Phase Locked Loop Patents (Class 375/327)
  • Patent number: 8204143
    Abstract: A communication terminal includes first and second transmitters, which are coupled to produce respective first and second Radio Frequency (RF) signals that are phase-shifted with respect to one another by a beamforming phase offset, and to transmit the RF signals toward a remote communication terminal. The terminal includes a reception subsystem including first and second receivers and a phase correction unit. The first and second receivers are respectively coupled to receive third and fourth RF signals from the remote communication terminal. The phase correction unit is coupled to produce, responsively to the third and fourth RF signals, a phase correction for correcting an error component in the beamforming phase offset.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: Provigent Ltd.
    Inventors: Rafi Ravid, Zohar Montekyo, Ahikam Aharony
  • Patent number: 8194792
    Abstract: The present invention enhances the performance of a clock and data recovery (CDR) circuit by employing look-ahead techniques to produce a low latency timing adjustment. In one example of the invention employed in a CDR circuit having a decimation filter processing the CDR's phase detector output, the invention uses the most significant bits of the decimation filter output to quickly determine a look-ahead adjustment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: Agere Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Pervez Mirza Aziz, Necip Sayiner
  • Patent number: 8194531
    Abstract: A method is provided for receiving a received signal corresponding to a multicarrier signal transmitted by at least one transmitter via a transmission channel. The multicarrier signal is formed by a temporal succession of symbols consisting of a set of data elements including informative data elements with real values, and pilots for at least some of the symbols. Due to groups of at least two pilots being respectively located in an adjacent region in the time/frequency space, the reception method includes a step of extracting at least two complex values corresponding the pilots of the group of the adjacent region, once they have passed through the transmission channel, and a step of estimating the transmission channel in the adjacent region on the basis of the complex values. The modulation used is the type of OFDM OQAM.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: France Telecom
    Inventors: Chrislin Lele, Jean-Philippe Javaudin, Rodolphe Legouable, Pierre Siohan
  • Patent number: 8184740
    Abstract: Test signal generator (3) generates test signals represented, by four points, which comprise two sets of two points positioned in point symmetry with respect to the origin of an I/Q orthogonal coordinate system. Envelope detector (8) detects the amplitude of an envelope of the output signal from an orthogonal modulator when the test signals represented by four points are generated, and outputs a signal proportional to the square of the amplitude. Comparing unit (9) calculates an average value of output signals from envelope detector ( ) when the test signals represented by the two points of each set are generated. Controller (10) adjusts the amplitudes and/or phases of the test signals so that the average values produced when the test signals represented by the two sets of the two points are generated are equal to each other, and calculates an I/Q mismatch quantity based on the adjusted results.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventors: Noriaki Matsuno, Kiyoshi Yanagisawa
  • Publication number: 20120121043
    Abstract: The invention relates to a EHF wireless communication receiver comprising a phased array radio arranged for receiving a beam of signals in a predetermined frequency band. The phased array radio comprises a plurality of antenna paths, each arranged for handling one of the incoming signals and forming a differential I/Q output signal, each antenna path comprises a downconversion part and a phase shifting part for applying a controllable phase shift; a signal combination circuitry is connected to the antenna paths and is arranged for combining the differential I/Q output signals; and a control circuitry is connected to the phase shifting parts of the antenna paths and is arranged for controlling the controllable phase shift. In each antenna path, the phase shifting part is a baseband part downstream from the downconversion part and the phase shifting part comprises a set of variable gain amplifiers arranged for applying controllable gains to the respective downconverted incoming signals in the I/Q branches.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2010
    Publication date: May 17, 2012
    Applicant: IMEC
    Inventor: Piet Wambacq
  • Patent number: 8175174
    Abstract: A communication system, communication method, transmitting apparatus, and receiving apparatus are disclosed herein. The communication system includes: a first clock correlating unit, adapted to correlate a clock to be transmitted with a clock of a data frame at a transmitter of a clock transparent-transmission network; and a second clock correlating unit, adapted to correlate a clock of a data frame at a receiver of a clock transparent-transmission network with a clock to be recovered. The method includes: correlating the clock to be transmitted with the clock of the data frame at the transmitter of the clock transparent-transmission network, and correlating the clock of the data frame at the receiver of the clock transparent-transmission network with the clock to be recovered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kuiwen Ji
  • Publication number: 20120106611
    Abstract: A phase-locking loop (PLL) for use with orthogonal frequency division multiplexed signals. In one embodiment, a wireless receiver includes a PLL is configured to reduce phase and frequency divergence between the wireless receiver and a transmitter of a packet received by the wireless receiver. The PLL includes a loop bandwidth controller. The loop bandwidth controller is configured to set a bandwidth of the PLL to a first value for reception of an initial symbol of the packet. The loop bandwidth controller is configured to reduce the bandwidth of the PLL over a number of symbols preceding an initial header of the packet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2011
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Applicant: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Taejoon KIM, Timothy M. SCHMIDL, Srinath HOSUR
  • Patent number: 8165258
    Abstract: A clock generating device includes: a frequency divider having an input node coupled to a transmission interface for generating a reference clock signal according to an input data received from the transmission interface; and a clock/data recovery circuit having a data input node coupled to the transmission interface and a reference clock input node coupled to an output node of the frequency divider, for generating an output clock signal according to one of the input data received at the data input node and the reference clock signal received at the reference clock input node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Himax Technologies Limited
    Inventors: Meng-Chih Weng, Kuo-Chan Huang
  • Patent number: 8165247
    Abstract: Unfolded adaptive/decision-directed loops and correction circuits therefor, architectures, apparatuses and systems including the same, and methods, algorithms and software for reducing latency in an adaptive and/or decision-directed loop. Disclosed embodiments advantageously reduce effects of loop latency, improve the accuracy of corrections in an adaptive loop, and minimize overhead and delays associated with such improvements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Marvell International Ltd.
    Inventors: Michael Madden, Zining Wu
  • Patent number: 8155240
    Abstract: A receiver circuit, application of a first proportional element and a second proportional element of a digital PLL structure, and method for receiving a frequency-shift keyed signal are provided. A phase signal is calculated from an in-phase signal and a quadrature signal. A feedback signal is subtracted from the phase signal to form a difference signal. An output signal is determined from the difference signal by a nonlinear transfer function. The output signal is evaluated with an evaluation circuit. A first signal and a second signal are added to form a summation signal. The first signal is produced by multiplication of the output signal or the difference signal by a first proportionality factor. The second signal is produced by multiplication of the output signal or the first signal or the difference signal by a second proportionality factor, followed by integration, and the feedback signal is produced by integration of the summation signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: Atmel Corporation
    Inventor: Ulrich Grosskinsky
  • Publication number: 20120081693
    Abstract: A demodulating system (100) for demodulating a phase-modulated input signal (Si) comprises: a complex demodulator (110), having a first input (111) for receiving the phase-modulated input signal (Si) and being designed to perform complex multiplication of this signal with an approximation of the inverse of the phase modulation; a spectrum analyzing device (130) receiving the demodulated product signal produced by the complex demodulator (110) and capable of analyzing the frequency spectrum of the demodulated product signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2010
    Publication date: April 5, 2012
    Applicant: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS N.V.
    Inventors: Marcel Schemmann, Atanas Pentchev, Carsten Heinks, Aalbert Stek
  • Patent number: 8149956
    Abstract: An automatic zero-crossing signal demodulation and classification device for rapidly identifying an unknown modulation in a signal identifies an unknown modulation in a signal, demodulates differential phase shift keying signals and automatically recognizes certain phase shift keying signals. This is accomplished by eliminating the unknown term fc in differential phase estimation, introducing a symbol rate tracking mechanism, applying hysteresis nonlinearity to eliminate the phase shaping effect and using a weighted average to estimate the phase difference. Better estimates are accomplished by using the hysteretic nonlinear function to detect the zero-crossing points in eliminating the false detecting of the zero-crossing points caused by the additive noise, and calculating differential phase without directly using the center frequency to simplify the estimation process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventor: Wei Su
  • Patent number: 8149973
    Abstract: A clock recovery circuit capable of simultaneously satisfying all of a bit synchronization period, a clock wander tracking performance, and a high high-frequency jitter tolerance. The clock recovery circuit includes: a phase difference detecting circuit that detects a phase difference between an input data signal and a recovery clock; an averaging circuit that averages the output of the phase difference detecting circuit; a sampling and holding circuit with resetting that samples and holds the output of the phase difference detecting circuit; and a recovery clock generating circuit that generates a recovery clock having a phase corresponding to the sum of the integral value of the output of the averaging circuit and the output of the sampling and holding circuit with resetting. The sampling and holding circuit with resetting receives a burst transmission start signal and samples and holds the output of the phase difference detecting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Koji Fukuda, Hiroki Yamashita
  • Patent number: 8150315
    Abstract: A method for verifying alignment between first and second integrated devices coupled together using a reference and a coupling capacitor, including: transmitting a reference signal on a transmission electrode of the reference capacitor; receiving a coupling signal on a reception electrode of the reference capacitor; amplifying the coupling signal, generating a reception reference signal; generating a reception control signal as a function of the reception reference signal; transmitting a communication signal on an electrode of the coupling capacitor; receiving a reception signal on an electrode of the coupling capacitor; amplifying the reception signal, generating a first compensated signal; controlling a level of amplification of amplifying the coupling signal and the reception signal as a function of the reception control signal; and detecting a possible misalignment between the first and second devices based on an amplitude of the communication signal and an amplitude of the compensated signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Roberto Canegallo, Mauro Scandiuzzo, Eleonora Franchi Scarselli, Antonio Gnudi, Roberto Guerrieri
  • Patent number: 8150359
    Abstract: A multiple frequency band hybrid receiver includes a plurality of input terminals to which different frequency band signals are respectively inputted; a plurality of mixers connected to the plurality of input terminals sequentially, receiving the different frequency band signals respectively, and down-converting frequencies of the received frequency band signals to predetermined frequencies; an output terminal outputting baseband signals. Each mixer receives a signal from an input terminal connected thereto or another mixer. One of the plurality of mixers receives the lowest frequency band signal, converts a frequency of the received signal to a baseband frequency, and provides a signal having the baseband frequency to the output terminal. The other mixers each down-convert a frequency of a received signal to a frequency band of a signal which is inputted into another mixer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Dong Ok Han, Jeong Hoon Kim
  • Patent number: 8139701
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes receiving N input streams; generating a recovered clock signal based on the input data bits in the N input streams, the recovered clock signal having a clock frequency and a recovered clock phase; generating a clock signal for each one of the N input streams based on the recovered clock signal having the clock frequency and a respective phase at a respective phase offset relative to the recovered clock phase; detecting a phase difference between each of the N input bit streams and the respective N clock signals; and adjusting the phases of the N clock signals to eliminate the respective phase differences, the adjusting comprising shifting the N respective clock phase offsets such that each of the N clock signals is locked to the input data bits in the respective one of the N input streams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventor: Nikola Nedovic
  • Patent number: 8139687
    Abstract: A digital demodulator adapted in a receiver and a digital demodulation method are provided. The digital demodulator includes: a phase splitter, a complex multiplier, an AFC, a limiter, a phase detector, a re-tracker, a post-multiplier and an oscillator. The phase splitter generates a complex signal from the input signal. The complex multiplier multiplies the complex signal by both first and second phase signals to generate first and second base band signals. The AFC generates a first output signal. The limiter generates a trend signal and the re-tracker generates a tuning signal from the first output signal. The phase detector multiplies the trend and second base signal and adjusts the multiplied signal based on the tuning signal. The oscillator generates the first and second phase signals according to the output of the phase detector. The post-multiplier multiplies the trend signal by the first and second base band signals for output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Himax Media Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Pei-Jun Shih, Tien-Ju Tsai, Jeng-Shiann Jiang
  • Patent number: 8135104
    Abstract: A high speed transceiver without using an external clock signal and a communication method used by the high speed transceiver which applies a clock recovery circuit including a coarse code generator, a frequency detector, and a linear phase detector to the receiver so as to solve problems such as skew between a reference clock and data that may occur during data transmission and jitter of a recovered clock while an embedded clock method of applying clock information to data is used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: Korea University Industrial & Academic Collaboration Foundation
    Inventors: Chulwoo Kim, Inhwa Jung
  • Patent number: 8131243
    Abstract: In a receiving circuit 44 for receiving an electromagnetic wave signal, a frequency converter/detector circuit 100 comprises a local oscillator 131 for generating an oscillation signal, plural mixers 133, 134 for mixing the received electromagnetic wave signal with the oscillation signal to generate intermediate frequency signals having different phases, and a signal generating/synthesizing circuit 140 for generating based on the intermediate frequency signals generated by the mixers other intermediate frequency signals which are different in phase from the original intermediate frequency signals, for detecting the intermediate frequency signals and other intermediate frequency signal, and for adding the detected signals together to generate a synthesized signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Casio Computer Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kaoru Someya
  • Patent number: 8125258
    Abstract: A sampling section (100A) includes a sampling filter (102) that converts a continuous-time signal into a discrete-time signal and applies filtering of low-pass characteristics and a one-bit quantizer (107) that outputs a quantized signal representing a time-dependent change in the discrete-time signal. A synchronization section (100B) includes a phase difference detector (110) that calculates the phase difference between an inspection signal and the quantized signal and a delay control circuit (114) that feeds back the inspection signal to the phase difference detector at the timing set in consideration of a delay amount corresponding to the phase difference. When the phase difference between the inspection signal and the current quantized signal shows the same phase, the phase of the inspection signal is detected as a reference phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Haruya Ishizaki
  • Patent number: 8124884
    Abstract: A printed circuit board (PCB) includes a positive differential signal line including first and second segments, a negative differential signal line including third and fourth segments, first and second connecting elements soldered on opposite surfaces of the PCB. The first segment and the fourth segment are located in a first straight line which has a first permittivity. The third segment and the second segment are located in a second straight line which has a second permittivity different from the first permittivity. The first connecting element is connected between the first segment and the second segment. The second connecting element is connected between the third segment and the fourth segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yung-Chieh Chen, Cheng-Hsien Lee, Shou-Kuo Hsu
  • Patent number: 8111785
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for automatic frequency acquisition maintenance in a clock and data recovery (CDR) device. In an automatic frequency acquisition (AFA) mode, the method uses a phase detector (PHD) to acquire the phase of a non-synchronous input communication signal having an initial first frequency. In the event of a loss of lock/loss of signal (LOL/LOS) signal being asserted, a frequency ratio value is retrieved from memory. Using a phase-frequency detector (PFD), the reference signal, and the frequency ratio value, a synthesized signal is generated. In response to using the PFD to generate the synthesized signal and the LOL/LOS signal being deasserted, a rotational frequency detector (RFD) is used to generate a synthesized signal having a frequency equal to the frequency of the input communication signal. With the continued deassertion of the LOL/LOS signal, the PHD is enabled and the phase of the input signal is acquired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Assignee: Applied Micro Circuits Corporation
    Inventors: Viet Linh Do, Philip Michael Clovis, Michael Hellmer, Mehmet Mustafa Eker, Hongming An, Simon Pang
  • Patent number: 8107582
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for clock recovery in synchronous digital systems. The apparatus includes a phase frequency detector, a loop filter, a compressor, and a clock generator. The phase frequency detector generates a phase error signal based on a difference between an input clock signal and an output clock signal. The loop filter multiplies the phase error signal and filters the multiplied phase error signal. The compressor divides the loop filter output. Based on the compressor output, the clock generator generates an output clock signal is provided as a feedback signal to the phase error detector. The apparatus may also include a glitch cleaner for deglitching the input clock signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Beken Corporation
    Inventor: Weifeng Wang
  • Patent number: 8102960
    Abstract: A method and apparatus to improve adaptation speed of a digital receiver is presented. The receiver includes an equalizer to initiate adaptation to a transmission channel responsive to a first control signal, a slicer coupled to the equalizer to generate symbol decisions based at least in part on an equalized digital signal, logic to receive the symbol decisions and generate a selection signal when a lock onto a training sequence of the symbol decisions occurs, first and second phase detectors to detect phase errors of the equalized digital signal and an incoming digital signal, respectively, and a clock generator to generate a clock signal responsive to one of the first and second phase errors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Adee Ran, Ehud Shoor, Amir Mezer
  • Patent number: 8102948
    Abstract: A carrier recovery apparatus includes a pilot strength detector, a first lock loop, a second lock loop, and a controller. The pilot strength detector determines whether a pilot strength of an input signal is greater than a threshold value to generate a control signal. The first lock loop performs a first carrier recovery on the input signal. The second lock loop performs a second carrier recovery on the input signal. The controller selectively allows the first lock loop to perform the first carrier recovery on the input signal or the second lock loop to perform the second carrier recovery on the input signal according to the control signal. The first lock loop is a pilot-based FPLL and the second locked loop is a pilot-less PLL.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: Himax Media Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Guo-Hau Gau, Pei-Jun Shih, Shin-Shiuan Cheng
  • Patent number: 8102905
    Abstract: Pulses are detected in a communications receiver by programming each of a plurality of comparators (44a, 44b, . . . , 44n) with a sampling time point selected from a plurality of sampling time points (58, 60) and with a reference level selected from a plurality of reference levels (54, 56). The received signal is applied to each of the comparators such that each of the comparators produces a respective output signal based on a comparison between the received signal level and the selected reference level at the selected sampling time point. The combinations of sampling time points and reference levels can be selected based on knowledge about the expected arrival times of the pulses, and based on knowledge about the possible shapes of said pulses, with the result that the device can detect received pulses without requiring large amounts of hardware, in a device which has an acceptable power consumption. The communications system may be a signaling system, or a radar or positioning system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: ST-Ericsson SA
    Inventors: Raf Lodewijk Jan Roovers, Harish Kundur Subramaniyan, Gerard Van Der Weide
  • Patent number: 8098787
    Abstract: One or two Serializer/Deserializer (SerDes) modules are used to measure the time between two pulses with high resolution. A PLL inside a SerDes block is locked to a reference clock and an input signal is passed through a storage element to create a serial data stream that is converted into a parallel data stream by a demultiplexer inside the SerDes. The parallel data is stored in a bit logic unit that compares the parallel data to a second parallel data obtained in similar fashion in another SerDes from a second input signal. The time between the two pulses is then calculated as the number of cycles in the serial data stream that corresponds to the number of bits between the positions of the two events.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: Altera Corporation
    Inventor: Andy Turudic
  • Patent number: 8098769
    Abstract: The invention relates to recovering a carrier for a synchronous demodulator, that receives an input signal. A carrier is reconstructed for the provided input signal, and the input signal (in) and carrier (tr) are mixed to generate a mixed signal to be outputted (i, q), wherein a residual phase error of the mixed signal is corrected by a phase shift to provide a phase corrected output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: Trident Microsystems (Far East) Ltd.
    Inventor: Ingo Steinbach
  • Patent number: 8094769
    Abstract: A phase-locked loop (PLL) system including a phase-frequency detector for generating an up signal or a down signal based on a phase difference between a reference clock and a feedback clock is provided. The PLL system further includes a phase-error spreading circuit for generating phase-spread pulses based on a relationship between a first time attribute of the up signal or the down signal and a second time attribute of the phase-spread pulses. The PLL system further includes a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) for generating a VCO clock based on the phase-spread pulses. The PLL system may also include a charge pump that generates a pumping signal based on the phase-spread pulses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Gayathri A. Bhagavatheeswaran, Lipeng Cao, Hector Sanchez
  • Patent number: 8094754
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for holding the frequency of a non-synchronous communication signal in a clock and data recovery (CDR) device frequency synthesizer. The method initially acquires the phase of a non-synchronous first communication signal having a first frequency, and divides a first synthesized signal by a selected frequency ratio value, creating a frequency detection signal having a frequency equal to a reference signal frequency. In response to losing the first communication signal and subsequently receiving a second communication signal with a non-predetermined second frequency, the frequency ratio value is retrieved from memory based upon the assumption that the second frequency is the same, or close to the first frequency. Using a phase-frequency detector (PFD), the reference signal, and the frequency ratio value, a second synthesized signal is generated having an output frequency equal to first frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Applied Micro Circuits Corporation
    Inventors: Mehmet Mustafa Eker, Simon Pang, Viet Linh Do, Hongming An, Philip Michael Clovis
  • Patent number: 8094697
    Abstract: For demodulating radio navigation signals (s(t)) transmitted in spread spectrum and comprising a data channel modulated by a navigation message and a pilot channel not modulated by a navigation message, the data channel and the pilot channel are combined into one multiplexing scheme so as to modulate a carrier, this method consists in applying de-spreading processing to the pilot and data channels' signals and in demodulating the de-spread data signal (rd) in order to obtain the navigation message <d(t)>, the demodulation of the de-spread data signal (rd) used to obtain the navigation message <d(t)> is performed using the carrier (rp) obtained from the dispreading processing of the pilot channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales
    Inventor: Lionel Ries
  • Patent number: 8094770
    Abstract: A phase-locked loop includes a sample selector configured to select a set of samples from an oversampled portion of a data signal, a dynamic phase decision control circuit configured to indicate whether a predetermined number of edges is present in the set of samples, and a phase detector configured to determine a skew condition and a direction of the skew condition of the set of samples based on the indication of the dynamic phase decision control circuit. The phase detector is configured to produce a set of skew detection signals based on at least one skew condition determination. The phase-locked loop further includes a loop filter configured to filter the set of skew detection signals. The loop filter is also configured to produce a set of phase adjustment signals based on the set of skew detection signals. The sample selector is configured to select a set of samples from the oversampled portion of the data signal, based on the set of phase adjustment signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Integrated Device Technology inc.
    Inventor: Sen-Jung Wei
  • Patent number: 8090333
    Abstract: A receiving apparatus includes: a demodulating unit which demodulates an IF signal obtained by subjecting a received RF signal to frequency conversion; a detecting unit which detects a carrier wave frequency error contained in the IF signal; a frequency control unit which sets an initial value of a frequency in the demodulation process by the demodulating unit and for correcting a frequency error of a frequency used for the demodulation process by the demodulating unit based on the carrier wave frequency error detected by the detecting unit; and a control unit which controls a setting of an initial value of a frequency in the demodulation process by the demodulating unit by means of the frequency control unit after a receiving channel is switched, based on the carrier wave frequency error before a receiving channel is switched, the error being detected by the detecting unit, when a receiving channel is switched.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Takahiro Okada
  • Patent number: 8085885
    Abstract: A signal processing system which discriminates between voice signals and data signals modulated by a voiceband carrier. The signal processing system includes a voice exchange, a data exchange and a call discriminator. The voice exchange is capable of exchanging voice signals between a switched circuit network and a packet based network. The signal processing system also includes a data exchange capable of exchanging data signals modulated by a voiceband carrier on the switched circuit network with unmodulated data signal packets on the packet based network. The data exchange is performed by demodulating data signals from the switched circuit network for transmission on the packet based network, and modulating data signal packets from the packet based network for transmission on the switched circuit network. The call discriminator is used to selectively enable the voice exchange and data exchange.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventor: Henry Li
  • Patent number: 8085893
    Abstract: A clock recovery circuit includes a first phase detector for measuring the phase difference between a first clock signal from a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) and a data signal. A phase shifter responsive to a control signal based on this phase difference adjusts the phase of an incoming clock signal to yield a second clock signal. The phase difference between the first clock signal and the second clock signal is measured and the resulting signal is low-pass filtered to derive a control signal for controlling the VCO. The phase locked loop including the VCO filters out jitter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Rambus, Inc.
    Inventor: Carl William Werner
  • Patent number: 8081723
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for determining at least part of the width of the eye of a high-speed serial data signal use clock and data recovery circuitry operating on that signal to produce a first clock signal having a first phase relationship to the data signal. The first clock signal is used to produce a second clock signal whose phase can be controllably shifted relative to the first phase. The second clock signal is used to sample the data signal with different amounts of phase shift, e.g., until error checking circuitry detects that data errors in the resulting sample exceed an acceptable threshold for such errors. The amount(s) of phase shift that caused exceeding the threshold can be used as a basis for a measurement of eye width.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignee: Altera Corporation
    Inventors: Weiqi Ding, Sergey Shumarayev, Wilson Wong, Thungoc M. Tran
  • Patent number: 8081027
    Abstract: A reception device that receives a modulation signal being a result of digital modulation of a carrier is disclosed. The device includes: a demodulation section that demodulates the modulation signal into a demodulation signal including an I component and a Q component; a numerically controlled oscillation section that generates a signal of predetermined phase; a phase error detection section that detects a phase error between a phase of a symbol of the demodulation signal and the predetermined phase of the signal generated by the numerically controlled oscillation section; a phase rotation section that rotates the phase of the symbol of the demodulation signal in accordance with the phase error; a loop filter that filters the phase error, and controls the numerically controlled oscillation section; and a gain control section that controls a gain of the loop filter based on a modulation technique of the modulation signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Iida, Kazuhisa Funamoto
  • Patent number: 8073093
    Abstract: Disclosed are a phase synchronous device for improving jitter of an output signal and a method for generating a phase synchronous signal. The phase synchronous device includes a phase detector detecting a phase difference between first and second signals to output a phase detection signal and a locking signal; a control signal generator adjusting a slope of the phase detection signal in response to the locking signal; and a charge pumping unit outputting a control voltage in response to an output of the control signal generator. The speed of a control signal applied to the charge pumping unit is adjusted in response to the locking signal, so that a peak current is reduced, and thus jitter of an output signal is improved by being reduced or minimized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventor: Ki Won Lee
  • Patent number: 8068563
    Abstract: Methods and systems for correcting a frequency error in a digital portion of a radio broadcast signal are disclosed. The methods and systems include the steps of receiving a radio broadcast signal having an analog portion and a digital portion, separating the analog portion of the radio broadcast signal and the digital portion of the radio broadcast signal, determining a coarse frequency offset of the analog portion of the radio broadcast signal, generating an error signal for adjusting a frequency of the digital portion of the radio broadcast signal, wherein the error signal is based on the coarse frequency offset of the analog portion of the radio broadcast signal, and adjusting the frequency of the digital portion of the radio broadcast signal with the error signal that is based on the coarse frequency offset of the analog portion of the radio broadcast signal, such that a frequency error in the digital portion of the radio broadcast signal is reduced below a predetermined amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Assignee: iBiquity Digital Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Nekhamkin, Sivakumar Thulasingam
  • Patent number: 8064547
    Abstract: A receiving apparatus includes a unit detecting a specific-bit sequence included in a data sequence, a unit counting, as a count value n1, a first number of oscillations during a 1-bit-wide period of a first bit of the specific-bit sequence, and to count, as a count value n2, a second number of oscillations during a 1-bit-wide period of a second bit of the specific-bit sequence, a unit generating, when it is determined that the n1 is not less than the (n2?a) and is not more than the (n2+a) (a=1,2, . . . ), a timing of n1/2, fractions of which are carried, for the first bit to a third bit of the specific-bit sequence, and to generate a timing of n1 for a fourth bit and subsequent bits, and a unit acquiring a data sequence from the data sequence at the timing n1/2 and the timing n1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Umeda, Shoji Otaka
  • Publication number: 20110280344
    Abstract: A receiver, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, includes a mixer, a filter, a received signal strength indicator, and a control loop. The mixer is adapted to convert the frequency of a received signal. The filter is adapted to filter out undesired noise that may be present in the output signal of the mixer. The received signal strength indicator is adapted to detect blocker (also known as jammer) signals that may be present in the output signal of the low-pass filter and generate a feedback signal in response. The control loop is adapted to vary its bandwidth in response to an output signal of the received signal strength indicator. The control loop supplies an oscillating signal to the mixer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2010
    Publication date: November 17, 2011
    Applicant: MaxLinear, Inc.
    Inventors: Sheng Ye, Paul Chominski
  • Patent number: 8050365
    Abstract: A radio communication device performs baseband processing by subjecting a received signal to an AD conversion at a predetermined sampling frequency and converting a digital signal resulting from the AD conversion into a baseband signal by frequency conversion. The device includes a frequency converting unit configured to convert the resulting digital signal into a complex baseband signal. The device further includes a waveform shaping unit configured to subject the baseband signal to waveform shaping, and a down-sampling unit configured to subject the baseband signal to sample discrete reduction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Katsumi Watanabe
  • Patent number: 8050368
    Abstract: A novel and useful apparatus for and method of nonlinear adaptive phase domain equalization for multilevel phase coded demodulators. The invention improves the immunity of phase-modulated signals (PSK) to intersymbol interference (ISI) such as caused by transmitter or receiver impairments, frequency selective channel response filtering, timing offset or carrier frequency offset. The invention uses phase domain signals (r, ?) rather than the classical Cartesian quadrature components (I, Q) and employs a nonlinear adaptive equalizer on the phase domain signal. This results in significantly improved ISI performance which simplifies the design of a digital receiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Gregory Lerner, Yossi Tsfati
  • Patent number: 8050317
    Abstract: A receiver with an equalizer and an equalizing method are disclosed. The method includes equalizing received serial data in the equalizer, detecting an error in equalized serial data output by the equalizer, and determining reset of the equalizer in relation to an error detection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hitoshi Okamura, Shu-Jiang Wang
  • Patent number: 8045664
    Abstract: A clock/data recovery device 1 comprises a sampler 10, a detector 20, an offset determination part 30, a clock output part 40, and a DA converter 50. The phases of clock signals CK and CKX are adjusted so as to match with the phase of an input digital signal. An offset amount (±Voff) added in the sampler 10 is adjusted so as to match with a peak time of a data transition time distribution of a first signal in a case where a value D(n?1) is HIGH level, and is adjusted so as to match with a peak time of a data transition time distribution of a second signal in a case where the value D(n?1) is LOW level. Either of the clock signals CK and CKX is outputted as the recovered clock signal. Time series data of a digital value D(n) is outputted as the recovered data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: Thine Electronics, Inc.
    Inventor: Seiichi Ozawa
  • Patent number: 8036334
    Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for providing a phase glitch error filter for a delay lock loop. The device comprises a delay lock loop to provide an output signal based upon a phase difference between a reference signal and a feedback signal. The delay lock loop comprises a filter unit to provide filtering of noise on a phase control signal to substantially reduce a false delay lock loop state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Long B. Guan
  • Patent number: 8036318
    Abstract: The phase detector compares the phases of a synchronous clock signal and serial data and outputs a phase error signal corresponding to a comparison result. The second integrator performs integration of the phase error signal to obtain a phase correction control signal for tracking phase shift of the serial data. The first integrator performs integration of the phase error signal in each smoothing period with a predetermined length to obtain a smoothed error signal. The pattern generator generates a pattern for changing the phase of the synchronous clock signal at a frequency corresponding to the smoothed error signal in each pattern generation period with a predetermined length and outputs the pattern as a frequency correction control signal. The first integrator receives the frequency correction control signal which is fed back and changes the length of the smoothing period according to the direction of a change in the frequency of generating the frequency correction control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Morishige Aoyama
  • Patent number: 8027423
    Abstract: A synchronizing apparatus, which controls, by a PLL circuit, a sampling clock to be used to sample input data and synchronizes a phase of the sampling clock with a target phase that is desirable for sampling the input data, includes: phase error detection means for detecting a phase error from sampling data and the sampling clock, the sampling data being sampled from the input data at timing of the sampling clock; frequency error detection means for detecting, based on a differential coefficient obtained as a result of detecting the phase error, a frequency error; and frequency correction means for correcting a frequency of the sampling clock such that the detected frequency error becomes close to zero by adding a frequency correction value to an integral term of a loop filter of the PLL circuit, the frequency correction value being calculated based on the frequency error.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2011
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Satoru Higashino
  • Patent number: 8027409
    Abstract: In an exemplary embodiment, noise prediction-based data detection is described with respect to a SERDES (serializer/deserializer) backplane primary channel subject to inter-symbol interference (ISI) noise and added cross-talk noise from other channels. Noise prediction-based data detection combines an added error component from inter-symbol interference (ISI) noise and an added error component from cross-talk noise into an overall noise prediction error term and cancels effects of residual ISI and cross-talk for various components of the exemplary embodiment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2011
    Assignee: Agere Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Pervez M. Aziz, Mohammad S. Mobin, Gregory W. Sheets
  • Patent number: RE43131
    Abstract: A carrier tracking circuit includes a first phase adjustment circuit coupled to an input of a delay element and a second phase adjustment circuit coupled to an output of the delay element. A phase correction circuit is coupled to output of the delay element is operable to generate a phase adjustment value based upon a data symbol output from the delay element. The phase correction circuit includes a double phase correction circuit to prevent double application of the same phase adjustment value to a symbol by both the first and second phase adjustment circuits. The carrier tracking circuit may be used in OFDM communications systems with each data symbol being an OFDM symbol and with the delay element being an FFT. The carrier tracker circuit also may include a feed forward circuit for correcting the phase error of a given data symbol using a phase error generated from that symbol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: Intellectual Ventures I LLC
    Inventors: Daniel Davidson MacFarlane Shearer, III, Michael J. Seals