Phase Locked Loop Patents (Class 375/294)
  • Patent number: 10764028
    Abstract: A digital PLL, which can be a virtual PLL, can condition digital phase information, comprising phase modification requests, for transfer, jitter, and phase-noise filtering of clock information between a clock recovery unit and a clock generation unit associated with phase interpolators. The digital PLL can employ a set of accumulators, proportional and integral filter component, generator component, feedback path between the output and input of the digital PLL, and other digital signal processing components. The proportional and integral filter component can be configurable to set a loop damping factor and a loop bandwidth of the filter, based on respective parameters. Based on the filter output, the generator component can generate output phase information, comprising phase modification requests, that can be transmitted to another phase interpolator(s) associated with a transmitter or other component(s) of the device to facilitate generating a clock for the transmitter or other component(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: MACOM Technology Solutions Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew Brown, Benjamin Brown
  • Patent number: 10623049
    Abstract: This application relates to the field of communications technologies, and in particular, to a digital predistortion processing method and apparatus. This application provides a digital predistortion processing method and apparatus. Digital predistortion processing of a multichannel power amplifier is supported through deprecoding processing by using one feedback link and one digital predistortion processor. In addition, after being amplified by a power amplifier, a precoded signal is fed back to the feedback link for predistortion parameter calculation, to improve quality of a transmit signal. The digital predistortion processing method and apparatus that are provided in embodiments of this application are intended to improve output linearity and efficiency of a multi-transmit-channel power amplifier while reducing implementation costs and complexity of a transmit device, and further improve overall system performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Lie Zhang, Erni Zhu, Yuxiang Xiao
  • Patent number: 10454483
    Abstract: A time-to-digital converter (TDC) detects a timing relationship between signals representing two temporal events. Several samples are acquired over a certain time period for each event, and the signals related to the different events are digitized or quantized either by separate TDCs or by a single TDC in a time-sequential manner. The quantized results are then processed, for example added to/subtracted from one another, and used to determine the phase or time difference between the two events. When information being quantized is quasi-static over time periods where the measurement is performed, the instantaneous or “one shot” accuracy of a TDC need not be as good as or better than the desired time resolution. Digitally processing the signals and averaging the results moves an otherwise difficult analog quantizer problem to the digital domain where savings in power and chip area can be easily achieved without sacrificing accuracy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: ANALOG DEVICES, INC.
    Inventors: Ralph D. Moore, Ryan Lee Bunch, Carroll C. Speir
  • Patent number: 10367492
    Abstract: An internal clock generation circuit includes an interpolation clock generation circuit and a locked clock generation circuit. The interpolation clock generation circuit generates an interpolation clock signal from a division clock signal in response to a switching control signal and a current control signal. The locked clock generation circuit includes an oscillator and generates a locked clock signal for generating an internal clock signal from the interpolation clock signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: SK hynix Inc.
    Inventors: Sungchun Jang, Kyung Whan Kim, Dong Kyun Kim
  • Patent number: 10305625
    Abstract: A data recovery circuit includes: a first comparison circuit for comparing two analog data signals to output a first and a second comparison signals having opposite logic values when a positive clock signal stays at an active level, and for configuring the first and second comparison signals to have a same logic value when the positive clock signal stays at an inactive level; a second comparison circuit for comparing the two analog data signals to output a third and a fourth comparison signals having opposite logic values when a negative clock signal stays at the active level, and for configuring the third and fourth comparison signals to have the same logic value when the negative clock signal stays at the inactive level; and a data signal generating circuit for generating a digital data signal according to the first through fourth comparison signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: REALTEK SEMICONDUCTOR CORP.
    Inventor: Yi-Chun Hsieh
  • Patent number: 10187018
    Abstract: A wideband highly linear amplifier includes a plurality of pre-distortion units for respectively linearizing digital signals of a plurality of bands, a synthesis unit for synthesizing output signals of the pre-distortion units, a single amplifier for amplifying signals outputted from the synthesis unit, distribution units for respectively separating the signals for each of the plurality of bands from the output signals of the amplifier, a plurality of inverse compensation attenuators for respectively attenuating the separated signals for each of the plurality of bands, and a feedback path for respectively feeding the attenuated signals for each of the plurality of bands back into the pre-distortion unit of the corresponding band out of the plurality of the pre-distortion units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: SOLiD, INC.
    Inventor: Hwan Sun Lee
  • Patent number: 9923710
    Abstract: In one aspect, an apparatus includes: a first time-to-data converter (TDC) to oversample a first duration of incoming data and hold the oversampled first duration during receipt of a second duration of the incoming data; a second TDC to oversample the second duration of the incoming data and hold the oversampled second duration during receipt of a third duration of the incoming data; a processing circuit coupled to the first and second TDCs, the processing circuit including a first filter to filter the oversampled first duration and the oversampled second duration and generate a control output therefrom; and a digitally controlled oscillator (DCO) coupled to the processing circuit to receive the control output and generate a recovery clock signal therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Inc.
    Inventors: Hua Beng Chan, Rex Wong Tak Ying, Ricky Setiawan, Obaida Mohammed Khaled Abu Hilal
  • Patent number: 9143088
    Abstract: A circuit is provided comprising detector circuitry, calculating circuitry, and determining circuitry. The detector circuitry is figured to generate an I data signal magnitude value of a sampled I data signal and a Q data signal magnitude value of a sampled Q data signal. The calculating circuitry is configured to calculate a phase shift angle ?I between first and second equal and constant or substantially equal and constant envelope constituents of the sampled I data signal and to calculate a phase shift angle ?Q between first and second substantially equal and substantially constant envelope constituents of the sampled Q data signal. The determining circuitry is configured to determine in-phase and quadrature amplitude information of the substantially equal and substantially constant envelope constituents of the sampled I signal and to determine in-phase and quadrature amplitude information of the first and second substantially equal and substantially constant envelope constituents of the sampled Q signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: ParkerVision, Inc.
    Inventors: David F. Sorrells, Gregory S. Rawlins, Michael W. Rawlins
  • Patent number: 9020087
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a clock and data recovery (CDR) unit comprising of a bang-bang phase detector to receive data and a recovered clock from a phase selector multiplexer. The phase detector produces a late and an early comparison output. A block (digital filter) receives the late and early input and produces a multiplexer selector control signal. The phase selector multiplexer selects a clock phase as the recovered clock signal using multiplexer selector control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Exar Corporation
    Inventors: Sadettin Cirit, Jose Antonio Salcedo
  • Patent number: 9020086
    Abstract: A clock data recovery circuit module including a clock recovery circuit, a frequency comparison circuit and a signal detecting circuit is provided. The clock recovery circuit is configured to output a data recovery stream and a data recovery clock based on an input signal and a clock signal. The frequency comparison circuit is coupled to the clock recovery circuit. The frequency comparison circuit is configured to compare a frequency difference between the data recovery clock and the clock signal to adjust the frequency of the clock signal based on a comparison result. The signal detecting circuit is coupled to the frequency comparison circuit. The signal detecting circuit is configured to receive and detect the input signal, and the signal detecting circuit determines whether to enable the frequency comparison circuit according to the detection result. Furthermore, a method for generating a data recovery clock is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Phison Electronics Corp.
    Inventors: Chih-Ming Chen, An-Chung Chen
  • Patent number: 9008221
    Abstract: A spurious frequency attenuation servo is provided. The spurious frequency attenuation servo includes a first function generator that generates a first signal at a first frequency and at a spurious frequency; a second function generator that generates a second signal in-phase with the first signal and at the spurious frequency; a third function generator that generates a third signal ninety degrees out-of-phase with the first signal and at the spurious frequency; in-phase and quadrature-phase mixers to input a feedback signal and the second and third signals, respectively; in-phase and quadrature-phase error accumulators; an in-phase and quadrature-phase multiplier to multiply an output from the in-phase and quadrature-phase error accumulators with the second and third signals, respectively; and a summing node to sum the first signal with output from the in-phase and quadrature-phase multipliers to form an output signal that is fed back to the in-phase mixer and the quadrature-phase mixer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventor: Norman Gerard Tarleton
  • Patent number: 9001955
    Abstract: A phase-locked loop having: an oscillator for forming an oscillating output signal; a frequency divider connected to receive the output of the oscillator and frequency divide it by a value dependent on a division control signal; and a phase comparator for comparing the phase of the divided signal and a reference signal to generate a control signal, the operation of the oscillator being dependent on the control signal; a first mode of operation in which the frequency divider is configured to operate in dependence on a first division control signal such that the resultant oscillating output signal has a first frequency and first phase, a second mode of operation in which the frequency divider is configured to operate in dependence on a second division control signal such that the resultant oscillating output signal has a second frequency and second phase, the first division control signal being generated independently of the oscillating output signal such that the first phase is maintained when the phase-locked
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Cambridge Silicon Radio Limited
    Inventors: Pasquale Lamanna, Nicolas Sornin
  • Patent number: 8994565
    Abstract: An analog to digital conversion includes a multiplexor circuit for receiving analog input signals and, responsive to a select input, an analog to digital converter circuit to convert a selected analog signal into a digital signal, a conversion starting device to send a conversion start signal on the basis of a trigger event, the conversion starting device being responsive to a select input, a sequencer to control the analog to digital converter circuitry to execute one sequence conversion on the basis of one conversion sequence instruction, and a FIFO register block to receive conversion sequence instructions and being able to queue each new received conversion sequence instruction if an actual conversion sequence is in progress and to control the sequencer to execute a new sequence conversion instruction after the conversion sequence is executed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.R.L.
    Inventors: Gianluigi Forte, Dino Costanzo, StelloMatteo Bille'
  • Patent number: 8964925
    Abstract: Methods and systems to generate control signals for timing recovery of a signal received over baseband communications systems are disclosed. The timing control circuit uses a multi-rate DSP structure for the implementation of the DSP functions in the control loop for use in an ASIC and requires a reduced DSP clock rate, which in turn reduces the need for pipelining and/or high-speed libraries. Thus lower latency, better tracking performance and lower power consumption are achieved. An example embodiment involves splitting the timing error signal, supplied at a given update rate, into a sum and a difference component, and processing each component in separate circuit chains at half the update rate. The resultant half-rate control signals from each separate circuit chain are joined to provide a control signal at the full update rate. Thus, implementations of the present disclosure perform like a full-rate structure, but require a halved DSP clock rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: PMC-Sierra US, Inc.
    Inventor: Aryan Saed
  • Patent number: 8965454
    Abstract: In one embodiment, an amplifier system has a tap, a delay filter, a linearized amplifier, and a hybrid combiner. The tapped portion of an input signal is amplified by the amplifier, the untapped portion of the input signal is delayed by the delay filter, and the combiner combines the resulting amplified, tapped portion and the delayed, untapped portion to generate an amplified output signal. By re-combining the delayed, untapped portion of the input signal with the amplified, tapped portion, the power of the untapped portion is not lost, and the amplifier does not have to compensate for all of the distortion that would otherwise be associated with the total output power level. Such an amplifier system is applicable, for example, in upgrading an existing GSM cell site to support both GSM communications as well as UMTS communications without degrading GSM operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Andrew LLC
    Inventors: George P. Vella-Coleiro, Josef Ocenasek, Jeffrey G. Strahler, Christopher F. Zappala
  • Patent number: 8964892
    Abstract: A linear transmitter includes a closed loop feedback path to maintain linearity of a power amplifier subsystem. The closed loop feedback path provides RF injection of one or more reference RF carrier signals (172, 174) combined with a radio frequency (RF) feedback signal (149) to generate a feedback RF error signal (173). A narrowband receiver (170) continuously monitors stability of the feedback RF error signal (173). A loop phase adjusting circuit (188) generates phase adjustments (189) to compensate for instabilities in the closed loop feedback path thereby maintaining stability of the PA RF output signal (146).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Motorola Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Niels-Henrik Lai Hansen, Mikkel Christian W. Hoyerby
  • Patent number: 8963750
    Abstract: There is described a time-to-digital conversion scheme using an arrangement of delay elements based Time-to-Digital Converter, TDC (20), wherein dithering is built in the digital domain and introduced in the analog domain as a modulation of a supply voltage (TDC-supply) supplying delay elements of the TDC, each having a propagation delay which exhibits a dependency to their supply voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Asahi Kasei Microdevices Corporation
    Inventors: David Canard, Julien Delorme
  • Patent number: 8958504
    Abstract: A method is provided. A multi-amplitude signal is received and downconverted so as to generate I and Q signals using a local oscillator signal. The I and Q signals are equalized, and the equalized I and Q signals are digitized. First and second gains are adjusted with the second and first digital signals, respectively, and applied to the equalized I and Q signals, respectively. The difference between the first and second amplified signals is determined, and an error signal is generated from the difference between the first and second amplified signals. The local oscillator signal is then adjusted with the error signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Nirmal C. Warke, Robert F. Payne, Gerd Schuppener, Brad Kramer
  • Patent number: 8954017
    Abstract: A communications device is disclosed that implements a phase-locked-loop to multiply a clock signal provided to a power management unit (PMU) by a variable integer value. Multiplying the PMU clock signal provides a second clock signal where the second clock signal is characterized by a fundamental component with one or more harmonics of the fundamental component that differ from the fundamental component and the one or more harmonics of the PMU clock signal. The fundamental component with one or more harmonics of the second clock signal does not occupy the same communication channel as the transmission communication signal of the communications device. Thus, minimizing the degradation of the transmission communication signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Love Kothari, Ajat Hukkoo, Kerry Alan Thompson
  • Patent number: 8923465
    Abstract: A semiconductor device comprises sampling logic, comprising: input sample path selection logic arranged to enable at least one input sample path; sampler logic arranged to receive and sample an input data signal in a serial data stream in accordance with a phase of the at least one enabled input sample path; and transition detection logic arranged to detect transitions within the received input data signal. The input sample path selection logic is further arranged, upon detection of a transition within the received input data signal, to determine if the phase of the at least one input sample path is a phase having a largest window between logic values; and if it is determined that the phase of the at least one input sample path is not the phase having a largest window between logic values, to enable at least one input sample path comprising a more appropriate phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Conor O'Keeffe, Kiyoshi Kase, Paul Kelleher
  • Patent number: 8903030
    Abstract: A clock data recovery circuit (CDR) extracts bit data values from a serial bit stream without reference to a transmitter clock. A controllable oscillator produces a regenerated clock signal controlled to match the frequency and phase of transitions between bits and the serial data is sampled at an optimal phase. A phase detector generates early-or-late indication bits for clock versus data transition times, which are accumulated and applied to a second order feedback control with two distinct feedback paths for frequency and phase, combined for correcting the controllable oscillator, selecting a sub-phase and/or determining an optimal phase at which the bit stream data values are sampled. The second order filter is operated at distinct rates such that the phase correction has a latency as short as one clock cycle and the frequency correction latency occurs over plural cycles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tao Wen Chung, Chan-Hong Chern, Ming-Chieh Huang, Chih-Chang Lin, Yuwen Swei, Tsung-Ching Huang
  • Patent number: 8891717
    Abstract: One bit is a smallest increment of binary measurement in first and second digital values. The first digital value is converted into a first analog signal. The second digital value is converted into a second analog signal. The first analog signal is augmented by a first amount that equates to less than the smallest increment of binary measurement, so that the augmented first analog signal by definition does not equal the second analog signal. The second analog signal is augmented by a second amount that equates to less than the smallest increment of binary measurement, so that the augmented second analog signal by definition does not equal the first analog signal. The augmented first analog signal is compared to the second analog signal, and a first signal is output in response thereto. The augmented second analog signal is compared to the first analog signal, and a second signal is output in response thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Robert Floyd Payne
  • Patent number: 8873606
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatuses are described for reducing the latency in a transceiver. A transceiver includes a high latency communication channel and a low latency communication channel that is configured to be a bypass channel for the high latency communication channel. The low latency communication channel may be utilized when implementing the transceiver is used in low latency applications. By bypassing the high latency communication channel, the high latency that is introduced therein (due to the many stages of de-serialization used to reduce the data rate for digital processing) can be avoided. An increase in data rate is realized when the low latency communication channel is used to pass data. A delay-locked loop (DLL) may be used to phase align the transmitter clock of the transceiver with the receiver clock of the transceiver to compensate for a limited tolerance of phase offset between these clocks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Heng Zhang, Mehdi Khanpour, Jun Cao, Chang Liu, Afshin Momtaz
  • Patent number: 8867684
    Abstract: An apparatus for synchronizing an incoming signal with a clock signal comprises two or more synchronizer circuits, wherein each synchronizer circuit receives the incoming signal and the clock signal. Each synchronizer circuit generates a synchronized signal, wherein the state of each synchronized signal changes on a different phase of said clock signal in response to a change of the state of said incoming signal. A decision mechanism circuit receives the synchronized signals generated by each synchronizer circuit, wherein the decision mechanism circuit determines the output signal in response to the change of the state of the incoming signal. The decision mechanism circuit further comprises a memory element having a state which is set according to a previously detected state of said signal, wherein the output signal is determined according to the state of the memory element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Dialog Semiconductor GmbH
    Inventor: Nir Dahan
  • Patent number: 8842719
    Abstract: To reduce the time of reception operation switching between multiple wireless systems, a semiconductor integrated circuit includes a first reception unit including a first analog reception unit and a first digital reception unit, and a digital interface. The first analog reception unit includes a first reception mixer and a first A/D converter, and the first digital reception unit includes a first digital filter. The first reception unit, an oscillator, and a PLL enable switching from a reception operation for a first RF reception signal of a first system to a reception operation for a second RF reception signal of a second system. In a period of an end transition operation of the first digital reception unit in the switching, the PLL starts a lock operation so as to match a frequency of an oscillation output signal generated from the oscillator to a desired frequency of the second system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Igarashi Yutaka, Katsube Yusaku
  • Patent number: 8829958
    Abstract: An integrated circuit (“IC”) may include clock and data recovery (“CDR”) circuitry for recovering data information from an input serial data signal. The CDR circuitry may include a reference clock loop and a data loop. A retimed (recovered) data signal output by the CDR circuitry is monitored by other control circuitry on the IC for a communication change request contained in that signal. Responsive to such a request, the control circuitry can change an operating parameter of the CDR circuitry (e.g., a frequency division factor used in either of the above-mentioned loops). This can help the IC support communication protocols that employ auto-speed negotiation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Altera Corporation
    Inventors: Kazi Asaduzzaman, Tim Tri Hoang, Tin H. Lai, Shou-Po Shih, Sergey Shumarayev
  • Patent number: 8804888
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a clock data recovery circuit that includes a phase locked loop unit, a delay locked loop unit and digital clock data recovery unit. The phase locked loop unit generates a clock signal based on a reference signal. The delay locked loop unit receives the clock signal from the phase locked loop, divides the clock signal into a plurality of clock signals and outputs the clock signals. The digital clock data recovery unit receives an input current signal, estimates a frequency of the input current signal, outputs a reference signal having the frequency, which can be transmitted to the phase locked loop unit, receives the clock signals from the delay locked loop, aligns a phase of the input current signal based on the clock signals and outputs an aligned current signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Ensphere Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Hessam Mohajeri, Bruno Tourette, Emad Afifi
  • Patent number: 8804700
    Abstract: An apparatus for detecting one or more predetermined tones transmitted over a communication network, each predetermined tone having a predetermined frequency, comprises a data memory for storing data including the predetermined frequency of each of the one or more predetermined tones, an input for receiving a signal transmitted over the communication network, and a frequency divider for dividing the received signal into at least two frequency sub bands so as to provide at least two components of the received signal in different frequency sub bands. The different frequency sub bands are selected based on the predetermined frequencies of the one or more predetermined tones.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventor: Bogdan Bolocan
  • Patent number: 8755480
    Abstract: Circuits and techniques for operating an integrated circuit (IC) are disclosed. A disclosed circuit includes a divider circuit that is operable to receive a first signal at a first speed and output a second signal at a second speed based on the first signal. A recovery circuit is coupled to the divider circuit. The recovery circuit is operable to determine the frequency of the second signal and is further operable to generate a first ready signal and a recovered clock signal based on the second signal. A phase aligner circuit, operable to align a phase of the second signal with a phase of the recovered clocks signal based on the first ready signal, is coupled to the recovery circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: Altera Corporation
    Inventor: Han Hua Leong
  • Patent number: 8665929
    Abstract: Assuring acquisition of symbol timing in a full-duplex data transceiver under inter-symbol interference conditions. One embodiment includes a transmitter comprising a first local clock having a first free running frequency, and a receiver comprising a second local clock having a second frequency initially set to a value higher than the first free running frequency. A first type decision-directed timing recovery mechanism is intentionally limited to only decreasing the frequency of the second local clock. A second type decision-directed timing recovery mechanism is not limited to only decreasing the frequency. The receiver receives symbols, decrease the frequency of the second local clock to a third frequency value using the first type decision-directed timing recovery mechanism, disables the first type mechanism after reaching the third frequency, and then phase-lock the second local clock to the optimal phase under MMSE criteria using the second type decision-directed timing recovery mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Valens Semiconductor Ltd.
    Inventors: Eyran Lida, Gaby Gur Cohen
  • Patent number: 8634512
    Abstract: A two point modulation digital phase locked loop circuit is disclosed. The circuit includes a sampling clock input that is switchable between a plurality of frequencies. The circuit also includes a sigma-delta modulator in a feedback path that receives low-pass modulation data. The circuit also includes a voltage-mode digital-to-analog converter (VDAC) that receives high-pass modulation data. The circuit also includes an analog voltage controlled oscillator coupled to the feedback path and the output of the VDAC. The circuit also includes a phase-to-digital converter (PDC) coupled to the feedback path, the sampling clock and a loop filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Lai Kan Leung, Chiewcharn Narathong
  • Patent number: 8625730
    Abstract: In a phase locked loop, frequency-divided clocks each of which is given a phase difference of at least one cycle of a feedback clock are inputted to a first phase comparator and a second phase comparator, respectively, which are made to perform phase comparison with a reference clock. Then, outputs of the first and second phase comparators are weighted by a result of the phase comparison of a receive signal and the feedback clock, and phase adjustment of the feedback clock is phase adjusted using the weighted outputs. Thereby, it is possible to lower a frequency of the reference clock and consequently to suppress power consumption.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tatsunori Usugi, Daisuke Hamano
  • Patent number: 8619937
    Abstract: An integrated CMOS clock generator with a self-biased phase locked loop circuit comprises a phase-frequency detector with a reference signal input, a feedback signal input and an output. A first charge pump of the clock generator has an input connected to the output of the phase-frequency detector and an output that supplies a control voltage. A loop capacitor is connected to the output of the first charge pump. The clock generator further has a second charge pump with an input connected to the output of the phase-frequency detector and an output. In particular, the clock generator has two oscillator blocks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Deutschland GmbH
    Inventor: Joern Naujokat
  • Patent number: 8611486
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention are generally directed to adjustment of clock signals regenerated from a data stream. An embodiment of a method includes receiving a data stream from a transmitting device via a communication link, the data stream including stream data, a link clock signal, and timestamps to indicate a relationship between the link clock signal and a stream clock signal. The method further includes adjusting the stream clock based at least in part on one or more measurements related to the data stream, the one or more measurements including a count of a number of pulses of the stream clock during a period of time, or a measurement of a number of data elements from the data stream stored in a buffer at a certain point in time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: Silicon Image, Inc.
    Inventors: Hoon Choi, Daekyeung Kim, Ju Hwan Yi, Young Don Bae
  • Patent number: 8565705
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, an oscillator circuit includes a first comparator circuit, a second comparator circuit, a first voltage control circuit, a second voltage control circuit, a clock generation circuit. The first comparator circuit is configured to compare a first voltage with a first threshold voltage to generate a first comparison result. The second comparator circuit is configured to compare a second voltage with a second threshold voltage to generate a second comparison result. The first voltage control circuit is configured to decrease the first voltage by a first voltage value in synchronization with timing when the first comparison result changes. The second voltage control circuit is configured to decrease the second voltage by a second voltage value in synchronization with timing when the second comparison result changes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Shouhei Kousai
  • Patent number: 8547882
    Abstract: A wireless communication apparatus for performing transmission and reception by using a Time Division Duplexing method is disclosed. The wireless communication apparatus includes a receiving part configured to output a timing signal based on a received timing signal, a transmitting part configured to transmit a timing signal based on the timing signal received by the receiving part, a control part configured to increase a reception opportunity for the receiving part to receive the timing signal and decrease a transmission opportunity for the transmitting part to transmit the timing signal as the accuracy of the timing signal received by the receiving part becomes lower.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Toshiaki Funakubo, Kazumasa Ushiki
  • Patent number: 8509369
    Abstract: A frequency synthesis system with self-calibrated loop stability and bandwidth, which outputs an output signal based on an input signal and includes a detector, a charge pump, a filter, a controllable oscillator and a programmable frequency divider. The detector produces a detection signal based on a logic level difference between the input signal and a feedback signal. The charge pump is connected to the detector in order to produce a control signal based on the detection signal. The filter is connected to the charge pump in order to produce a tuning signal based on the control signal. The controllable oscillator is connected to the filter in order to produce the output signal based on the tuning signal. The programmable frequency divider is connected to the controllable oscillator in order to produce the feedback signal based on the output signal. The filter is a discrete time loop filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: Sunplus Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chun-Liang Chen, Hui-Chun Hsu
  • Patent number: 8494092
    Abstract: In described embodiments, a receiver includes a clock and data recovery (CDR) module with a voltage control oscillator (VCO) and a Sigma-Delta modulator in an integral loop control of the VCO. Providing finer resolution by the Sigma-Delta modulator reduces quantization noise in the integral control loop when compared to a loop without a Sigma-Delta modulator in the integral loop. Sigma-Delta modulation within the integral loop control of a VCO-based CDR reduces effective quantization of the VCO integral word control, allowing the proportional loop control compensation to i) reduce effective quantization of the VCO integral word control and, ii) enhance receiver jitter tolerance in presence of periodic-jitter, serial data whose frequency is offset from the nominal rate and serial data whose nominal frequency is modulated by a spread spectrum clock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: LSI Corporation
    Inventors: Vladimir Sindalovsky, Lane Smith, Shawn Logan
  • Patent number: 8494105
    Abstract: An apparatus provides a digital representation of a time difference between a periodic reference signal having a reference signal period and a periodic input signal having an input signal period. The apparatus includes a free-running finite state machine (FSM) that traverses a multiplicity of states in a predetermined order, the state having corresponding state vectors, each of which is held for a state dwell time. A timing circuit receives the reference signal, the input signal and the FSM state vectors, and determines a state transition count equal to a number of FSM state transitions that occur during a counting interval, which corresponds to the time difference between the reference and input signals. A digital low-pass filter receives the state transition counts and provides an output value including weighted sums of the state transition counts, proportional to the time difference between the reference and input signal. A period of the FSM is independent of the reference signal period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Jeffery Patterson
  • Patent number: 8494085
    Abstract: Aspects of a method and system for bandwidth calibration for a phase locked loop are presented. Aspects of the method may include generating one or more carrier signals based on one or more corresponding calibration signals. A pre-distortion function may be computed based on the generated one or more carrier signals for the phase locked loop circuit. An output radio frequency (RF) synthesized signal generated by the phase locked loop circuit may be modified based on the computed pre-distortion function and a subsequent output RF synthesized signal generated based on the modified output RF synthesized signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventor: Sofoklis Plevridis
  • Patent number: 8433026
    Abstract: A Digital Phase-Locked Loop (DPLL) involves a Time-to-Digital Converter (TDC) that receives a Digitally Controlled Oscillator (DCO) output signal and a reference clock and outputs a first stream of digital values. The TDC is clocked at a high rate. Downsampling circuitry converts the first stream into a second stream. The second stream is supplied to a phase detecting summer of the DPLL such that a control portion of the DPLL can switch at a lower rate to reduce power consumption. The DPLL is therefore referred to as a multi-rate DPLL. A third stream of digital tuning words output by the control portion is upsampled before being supplied to the DCO so that the DCO can be clocked at the higher rate. In a receiver application, no upsampling is performed and the DCO is clocked at the lower rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: Qualcomm Incorporated
    Inventors: Gary John Ballantyne, Jifeng Geng, Daniel F. Filipovic
  • Patent number: 8428211
    Abstract: A lock detection circuit and method are disclosed for phase locked loop (PLL) systems. The lock detection circuit primarily includes a delay unit and an asserting logic unit. The delay unit receives the phase error signal of the PLL and produces a present phase error signal, and then accordingly generates at least one delayed phase error signal. The asserting logic unit generates an unlock indicating signal (UNLOCK) according to the present phase error signal and the delayed phase error signal. A phase lock indicating signal will be asserted if the unlock indicating signal is not asserted within a predetermined number of counting pulses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: VIA Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Chun-Che Huang
  • Patent number: 8401493
    Abstract: A frequency synthesizer includes a phase-locked loop circuit having an output. A frequency divider is connected to the output of the phase-locked loop circuit for receiving the signal therefrom and dividing the frequency of the signal. A tunable bandpass filter is connected to the frequency divider and is tuned for selecting a harmonic frequency to obtain a fractional frequency division for a signal output from the phase-locked loop circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: Harris Corporation
    Inventor: Amilcar DeLeon
  • Patent number: 8385485
    Abstract: In some embodiments an adaptive clocking controller determines a clock spread of a system clock that would result in a lowest total interference between a channel received by a radio receiver and the system clock. A clock generator modifies a spread of the system clock in response to the determined clock spread. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Harry Skinner, Michael E. Deisher, Chaitanya Sreerama
  • Patent number: 8363703
    Abstract: A method may include performing a logical exclusive OR and a logical inverse exclusive or on an input reference signal and an output signal to generate an XOR signal and an XNOR signal, respectively. The method may also include generating a switch control signal indicative of whether a first phase of the input reference signal leads or lags a second phase of the output signal. The method may additionally include: (i) transmitting the XOR signal to an output of a switch if the first phase leads the second phase; and (ii) transmitting the XNOR signal to the output of the switch if the first phase lags the second phase. The method may further include generating a phase detector output signal indicative of a phase difference between the second phase based on a signal present on the output of the switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Fujitsu Semiconductor Limited
    Inventors: Jeffrey D. Ganger, Claudio G. Rey
  • Patent number: 8315349
    Abstract: The present invention describes methods and circuitry for a sub-rate bang-bang phase detector, in which the reference clock has frequency that is a fraction of the bit rate of the received data stream. The sub-rate bang-bang phase detector is enabled by multiple phases of the reference clock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: Diablo Technologies Inc.
    Inventor: Riccardo Badalone
  • Patent number: 8310983
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for performing time synchronization is provided. The method/apparatus includes, at a radio subsystem: receiving, from a digital subsystem, a first signal via the link, where the link not dedicated to timing synchronization; determining a time difference between the first signal and a second signal; converting the time difference to a time error, sending, via the link, the time error or time difference to the digital subsystem. The method further includes, at the digital subsystem, inputting the time error, received from the radio subsystem, to a phased locked loop (PLL) in order to adjust an oscillator frequency so as to reduce the amount of the time error and thus synchronizing the radio access network with the second signal received at the radio subsystem, without the need for an additional connection between the digital and radio subsystems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Motorola Mobility LLC
    Inventors: Peter D. Novak, Thomas G. Perry, Dale E. Ray
  • Patent number: 8306147
    Abstract: A 4× over-sampling data recovery system consists of a charge pump PLL, a 4× over-sampler, a data regenerator and a digital PLL. The charge pump PLL receives a clock signal and generates a plurality of multiplicative clock signals in response to the clock signal. The 4× over-sampler samples a serial data to generate a M-bit signal according to the plurality of multiplicative clock signals, wherein each bit in the serial data is sampled for four times. The data regenerator sequentially receives and combines two M-bit signals to generate a (M+N)-bit signal. The digital PLL divides the (M+N)-bit signal into (N+1) groups of M-bit data and selects a designated M-bit data from the (N+1) groups of M-bit data to generate a P-bit recovery data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Sunplus Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Chia-Hao Hsu
  • Patent number: 8289096
    Abstract: Some aspects of the present disclosure provide for polar modulation techniques that utilize an 180° phase shift module disposed downstream of a VCO-DCO. In some embodiments, this configuration allows a polar modulator to use the VCO-DCO to achieve small phase shifts (e.g., less than or equal to) 90°, while carrying out 180° phase shifts in the 180° phase shift module downstream of the VCO-DCO.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Intel Mobile Communications GmbH
    Inventor: Grigory Itkin
  • Patent number: 8284816
    Abstract: A spread spectrum clock signal generator modulates a reference clock signal based on a spread spectrum frequency profile and includes a phase-lock loop for generating a spread spectrum clock signal by aligning a phase of the modulated reference clock signal with a phase of the spread spectrum clock signal. The spread spectrum clock signal generator also includes a loop modulator for modulating the spread spectrum clock signal based on the spread spectrum frequency profile. Because the spread spectrum clock signal generator modulates both the reference clock signal and the spread spectrum clock signal based on the spread spectrum frequency profile, the spread spectrum clock signal has a non-distorted frequency profile and low phase jitter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Integrated Device Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Daniel M. Clementi