of cycles counted during the calibration interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: Skyworks Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Hua Wang, David Steven Ripley, Bryan J. Roll
  • Patent number: 10263605
    Abstract: The invention discloses a frequency extender, including a preamplifier to receive a RF input signal and output a pre-amplified RF signal, a series frequency multiplier branch, a series frequency divider branch and a multiplexer. The output port of the preamplifier couples to one input port of the multiplexer. The series frequency multiplier branch and the series divider branch are coupled to receive the pre-amplified RF signal. The output port of each frequency multiplier in the series multiplier branch and/or the output port of each frequency divider in the series divider branch are coupled to the input ports of the multiplexer respectively. The multiplexer couples to receive the pre-amplified RF signal, the frequency-multiplied RF signal and the frequency-divided signal, the multiplexer selects a signal from the received signals and outputs a multiplexer output signal based on the selected signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Inventor: Cemin Zhang
  • Patent number: 10256967
    Abstract: A clock and data recovery circuit with jitter tolerance enhancement is provided. The CDR circuit includes: a bang-bang phase detector, a digital filter, a digitally controlled oscillator, and an adaptive loop gain control circuit. The CDR circuit detects a loop bandwidth variation and adjusts the loop bandwidth of CDR circuit by adjusting proportional path and integral path gain factors of the digital filter of the CDR circuit. The loop gain controller uses two methods to adjust the loop gain in CDR circuit: bang-bang adjusting method and linear adjusting method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: Novatek Microelectronics Corp.
    Inventors: Chang-Cheng Huang, Shen-Iuan Liu, Ju-Lin Huang, Tzu-Chien Tzeng, Keko-Chun Liang, Yu-Hsiang Wang, Che-Wei Yeh
  • Patent number: 10250243
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a delay circuit configured to adjust a delay amount of multi-phase input signals to output multi-phase signals; a clock generator configured to output a clock signal that is not synchronized with an input signal which corresponds to one of the multi-phase signals; a detector circuit configured to generate a pulse signal corresponding to a phase difference between a reference signal corresponding to a predetermined one of the multi-phase signals and a comparison signal corresponding to a selected one of the multi-phase signals and to sample the pulse signal according to the clock signal; and a controller circuit configured to output a delay control signal for controlling a delay amount of the multi-phase input signals or controlling a delay amount of the comparison signal according to a result of calculating an output of the detector circuit and a reference value corresponding to the phase difference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignees: SK HYNIX INC., KOREA ADVANCED INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Seonggyu Lee, Yongjo Kim, SeongHwan Cho
  • Patent number: 10236898
    Abstract: A digital synthesizer is described that comprises: a digitally controlled oscillator, DCO; a feedback loop; a ramp generator configured to generate a signal of frequency control words, FCW, that describes a desired frequency modulated continuous wave; and a phase comparator configured to compare a phase of the FCW output from the ramp generator and a signal fed back from the DCO via the feedback loop and output a N-bit oscillator control signal. The digital synthesizer comprises a gain circuit coupled to a multiplier located between the ramp generator and the DCO and configured to apply a frequency-dependent gain signal to the N-bit oscillator control signal to maintain an open loop gain of the all-digital phase locked loop, ADPLL, and a PLL loop bandwidth that is substantially constant across a frequency modulation bandwidth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: NXP USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Didier Salle, Olivier Vincent Doare, Birama Goumballa, Cristian Pavao Moreira
  • Patent number: 10224937
    Abstract: An example clock and data recovery (CDR) circuit includes a phase interpolator, a fractional-N phase locked loop (PLL) configured to supply a clock signal to the phase interpolator, and a phase detector configured to generate a phase detect result signal in response to phase detection of data samples and crossing samples of a received signal, the data samples and the crossing samples being generated based on a data phase and a crossing phase, respectively, or a sampling clock supplied by a phase interpolator. The CDR circuit further includes a digital loop filter configured to generate a phase interpolator code for controlling the phase interpolator, the digital loop filter including a phase path and a frequency path. The CDR circuit further includes a control circuit configured to control the digital loop filter to disconnect the frequency path from the phase path and to connect the frequency path to a control input of the fractional-N PLL.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: XILINX, INC.
    Inventors: Zhaoyin D. Wu, Geoffrey Zhang, Parag Upadhyaya, Kun-Yung Chang
  • Patent number: 10209735
    Abstract: An apparatus is configured to receive a two-phase input clock and output a four-phase output clock, the apparatus includes a first data latch and a second data latch configured in a ring topology with a negative feedback based on inter-connection through a four-phase level-shifted clock, the first data latch configured to receive a fourth phase and a second phase of the level-shifted clock and output a first phase and a third phase of the output clock along with a first phase and a third phase of the level-shifted clock in accordance with a first phase of the input clock, the second data latch configured to receive the first phase and the third phase of the level-shifted clock and output a second phase and a fourth phase of the output clock along with the second phase and the fourth phase of the level-shifted clock in accordance with a second phase of the input clock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: REALTEK SEMICONDUCTOR CORP.
    Inventor: Chia-Liang (Leon) Lin
  • Patent number: 10205456
    Abstract: A system for assigning a characterization and calibrating a parameter is disclosed. The system includes a frequency measurement circuit and a finite state machine. The frequency measurement circuit is configured to measure frequencies of an oscillatory signal and to generate a measurement signal including measured frequencies. The finite state machine is configured to control measurements by the frequency measurement circuit, to assign a characterization to a parameter based on the measurement signal, and to generate a calibration signal based on the characterized parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Cho-Ying Lu, William Yee Li, Khoa Minh Nguyen, Ashoke Ravi, Maneesha Yellepeddi, Binta M. Patel
  • Patent number: 10200045
    Abstract: A spread spectrum clock generator circuit includes a phase comparator; an oscillator to output an output clock signal; a phase selector to select one of phases equally dividing one cycle of the output clock signal, and to generate a phase shift clock signal having a rising edge in the selected phase; and a phase shift controller to control the phase selector. The phase shift controller generates a variable phase shift amount; determines the phase of the rising edge so that the cycle of the phase shift clock signal has a length changed from the cycle of the output clock signal by the variable phase shift amount added with a fixed phase shift amount; and changes a setting of an SS modulation profile if the selected phase exceeds an upper limit, falls below a lower limit, or is within the upper and lower limits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Senta Sekido
  • Patent number: 10187069
    Abstract: A phase locked loop is disclosed comprising: a phase detector, a loop filter, a frequency controller oscillator and a lock detector. The phase detector is operable in a bang-bang mode to provide a binary phase error signal indicating whether there is a positive or negative phase difference between a reference signal and a feedback signal. The loop filter is configured to provide a control signal derived from the binary phase error signal. The frequency controlled oscillator is configured to receive the control signal and provide an output signal with a frequency that varies according to the control signal. The lock/unlock detector is configured to determine a lock/unlock state of the phase locked loop, the lock/unlock state derived from a duty cycle and/or spectral content of the binary phase error signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: NXP B.V.
    Inventor: Ulrich Möehlmann
  • Patent number: 10181343
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is an apparatus that includes a clock circuit configured to receive first and second clock signals and perform a phase control operation in which a phase relationship between the first and second clock signals is controlled, the clock circuit configured to initiate the phase control operation each time a first control signal is asserted, the clock circuit including a comparator circuit that is configured to produce a second control signal indicative of a phase difference between the first and second clock signals, and a timing generator configured to assert the first control signal cyclically, the timing generator configured to respond to the second control signal to control a cycle of producing the first control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2019
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Tsuneo Abe
  • Patent number: 10177772
    Abstract: A phase locked loop has a frequency divider included in a feedback path. The frequency divider generates a first output and a delayed output. The phase locked loop also includes a charge pump to generate an output current based on the first output and the delayed output of the frequency divider.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Jingcheng Zhuang, Xinhua Chen, Frederic Bossu, Yiwu Tang
  • Patent number: 10164644
    Abstract: Methods, devices and computer-readable mediums for clock synchronization are provided. The methods include receiving a synchronizing clock in a unit clock cycle of a measuring clock, calibrating position information of a rising edge of the synchronizing clock in the unit clock cycle, determining a phase difference between the measuring clock and the synchronizing clock in the unit clock cycle based on the calibrated position information, and compensating a photon time in the unit clock cycle with the determined phase difference as a time compensation value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: Shenyang Neusoft Medical Systems Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Peng Ning, Long Yang, Guodong Liang, Peng Gao, Liang He
  • Patent number: 10164766
    Abstract: A start-up control for a transmitter (TX) output driver is implemented to prevent the stick state problem when the TX driver is not toggling. TX output driver is set in a high impedance (HZ) mode when data zero is delivered from the digital base band (DBB) and set in an enhanced mode to deliver a stronger signal when data one is delivered from the DBB. The transmitter comprises a dual-loop PLL to synchronize the TX output pulse and the carrier. The dual-loop PLL is composed of a relaxation oscillator, a 1st Loop, and a 2nd Loop. The 1st loop is a voltage-controlled oscillator comprising the relaxation oscillator and an operational transconductance amplifier. The 2nd loop is a loop comprising a phase frequency detector, a charge pump, a loop filter and the VCO of the 1st loop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: Maxim Integrated Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Chen-Hsien Hung, Tao Huang, Shiau Chwun George Pwu
  • Patent number: 10158365
    Abstract: A reconfigurable frequency and delay generator is disclosed, and a representative embodiment may include a phase sampler and plurality of configurable oscillator stages, each configurable oscillator stage of the plurality of configurable oscillator stages comprising: a plurality of core inverters coupled in series, a last core inverter of the plurality of core inverters generating an output signal having a configurable output frequency; and a plurality of delay control circuits, each delay control circuit of the plurality of delay control circuits coupled to an output of a corresponding core inverter of the plurality of core inverters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Assignee: Movellus Circuits, Inc.
    Inventors: Muhammad Faisal, Jeffrey Alan Fredenburg
  • Patent number: 10148272
    Abstract: A frequency generating circuit includes: a delay circuit, arranged to operably delay an output frequency signal to generate a delayed signal; a quartz crystal resonator, coupled with the delay circuit, arranged to operably conduct a band-pass filtering operation on the delayed signal to generate the output frequency signal; and a delay control circuit, coupled with the delay circuit, arranged to operably control a phase delay amount of the delay circuit to thereby control the phase of the delayed signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Inventor: Ping-Ying Wang
  • Patent number: 10146250
    Abstract: In a general aspect, a method for adjusting an oscillator clock frequency can include applying a first control value to a first oscillator, applying a second control value, different from the first control value, to a second oscillator, measuring a frequency of each of the first and second oscillators, determining, by interpolation, a corrected frequency measurement of the second oscillator depending on a frequency deviation measured between the first and second oscillators when subjected to a third control value, on the third control value, and on the control value applied to the second oscillator, determining by interpolation a new first control value depending on the measured frequency of the first oscillator, on the corrected frequency, on the first and second control values, and on a desired frequency, and applying the new first control value to the first oscillator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: INSIDE SECURE
    Inventors: Vincent Migairou, Julien Roche
  • Patent number: 10141942
    Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for providing frequency divided clocks are described. An example apparatus includes a first circuit configured to provide a first intermediate clock responsive, at least in part, to a first input clock, the first intermediate clock being lower in frequency than the first input clock and further includes a second circuit configured to provide a second intermediate clock and a third intermediate clock responsive, at least in part, to a second input clock, the second intermediate clock being complementary to the third intermediate clock and lower in frequency than the second input clock. The apparatus further includes a third circuit configured to select and provide as an output clock one of the second and third intermediate clocks responsive, at least in part, to the first and second intermediate clocks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Yasuo Satoh
  • Patent number: 10128867
    Abstract: A hierarchical unary/thermometer coder comprises a cascade of lower level coders that minimize clock loading and clock transitions by only enabling the clocking of a circuit when that circuit is required to change state, thereby minimizing power consumption. At the lowest level, a stage-1 circuit produces a two-bit unary/thermometer code using two NAND gates, an inverter, and a single set-reset latch. An output of the latch forms a least significant bit (LSB) and is used to control transitions of the next most significant bit. A stage-2 circuit produces a four-bit unary/thermometer code using two stage-1 circuits and a NOR gate. A stage-3 circuit produces an eight-bit unary/thermometer code using two stage-2 circuits and a NAND gate. The circuit associated with each higher order bit is only enabled when the next lower bit has been set. Outputs are also provided for generating a “running one” or “running zero” code.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR IDEAS TO THE MARKET EINDHOVEN
    Inventor: Michiel Johannes Karel van Elzakker
  • Patent number: 10122525
    Abstract: Various embodiments relate to a network node and method thereof including a high stability oscillator and a holdover phase-locked loop (“PLL”) wherein the holdover PLL is configured to perform a holdover function by receiving a system clock signal, disciplining the high stability oscillator using the system clock signal to generate a local reference signal, and providing the local reference signal as the system clock signal when the system clock signal becomes unavailable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: NOKIA OF AMERICA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Simon P. Creasy, Steven G. Driediger
  • Patent number: 10116435
    Abstract: A control circuit of a communication device includes: a periodic packet detection circuit, detecting a periodic packet of a data signal to generate a packet indication signal corresponding to the periodic packet; a frequency synthesis circuit, coupled to the periodic packet detection circuit, generating a working clock according to a reference clock; and a setting value generating circuit, coupled to the periodic packet detection circuit, generating a setting value according to a relationship between the frequencies of the working clock and the packet indication signal. The frequency synthesis circuit further adjusts the working clock according to the setting value to cause the frequency of the working clock to substantially be a predetermined multiple of the frequency of the packet indication signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: MSTAR SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
    Inventors: Shih Jyun Yang, Ji-Fu Chang, Kuo-Kuang Lo
  • Patent number: 10110240
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is an apparatus that includes a variable clock divider configured to divide a first clock signal to generate a second clock signal, a delay circuit configured to delay the second clock signal to generate a third clock signal, and a phase detector configured to compare phases of the second and third clock signals. The variable clock divider has a division ratio that is variable based, at least in part, on a delay amount of the delay circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Yasuo Satoh
  • Patent number: 10103741
    Abstract: A method for controlling a digital fractional frequency-division phase-locked loop and a phase-locked loop are disclosed. The phase-locked loop includes a control apparatus, a TDC, a DLF, a DCO, a DIV, and an SDM. The control apparatus performs delay processing on an active edge of a reference clock according to a frequency control word and a frequency division control word to obtain a delayed reference clock; and sends the delayed reference clock to the TDC so that the TDC performs phase discrimination processing on the delayed reference clock and a feedback clock. A control apparatus added to a phase-locked loop may perform delay processing on a reference clock according to a current frequency control word and a current frequency division control word, so that a feedback clock and a delayed reference clock have active edges that approximately correspond in time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Peng Gao
  • Patent number: 10090845
    Abstract: A phase locked loop (PLL) circuit disclosed herein includes a phase detector receiving a reference frequency signal and a feedback frequency signal and configured to output a digital signal indicative of a phase difference between the reference frequency signal and the feedback frequency signal. A digital loop filter filters the digital signal. A digital to analog converter converts the filtered digital signal to a control signal. An oscillator generates a PLL clock signal based on the control signal. A sigma-delta modulator modulates a divider signal as a function of a frequency control word. A divider divides the PLL clock signal based on the divider signal, and generates a noisy feedback frequency signal based thereupon. A noise filtering block removes quantization noise from the noisy feedback frequency signal to thereby generate the feedback frequency signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics International N.V.
    Inventors: Gagan Midha, Kallol Chatterjee
  • Patent number: 10090681
    Abstract: Synchronization system and method for a power generation unit coupled to an electrical power system, in order to facilitate the synchronization between the power generation unit and the electrical power system. A synchronization signal (SS) is generated by means of at least one Phase-Locked Loop (4) from a main electrical signal (Se) received from the electrical power system. The Phase-Locked Loop (4) comprises a controller scheme with a plurality of gain parameters (Kmn) to eliminate at least some of the deviations of the synchronization signal (Ss) in respect of the main electrical signal (Se), and said gain parameters (Kmn) are adjusted depending on the frequency and the amplitude of said main electrical signal (Se).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: INGETEAM POWER TECHNOLOGY, S.A.
    Inventors: Pedro Catalan Lago, Eneko Olea Oregi, Jose Ignacio Candela Garcia, Alvaro Luna Alloza, Kumars Rouzbehi
  • Patent number: 10084621
    Abstract: Systems and methods for adjusting a phase step size of a clock data recover (CDR) circuit are described according to aspects of the present disclosure. In certain aspects, a method for adjusting a phase step size of a CDR circuit includes sensing a frequency offset of the CDR circuit, and adjusting the phase step size of the CDR circuit based on the sensed frequency offset. The frequency offset may be sensed by sensing a signal level on an integration path of a loop filter of the CDR circuit. The phase step size of the CDR circuit may be adjusted by switching the CDR circuit between a first phase step size and a second phase step size using a modulator (e.g., a sigma-delta modulator).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Yu Song, Zhi Zhu, Miao Li, Li Sun, Deqiang Song, Chia Heng Chang
  • Patent number: 10084462
    Abstract: A circuit device includes an oscillation signal generation circuit, a reference signal input terminal to which a reference signal is input, and an internal phase comparator that performs phase comparison between an input signal based on the oscillation signal and the reference signal. The oscillation signal generation circuit generates the oscillation signal using the frequency control data based on a result of the phase comparison from an external phase comparator which performs phase comparison between an input signal based on the oscillation signal and the reference signal in a first mode, and generates the oscillation signal using the frequency control data based on a result of the phase comparison from the internal phase comparator in a second mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takemi Yonezawa
  • Patent number: 10075287
    Abstract: Disclosed are a time synchronization method and device. The method includes: a slave device detecting whether time synchronization can be performed via a primary link between a master device and the slave device; and when time synchronization cannot be performed via the primary link between the master device and the slave device, the slave device using a backup link to perform time synchronization. By the method and device in the embodiments of the present document, the technical problem of time synchronization failure caused by abnormalities in the related art is solved, and the technical effect of improving the reliability of time synchronization is achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: ZTE Corporation
    Inventor: Zhiping Wang
  • Patent number: 10063245
    Abstract: In a reference signal generator including a synchronization circuit configured to convert a digital signal into an analog signal, supply this signal to a voltage controlled oscillator, and control the voltage controlled oscillator to obtain a signal synchronized with the reference signal, without an accumulation of quantization error in a holdover control in which an acquisition of a reference signal is not available. The reference signal generator includes a phase synchronization circuit and a controller. The phase synchronization circuit controls the reference signal outputted from the oscillator, according to a control signal obtained based on the reference signal. The controller generates a free-running control signal and controls the oscillator when the reference signal becomes unavailable. The oscillator receives discrete values and oscillates accordingly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: Furuno Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kunihiko Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 10063243
    Abstract: A phase locked loop circuit is disclosed. The phase locked loop circuit includes a ring oscillator. The phase locked loop circuit also includes a digital path including a digital phase detector. The phase locked loop circuit further includes an analog path including a linear phase detector. Additionally, the phase locked loop circuit includes a feedback path connecting an output of the ring oscillator to an input of the digital path and an input of the analog path. The digital path and the analog path are parallel paths. The digital path provides a digital tuning signal the ring oscillator that digitally controls a frequency of the ring oscillator. The analog path provides an analog tuning signal the ring oscillator that continuously controls the frequency of the ring oscillator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jingdong Deng, Chung S. Ho, David Flye, Zhenrong Jin, Ramana M. Malladi
  • Patent number: 10063366
    Abstract: A fast frequency hopping implementation in a phase lock loop (PLL) circuit achieves a PLL lock to a new frequency in a very short period of time. In one instant, frequency allocation at a transceiver is changed. In response, a local oscillator frequency hops to a new center frequency based on the changed frequency allocation. The hopping to the new center frequency is based on two-point modulation of a phase locked loop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Marco Zanuso, Giovanni Marucci, Tsai-Pi Hung, Francesco Gatta, Bo Sun
  • Patent number: 10044356
    Abstract: A clock data recovery (CDR) circuit includes: a band select circuit, a low dropout regulator (LDO), a charge pump and a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO), wherein the band select circuit is arranged to generate a digital signal according to at least a reference voltage; the LDO is arranged to regulate a ground voltage, wherein the LDO adjusts an operating band of the LDO by receiving at least a part of the digital signal to adjust a bias current of an amplifier of the LDO; the charge pump is arranged to generate a control voltage according to at least a part of the digital signal; and the VCO is arranged to generate a clock signal according to the control voltage, wherein the VCO adjusts an operating band of the CDR circuit by receiving at least a part of the digital signal to adjust a bias current of the VCO.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: HIMAX TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED
    Inventors: Jing-Yuan Wang, Chuan-Chien Hsu
  • Patent number: 10044357
    Abstract: A clock recovery device is provided. The clock recovery device includes a clock data recovery circuit and a fast relock circuit. The clock data recovery circuit is configured to generate an output clock signal in response to an input clock signal. The clock data recovery circuit includes a charge pump for generating a control voltage and a voltage controlled block for generating the output clock signal based on the control voltage. The fast relock circuit is configured to convert a comparison signal indicating a comparison result between the input clock signal and the output clock signal to an analog output voltage. When the charge pump is disabled, an output path of the fast relock circuit is turned on, and the analog output voltage is applied to an input of the voltage controlled block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: NOVATEK MICROELECTRONICS CORP.
    Inventors: Wei-Sheng Tseng, Chih-Lu Wei
  • Patent number: 10031881
    Abstract: A USB controller with automatic clock generation comprising: an oscillating generator is used for generating an initial clock; a first phase locked loop is used for receiving the initial clock and outputting a controller operating clock having a first frequency; a controller is used for detecting at least one universal serial bus device and outputting an initial frame signal having a second frequency; a second phase lock loop is used for receiving the initial frame signal and outputting a sync frame signal having the first frequency; a third phase lock loop for receiving the sync frame signal and outputting a stabilizing frame signal having the first frequency; and a multiplexer is used for receiving the controller operating clock and the stabilizing frame signal and transmitting the controller operating clock or the stabilizing frame signals to the controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: LYRA SEMICONDUCTOR INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Ming-Tang Su
  • Patent number: 10018970
    Abstract: A time-to-digital system and associated frequency synthesizer are provided. The time-to-digital system receives a reference clock and a variable clock. The time-to-digital system includes a supplement circuit and a time-to-digital converter (TDC). The supplement circuit generates a delayed reference clock signal and at least one pulse of a variable clock ahead of a transition of the delayed reference clock signal. The delayed reference clock signal is generated according to a delay control signal and the reference clock signal. The delay control signal is determined in response to transitions of the variable clock, and frequency of the variable clock is significantly higher than frequency of the reference clock signal. Being coupled to the supplement circuit, the TDC receives the delayed reference clock signal and the at least one pulse of the variable clock and accordingly produces a TDC signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: MEDIATEK INC.
    Inventors: Yun-Chen Chuang, Ang-Sheng Lin
  • Patent number: 10014768
    Abstract: A charge pump voltage regulator is provided. The charge pump voltage regulator includes a charge pump circuit, where an output terminal of the charge pump circuit outputs a stable voltage. The charge pump voltage regulator also includes a voltage divider circuit suitable to divide the stable voltage to output a divided voltage and a clock oscillator providing a drive clock signal for the charge pump circuit. In addition, the charge pump voltage regulator includes a first voltage comparator circuit suitable to output at least one of a first comparison result and a second comparison result. Further, the charge pump voltage regulator includes a logic control unit, where, when the charge pump voltage regulator operates in a standby mode, the logic control unit outputs a first control level to the clock oscillator according to the at least one of the first comparison result and the second comparison result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignees: SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING INTERNATIONAL (SHANGHAI) CORPORATION, SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING INTERNATIONAL (BEIJING) CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yao Zhou, Hao Ni, Tian Shen Tang
  • Patent number: 10014867
    Abstract: A phase-locked loop circuit includes (a) a phase frequency detector which receives the input signal of the phase-locked loop and a feedback signal that is derived from the output signal of the phase-locked loop, the phase-frequency detector providing a phase-difference signal indicating a difference in phase or frequency between the input signal and the feedback signal; (b) a voltage control oscillator which receives a voltage control signal and which provide the output signal of the phase-locked loop according to the voltage control signal; (c) first and second charge pump-filter circuits each receiving the phase difference signal and each comprising: (i) a charge pump circuit which provide a predetermined signal in accordance with the phase difference signal; and (ii) a filter circuit receiving the predetermined signal to provide a filtered signal, the filter circuit comprising one or more resistors and one or more capacitors; and (d) a summing circuit which sums the filtered signal of the first charge pump
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: AUCMOS Technologies USA, Inc.
    Inventor: Teh-Shang Lu
  • Patent number: 10007235
    Abstract: A time-to-digital converter (TDC) measures a time interval ?TTot between a leading signal and a triggering signal. A phase regulator incorporates a looped delay line to create pre-defined sub-intervals TNOR determined by the length of the delay line. The phase regulator has an input receiving the leading signal such that the leading signal loops around the delay line. A counter for counting the number of times m the leading signal loops around the delay line before said triggering signal arrives to obtain a coarse measurement of the time interval defined in terms of the sub-intervals TNOR. A Vernier core for measures a residual time interval TR where TR=?TTot?mTNOR to obtain a value for the time interval ?TTot. The TDC uses simpler encoding logic with reduced power consumption and phase noise performance better than 5 dB.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: Microsemi Semiconductor ULC
    Inventors: Tuoxin Wang, John William Mitchell Rogers, Krste Mitric, Guohui Situ
  • Patent number: 10009036
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method. The apparatus includes a counter array; a ring oscillator that is electrically coupled to the counter array, where the counter array counts a number of cycles in the ring oscillator; an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) driver that is electrically coupled to the ring oscillator; and an ADC that is electrically coupled to the ADC driver, where an output of the ADC is electrically coupled to the ring oscillator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Wing-Fai Loke, Chih-Wei Yao
  • Patent number: 10009061
    Abstract: A terminal and method for improving the terminal reception sensitivity; when the terminal works in a time division duplexing mode, the method comprises: in a transmitting time slot, using the frequency of the transmitting voltage control oscillator (VCO) of the terminal as a first frequency; and in a receiving time slot, using the frequency of the transmitting VCO of the terminal as a preset second frequency, the predetermined second frequency differs from the first frequency in the bandwidth of at least one channel. The present invention improves the reception sensitivity of a terminal, reduces the production cost of the terminal, and decreases product size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: Hytera Communications Corp., Ltd.
    Inventor: Lingwei Chen
  • Patent number: 10008980
    Abstract: A novel and useful digitally controlled injection-locked RF oscillator with an auxiliary loop. The oscillator is injection locked to a time delayed version of its own resonating voltage (or its second harmonic) and its frequency is modulated by manipulating the phase and amplitude of injected current. The oscillator achieves a narrow modulation tuning range and fine step size of an LC tank based digitally controlled oscillator (DCO). The DCO first gets tuned to its center frequency by means of a conventional switched capacitor array. Frequency modulation is then achieved via a novel method of digitally controlling the phase and amplitude of injected current into the LC tank generated from its own resonating voltage. A very linear deviation from the center frequency is achieved with a much lower gain resulting in a very fine resolution DCO step size and high linearity without needing to resort to oversampled noise shaped dithering.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: Short Circuit Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Imran Bashir, Robert Bogdan Staszewski
  • Patent number: 10002110
    Abstract: A correction arithmetic circuit disclosed herein includes an offset temperature characteristic correction unit that corrects an offset temperature characteristic of an input signal according to an input signal characteristic at a specific temperature and a temperature characteristic at a specific input signal. A signal processor disclosed herein includes a pulse count number setting circuit that generates a pulse count number setting signal in accordance with an input signal and a pulse generation unit that generates a pulse signal by counting a pulse number of a reference clock signal according to the pulse count number setting signal. The pulse count number setting circuit corrects the pulse count number setting signal so as to cancel a frequency temperature characteristic of the pulse signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: Rohm Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kazuma Mishima
  • Patent number: 9998128
    Abstract: Representative implementations of devices and techniques provide reduced jitter for a controlled oscillator. An edge of a reference signal is injected at various points within the oscillator, and is replaced for an edge of the generated oscillation signal at the injection point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventor: Werner Grollitsch
  • Patent number: 9998178
    Abstract: A method can be used for contactless communication of an object with a reader using active load modulation. A main clock signal is generated within the object. The generating includes a calibration phase and a transmission phase. The calibration phase includes locking an output signal of a controlled main oscillator onto a phase and frequency of a secondary clock signal received from the reader and estimating a frequency ratio between a frequency of the output signal of the main oscillator and a reference frequency of a reference signal originating from a reference oscillator. The transmission phase includes only frequency-locking the output signal of the main oscillator onto the frequency of the reference signal corrected by the estimated frequency ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics SA
    Inventors: Sebastien Dedieu, Marc Houdebine