With Frequency Detector And Phase Detector Patents (Class 375/375)
  • Patent number: 8724764
    Abstract: A system can include a phase detector configured to generate a phase error signal indicating a phase error of an input signal compared to an output signal and a first filter coupled to the phase detector and configured to generate a first control signal derived from the phase error signal. The system can include a pattern error detector configured to generate a pattern error signal specifying a pattern error of the input signal compared to the output signal and a second filter coupled to the pattern error detector and configured to generate a second control signal derived from the pattern error signal. The system further can include a controlled oscillator coupled to the first filter and the second filter, wherein the controlled oscillator is configured to generate the output signal responsive to the first control signal, the second control signal, and a center frequency signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Xilinx, Inc.
    Inventors: Giovanni Guasti, Paolo Novellini
  • Patent number: 8726062
    Abstract: The present invention discloses data recovery architecture (CDR) to improve a multi-link system's tolerance to delay mismatches (or skewing effect) in its different links. The architecture is entirely digital and usable in any multi-link transceiver implementation that makes use of a separate clock link and requires timing synchronization between the different data links.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Synopsys, Inc.
    Inventor: Jose Angelo Rebelo Sarmento
  • Patent number: 8724680
    Abstract: A transceiver includes a transceiver and a clock generation unit. The clock generation unit includes a clock generator, a multiplexer, and a frequency difference detector. The transceiver exchanges data with a link partner according to a first clock generated by a phase-locked loop. The clock generator is used for generating and outputting a second clock. The multiplexer is used for receiving a calibration clock or a receiver clock of the link partner, and outputting the calibration clock or the receiver clock of the link partner. The frequency difference detector is used for generating a difference signal according to a difference between the calibration clock and the second clock, or a difference between the receiver clock of the link partner and the second clock. The clock generator adjusts the shift of the second clock according to the difference signal. The phase-locked loop generates the first clock according to the second clock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Realtek Semiconductor Corp.
    Inventors: Ming-Feng Hsu, Kai-Yin Liu, Tzu-Han Hsu, Yuan-Jih Chu
  • Publication number: 20140126678
    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: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2013
    Publication date: May 8, 2014
    Applicant: EXAR CORPORATATION
    Inventors: SADETTIN CIRIT, JOSE ANTONIO SALCEDO
  • Patent number: 8718216
    Abstract: An embodiment of the invention comprises a digital phase detector with substantially zero phase offset. The digital phase detector receives a clock signal and a reference clock signal and provides a phase indicator signal to identify whether the clock signal leads or lags the reference clock signal. An embodiment of the invention comprises a method that adds substantially zero phase offset in processing an input clock signal and a delayed clock signal to generate a control signal. The control signal is processed in a variable delay line to generate the delayed clock signal. In an embodiment, a first processor comprises a delay locked loop having a digital phase detector, the digital phase detector comprising a first differential sense amplifier cross-coupled to a second differential sense amplifier, the digital phase detector receiving a clock signal and generating one or more delayed clock signals, a control signal, and a gated data signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel M. Dreps, Kyu-hyoun Kim, Glen A. Wiedemeier
  • Patent number: 8710881
    Abstract: A PLL circuit according to the present invention includes a VCO that outputs an VCO signal having a frequency according to an input voltage, a loop filter that feeds a voltage according to an input current to the VCO, a phase comparator that outputs a phase difference pulse having a width according to a phase difference between a first input signal and a second input signal, a charge pump circuit that receives the phase difference pulse, and inputs the current to the loop filter, and a phase-difference-pulse stop unit that stops the input of the phase difference pulse to the charge pump circuit in a non-input state in which an REF signal (reference frequency signal) is not input. The first input signal is the REF signal itself or a signal obtained by dividing the frequency of the REF signal, and the second input signal is the VCO signal itself or a signal obtained by dividing the frequency of the VCO signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Advantest Corporation
    Inventor: Go Utamaru
  • Patent number: 8705676
    Abstract: A multi-tone transceiver including: a transform component, a tone selector, an error detector, an aggregator and an oscillator. The transform component transforms received communications from the time domain to the frequency domain. The tone selector selects a sub-set of the received tones which exhibit an elevated signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) as a clock recovery tone set (CRTS) and drops and add tones to the CRTS as required by changes in the SNR of the individual tones. The error detector detects phase errors in each received tone of the CRTS. The aggregator calculates an average aggregate phase error from all tones in the CRTS. The oscillator controls clocking of the transceiver. The oscillator is responsive to the average aggregate phase error to adjust a clock phase in a direction which reduces a phase error with a clock on the opposing transceiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Ikanos Communications Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Ayrapetian, Qasem Aldrubi, Hossein Dehghan-Fard, Christopher Chow
  • Patent number: 8705680
    Abstract: A recovered clock (123) is generated by making the phase of a reference clock (122) having the same frequency as the data rate frequency of input data (120) match the phase of the input data (120). The input data (120) is written in a FIFO (101) using the recovered clock (123). For readout from the FIFO (101), the FIFO (101) is caused to output recovered data (121) using the reference clock (122) asynchronous to the recovered clock (123).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation
    Inventors: Jun Terada, Yusuke Ohtomo, Kazuyoshi Nishimura, Tomoaki Kawamura, Minoru Togashi, Keiji Kishine
  • Patent number: 8706128
    Abstract: The illustrative embodiments described herein are directed to a method and apparatus for managing frequencies used by devices. In one embodiment, the process detects a set of frequencies from a set of devices to form a set of assigned frequencies. The process may also detect a first frequency used by a first device. The process may determine whether the first frequency interferes with the set of assigned frequencies. The process may also identify an unassigned frequency for use by the first device in response to determining whether the first frequency interferes with the set of assigned frequencies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC
    Inventors: Shekhar Gupta, Carl M. Coppage
  • Patent number: 8706042
    Abstract: A network component comprising a transmitter configured to transmit data at a transmitter phase, a receiver configured to receive data at a receiver, and a phase delay component coupled to the transmitter and the receiver and configured to control the transmitter phase relative to the receiver phase to maintain distortion in the transmitted data below a threshold, wherein the threshold is less than a maximum possible distortion in the transmitted data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Futurewei Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Hiroshi Takatori
  • Publication number: 20140105616
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a phase detection method and apparatus. The apparatus comprises a phase detector, the phase detector comprising a calculation unit configured to calculate a phase difference according to a product of receiving power at different moments, so as to perform clock recovery by using the phase difference; wherein the receiving power is that obtained in sampling input signals at a predefined sampling rate, the predefined sampling rate being 2 times of a symbol rate. With the method and apparatus of the embodiments of the present invention, the problem that in case of a relatively large frequency difference or line width, or the transmitted signals are Nyquist signals of spectral widths close to the symbol rate, a conventional phase detection method will be invalid, is solved by calculating a phase difference only according to a product of receiving power at different moments.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2013
    Publication date: April 17, 2014
    Applicant: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Meng YAN, Zhenning Tao
  • Patent number: 8699649
    Abstract: A clock and data recovery circuit is disclosed. The clock and data recovery circuit in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention uses a hybrid phase detector that is constituted by including a linear phase detector and a binary phase detector. Since the clock and data recovery circuit basically is constituted with the linear phase detector, a charge pump, a loop filter, a voltage controlled oscillator and a D flip flop to recover clock and data, a phase detector gain is irrelevant to the jitter of received data and recovered clock, and it is possible to make a fine adjustment of the size of up/down currents of the charge pump using the binary phase detector and a charge pump controller, thereby compensating a phase offset between the received data and the recovered clock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Dongguk University Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation
    Inventor: Sang Jin Byun
  • Patent number: 8687755
    Abstract: One embodiment relates to an interpolator-based clock and data recovery (iCDR) circuit. The iCDR circuit includes an automatic gain control circuit arranged to generate an interpolation jump size signal when a targeted sampling detection signal is asserted. The targeted sampling detection signal may be asserted when sampling by the phase detector of the iCDR circuit is within a targeted range. The interpolation jump size signal may indicate a number of phase steps to shift an interpolation state signal if a jump is indicated by a filtered feedback signal. Other embodiments and features are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: Altera Corporation
    Inventors: Chuan Thim Khor, Chuan Khye Chai
  • Patent number: 8687738
    Abstract: A clock data recovery circuit includes a phase detector circuit, a majority voter circuit, and a phase shift circuit. The phase detector circuit is operable to compare a phase of a periodic signal to a phase of a data signal to generate a phase error signal. The majority voter circuit includes a shift register circuit. The shift register circuit is operable to generate an output signal based on the phase error signal. The majority voter circuit is operable to generate a majority vote of the phase error signal based on the output signal of the shift register circuit. The phase shift circuit is operable to set the phase of the periodic signal based on the majority vote generated by the majority voter circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: Altera Corporation
    Inventors: Swee Wah Lee, Teng Chow Ooi, Chuan Khye Chai
  • Patent number: 8681918
    Abstract: In a method for recovery of a dock from a received digital data stream and an apparatus for recovering a clock from a received digital data stream, phase-shifted dock signals are generated from a receiver's dock. After selecting one of the phase-shifted clock signals, two other phase-shifted clock signals are determined. Depending on sample values taken at rising/falling edges of the three selected phase-shifted clock signals, counter values are increased and compared. The selection of phase-shifted clock signals and the steps of sampling the input digital data stream, comparing the values and increasing counter values, if required, are repeatedly performed until the comparison result of the counter values indicates that one of the latter determined phase-shifted clock signals strobes the received digital data stream in the center of a bit period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics International N.V.
    Inventor: Nitin Gupta
  • Patent number: 8681915
    Abstract: A method for transmitting synchronization messages in a communications network including a plurality of nodes having a first node and at least one second node, wherein in order to take into account differences in a reference clock frequency of a reference clock and an internal clock frequency of an internal clock of the at least one second node, a compensation interval, with which the second clock count state is adjusted on measurement of a delay time, is subdivided into smaller compensation timespans, and the smaller compensation timespans are used to determine a compensated time value for the delay time with a high degree of accuracy, where the compensated time value is then used to update the time information in the synchronization message.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Michael Bernhard Buhl, Dragan Obradovic, Günter Steindl, Philipp Wolfrum
  • Patent number: 8675776
    Abstract: Apparatus, methods, and systems are disclosed, including, for example, a data receiver to receive a calibration voltage and a reference voltage to calibrate the data receiver. The output of the data receiver is provided to a first ripple counter that counts the outputs from the data receiver and provides an output count. The ripple counter may count either ones or zeros. A second ripple counter counts the number of a clock signals over the same period of time. The output count is either multiplied by two or the count of clock signals is divided by two. A ripple comparator may then compare the outputs and adjust the reference voltage based upon the comparison results.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Dragos Dimitriu
  • Patent number: 8675800
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a synchronizing circuit including: a first PLL circuit; a second PLL circuit; a first output circuit; a second output circuit; a first detection circuit; a second detection circuit; a control circuit; and a holding section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Tetsuhiro Futami, Ikko Okamoto
  • Patent number: 8670512
    Abstract: Circuit and methods accelerate jitter tracking and reduce or eliminate the processing delay of loop filtering in timing recovery. A timing recovery circuit incorporates a phase tracking accelerator and a frequency tracking accelerator to compute the phase and frequency variation of incoming signal during the delay period of a loop filter. In one embodiment, phase and frequency tracking accelerators are realized in direct forms. In another embodiment, pre-computed look-up tables are employed in phase and frequency tracking accelerators to ease timing closure and simplify accelerator circuit. The phase tracking accelerator and the frequency tracking accelerator together compensate the estimated phase at the output of a loop filter and eliminate the processing delay of loop filtering. The loop bandwidth and jitter tolerance of timing recovery are increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2014
    Assignee: PMC-Sierra US, Inc.
    Inventor: Nanyan Wang
  • Patent number: 8666012
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for operating a frequency synthesizer wherein a value of an first control signal associated with a fine frequency feedback loop connected to a signal generator is monitored, and a second control signal associated with a medium or coarse frequency feedback loop connected to the signal generator is adjusted based on the monitoring. The first and second control signals are then output to control the frequency synthesizer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Ari Vilander, Liangge Xu, Jounl Kristian Kaukovuori
  • Patent number: 8665928
    Abstract: A circuit generates an output clock signal synchronized to an input clock signal. The circuit includes a reference clock port, a phase interpolator, and a phase controller. The reference clock port receives a reference clock signal. The phase interpolator generates the output clock signal that, as a function of a variable control value, is an interpolation between two reference phases. The reference phases are generated from the reference clock signal and have a reference frequency. The phase controller generates the variable control value providing a phase rotation rate. An output frequency of the output clock signal equals a sum of the reference frequency and the phase rotation rate. The output frequency matches an input frequency of the input clock signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Xilinx, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew H. Klein, David F. Taylor
  • Patent number: 8666010
    Abstract: A bursty phase detector comprises upper and lower branches. The upper branch includes a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) providing a VCO phase; a phase detector with a first input for receiving a data stream and a second input coupled to the output of the VCO, the phase detector providing a phase error; a sample selector with a first input for receiving a sum of the VCO phase and the phase error, and a second input coupled to receive the data stream, the sample selector providing a data stream sample; a signal stream detector with a first input for receiving the sum of the VCO phase and the phase error, and a second input coupled to the output of the sample selector, the signal stream detector generating a data stream phase and a data stream detect signal. The lower branch includes a delay component with an input for receiving the data stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Xilinx, Inc.
    Inventor: Paolo Novellini
  • Patent number: 8666007
    Abstract: A memory controller receives data and phase-providing signals from a memory device. The phase-providing signal is not a clock signal, but is used by the memory controller to phase align a local data-sampling signal with the incoming data. The memory controller samples the data signal with the data-sampling signal. The memory controller can perform maintenance operations to update the phase relationship between the phase-providing and data-sampling signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Rambus Inc.
    Inventors: Scott C. Best, Richard E. Warmke, David B. Roberts, Frank Lambrecht
  • Patent number: 8648625
    Abstract: There is provided a frequency synthesizer capable of improving phase noise. A sinusoidal signal with a frequency set by a frequency setting part is output as a digital signal from a set signal output part, and the digital signal is D/A-converted. A difference between a sinusoidal signal with a frequency corresponding to an output frequency of a voltage controlled oscillating part and a sinusoidal signal output from a D/A converting part is amplified by a differential amplifier, and an amplified signal is input via an A/D converting part to a means for extracting a phase difference between the aforesaid sinusoidal signals. A voltage corresponding to a signal being the result of integration of the phase difference is input as a control voltage to the voltage controlled oscillating part. Then, a gain of the differential amplifier is set larger than a maximum value of phase noise degradation of the A/D converting part, whereby the phase noise degradation of the A/D converting part is cancelled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: Nihon Dempa Kogyo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuo Akaike, Nobuo Tsukamoto, Tsukasa Kobata
  • Patent number: 8643517
    Abstract: Correcting phase error in a two-channel TIADC system in a manner that is independent of the Nyquist zone(s) occupied by the input signal. In the preferred approach this is done using the gradient of a phase error estimate. The gradient may be determined from a simplified expression of linear regression; the direction of the adaptation is then controlled by the sign of the gradient. The adaptive algorithm converges to the optimal value regardless of the Nyquist zone occupied by the input signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Intersil Americas LLC
    Inventor: Sunder S. Kidambi
  • Patent number: 8644440
    Abstract: One embodiment relates to an integrated circuit which includes a transmitter buffer circuit, a duty cycle distortion (DCD) detector, correction logic, and a duty cycle adjuster. The DCD detector is configured to selectively couple to the serial output of the transmitter buffer circuit. The correction logic is configured to generate control signals based on the output of the DCD detector. The duty cycle adjuster is configured to adjust a duty cycle of the serial input signal based on the control signals. Another embodiment relates to a method of correcting duty cycle distortion in a transmitter. Other embodiments and features are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Altera Corporation
    Inventor: Weiqi Ding
  • Publication number: 20140029708
    Abstract: Apparatuses, systems, and methods are directed to maintaining optimal carrier tracking performance in view of operating conditions that prevail. Such configurations employ a phase lock loop that configured to generate an estimated phase error value, a variance module configured to calculate a phase noise variance based on the estimated phase error value, and a loop control bandwidth module that calculates a loop bandwidth value based on a detected lower phase noise variance, generates modified loop filter values in accordance with the calculated loop bandwidth value, and updates the phase lock loop with the modified loop filter values. During subsequent iterations, the modified loop filter values are incrementally adjusted along a particular direction until the phase noise variance increases at which point the modified loop filter values are incrementally adjusted in an opposite direction to converge on an optimal loop bandwidth value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2012
    Publication date: January 30, 2014
    Applicant: INTEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Thushara Hewavithana, Bernard Arambepola
  • Patent number: 8634511
    Abstract: A digital phase frequency detector includes a detection unit, a reset unit and a phase comparison unit. The detection unit detects edges of a reference signal and a feedback input signal to generate a reference edge signal and a feedback edge signal. The reset unit generates a reset signal resetting the detection unit based upon the reference edge signal and the feedback edge signal. The phase comparison unit generates first and second phase comparison signals based upon the reference edge signal and the feedback edge signal. The phase comparison unit includes a first flip-flop generating a first comparison signal based upon the reference edge signal and the feedback edge signal, a second flip-flop generating a second comparison signal based upon the reference edge signal and the feedback edge signal, and a latch block latching the first and second comparison signals to generate the first and second phase comparison signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jong-Phil Hong, Ji-Hyun Kim, Jae-Jin Park
  • Patent number: 8634503
    Abstract: A clock-data recovery system and method promotes fast adjustment to large phase changes in the incoming data signal. The system can include phase alignment circuitry, clock generator circuitry, time-to-digital converter circuitry, and sampling circuitry. The phase alignment circuitry uses the incoming data signal and a feedback clock signal to generate an output clock signal. The clock generator circuitry uses the output clock signal to generate base phase clock signals of different phases or polarities. The time-to-digital converter circuitry uses the base phase clock signals and the incoming data signal to generate the feedback clock signal. The time-to-digital converter circuitry bases the feedback clock signal on the base phase clock signal that is aligned more closely in phase with the incoming data signal than the other base phase clock signals. The sampling circuitry re-times or recovers the data signal using one or more of the base phase clock signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Inventors: Brian J. Misek, Robert K. Barnes, Peter J. Meier
  • Patent number: 8634510
    Abstract: A bang-bang frequency detector with no data pattern dependency is provided. In examples, the detector recovers a clock from received data, such as data having a non-return to zero (NRZ) format. A first bang-bang phase detector (BBPD) provides first phase information about a phase difference between a sample clock and the clock embedded in the received data. A second BBPD provides second phase information about a second phase difference between the clock embedded in the received data and a delayed version of the sample clock. A frequency difference between the sample clock and the clock embedded in the received data is determined based on the first and second phase differences. The frequency difference can be used to adjust the frequency of the sample clock. A lock detector can be coupled to a BBPD output to determine if the sample clock is locked to the clock embedded in the received data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Xiaohua Kong, Vannam Dang, Tirdad Sowlati
  • Publication number: 20140016731
    Abstract: Provided is a millimeter wavelength range transceiver device which can improve phase noise characteristics and which can also independently calibrate each respective local oscillator of a transmission unit and a reception unit. This millimeter wavelength range transceiver device comprises a transmission unit (10), a reception unit (20), and a reference frequency signal generator (30). The transmission unit (10) comprises a transmission-use local oscillator (11) comprising an injection-locked oscillator, a transmission-use mixer (12) for mixing the signal from the transmission-use local oscillator and a transmission baseband signal, and a transmission-use amplifier (13) for amplifying the signal from the transmission-use mixer to a transmission-use antenna (15).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2011
    Publication date: January 16, 2014
    Inventors: Kenichi Okada, Akira Matsuzawa
  • Patent number: 8619938
    Abstract: A clock generation device provided for a transmitter is provided and comprises a clock generator, a calculator and a first phase locked loop (PLL) circuit. The clock generator generates a first clock signal. The calculator calculates a frequency difference between the first and second clock signals. The first PLL circuit generates an output clock signal according to a first reference clock signal related to the first clock signal, and a frequency of the output clock signal is changed according to the frequency difference. The transmitter transmits data according to the output clock signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Mediatek Inc.
    Inventors: Kuan-Hua Chao, Chuan Liu, Tse-Hsiang Hsu
  • Patent number: 8618886
    Abstract: A hybrid numeric-analog clock synchronizer, for establishing a clock or carrier locked to a timing reference. The clock may include a framing component. The reference may have a low update rate. The synchronizer achieves high jitter rejection, low phase noise and wide frequency range. It can be integrated on chip. It may comprise a numeric time-locked loop (TLL) with an analog phase-locked loop (PLL). Moreover a high-performance number-controlled oscillator (NCO), for creating an event clock from a master clock according to a period control signal. It processes edge times rather than period values, allowing direct control of the spectrum and peak amplitude of the justification jitter. Moreover a combined clock-and-frame asynchrony detector, for measuring the phase or time offset between composite signals. It responds e.g. to event clocks and frame syncs, enabling frame locking with loop bandwidths greater than the frame rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Inventor: Christopher Julian Travis
  • Patent number: 8611487
    Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention relates to a phase alignment system including a plurality of samplers, a clock distributor, a phase detector and a phase alignment control. The samplers are configured to receive an incoming signal and a phase adjusted clock signal and to provide samples according to the incoming signal. The clock distributor receives a clock adjustment signal and generates the phase adjusted clock signal, which triggers sampling of the incoming signal. The clock adjustment signal indicates a direction of phase adjustment and can include an amount of phase adjustment. The phase detector receives the samples and provides extended phase alignment commands derived from the samples. The phase alignment control receives the extended phase alignment commands and provides the clock adjustment signal to the clock distributor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: Intel Mobile Communications GmbH
    Inventor: Holger Wenske
  • Patent number: 8611407
    Abstract: According to various embodiments, apparatus and methods disclosed herein include computing phase error of a received signal based on an estimate of a first component (e.g., in-phase component) of a transmitted signal and an analytic representation of the estimate of the first component of the transmitted signal. The analytic representation of the estimate of the first component of the transmitted signal may represent an estimate of a second component (e.g., quadrature phase component) of the transmitted signal. The analytic representation of the estimated first component may be computed using at least one of a Hilbert transform or Fourier transform on the estimated first component of the transmitted signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Bernard Arambepola, Thushara Hewavithana, Sahan S. Gamage, Parveen K. Shukla
  • Publication number: 20130329843
    Abstract: A frequency tracking loop receives a result from a phase detector that detects an advance and a retard of a phase between input data and an extracted clock signal, and conducts a control to reduce a frequency deviation between the input data and the extracted clock signal. A phase interpolator adjusts a phase of the clock signal subjected to spread-spectrum frequency modulation on the basis result of the frequency deviation in the frequency tracking loop, and outputs the extracted clock signal. In the frequency tracking loop, the frequency deviation between the data signal and the clock signal is corrected to offset a variation of the frequency of the clock signal, on the basis of the frequency modulation information related to the clock signal subjected to the spread-spectrum frequency modulation which is input to the phase interpolator. The frequency of the clock signal seemingly follows the frequency of the data signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2013
    Publication date: December 12, 2013
    Inventor: Masahiro TAKEUCHI
  • Patent number: 8605846
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present invention relate to systems, devices and methods of oversampling electronic components where high frequency oversampling clock signals are generated internally. The generated oversampling clock is automatically synchronous with the input clock and the input serial data in a serial data link, and is adaptive to predetermined parameters, such as bit depth and oversampling rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: Maxim Integrated Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew Felder, Mark Summers
  • Patent number: 8605848
    Abstract: An arrangement for synchronizing a transmission time of a digital data stream in individual high-frequency transmitters of a common-wave network operating according to an ATSC standard and transmitting identical data at an identical frequency. The stream generated in a master station is supplied to the transmitters as a periodic succession of data frames, and a setpoint transmission time is calculated in the transmitters from a synchronizing time stamp inserted into the data frames within the master station and from a time reference used in the master station and transmitters, while the transmission of the frames by the transmitter is determined by a system clock in the transmitters. The setpoint transmission time is compared with the actual transmission time determined by the clock, and the clock frequency is regulated by a regulating circuit so that the actual transmission time determined by the clock corresponds with the calculated setpoint transmission time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: Rohde & Schwarz GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Cornelius Heinemann, Wolfgang Boehm
  • Patent number: 8599986
    Abstract: In a method of recovering timing information over a packet network at a local receiver, timing information is received at intervals timing from a remote source and compared with a locally generated clock signal to generate an input signal y(k) subject to noise representative of the phase difference between the source clock signal and the local receiver clock signal. The input signal is applied to a state feedback controller, preferably including a Kalman filter, to generate a control signal with reduced noise. The control signal is used to control an oscillator in a way so as to reduce the phase difference and generate a slave clock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Microsemi Semiconductor ULC
    Inventor: Kamran Rahbar
  • Patent number: 8588356
    Abstract: A method for receiving a signal having a succession of symbols, transmitted by a digital modulation, each symbol transmitted having a phase and an amplitude belonging to a set of values in finite number, the method includes evaluating a phase error (PHE) on a received symbol (S), resulting from a signal transmission noise, correcting the phase of the received symbol according to the phase error evaluated, demodulating the symbol corrected in phase, and modeling the transmission noise by a Gaussian component not correlated with the signal received and defined by a power and an interference component defined by an amplitude and which phase is substantially uniformly distributed, the phase error of the received symbol evaluated on the basis of the power of Gaussian component and the amplitude of the interference component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics (Grenoble 2) SAS
    Inventor: Jacques Meyer
  • Patent number: 8582708
    Abstract: A clock and data recovery circuit includes a multiphase clock generator circuit which generates a multiphase clock having a plurality of clocks, a sampling circuit which samples a received data signal transferring serial data in synchronism with each of the plurality of clocks, and generates a plurality of data signals, a data recovery unit which generates a selection signal indicating a data signal having an appropriate phase among the plurality of data signals, and a storage unit which stores the selection signal. The data recovery unit selects one of the plurality of data signals, based on the selection signal read from the storage unit, and a clock corresponding to the selected data signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Michiyo Yamamoto, Kenji Murata, Kazuya Hatooka
  • Patent number: 8582628
    Abstract: A data reception unit 21 of a reception device 20n receives calibration data to detect a data reception state or a clock reception state in the reception device 20n from a data transmission unit 11 of a transmission device 10. A decoder unit 24 causes a transmission unit 26 to send out calibration sample data that a sampler unit 23 obtained by sampling calibration data to the transmission device 10. A control unit 15 of the transmission device 10 detects a data reception state or a clock reception state in the reception device 20n based on calibration sample data received from the reception device 20n and controls the data transmission unit 11 and a clock transmission unit 12 based on the detection result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Thine Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Seiichi Ozawa, Hironobu Akita
  • Patent number: 8582710
    Abstract: Embodiments allow for the use of the SS modulation technique (and thus for significant reduction of EMI due to clock transmission) in scenarios involving tight synchronization requirements between two devices. In particular, embodiments can be used in high-speed communication networks (e.g., high-speed Ethernet) where a clock signal embedded in the data stream at the transmitter and recovered from the data stream at the receiver is the only source for synchronization between the transmitter and the receiver (i.e., no other synchronization channel available). Embodiments are also especially useful in communication systems utilizing echo cancellers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Neven Pischl, Joseph Cordaro, Yongbum Kim
  • Patent number: 8576970
    Abstract: A PLL circuit (1a, 1b) for generating a pixel-clock signal based on a hsync signal. The PLL circuit comprises a phase-frequency detector arranged to receive the hsync signal and a frequency divided pixel-clock signal, and generate up and down signals based on the hsync signal and the frequency-divided pixel-clock signal. A charge pump (20) is arranged to generate an output signal based on the up and down signals and a loop filter (30) is arranged to generate a frequency-control signal based on the output signal of the charge pump (20). Furthermore, a VCO (40a, 40b) is arranged to generate an oscillating signal and adjust the frequency of the oscillating signal in response to the frequency-control signal. The VCO (40a, 40b) is adapted to have a tuning range with a center frequency which is larger than or equal to 4 GHz.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: CSR Technology Inc.
    Inventors: Graham R. Leach, Gordon A. Wilson, Rolf Sundblad
  • Patent number: 8576967
    Abstract: It is possible to provide a highly reliable semiconductor device and a communication method in which communication can be performed between circuits with a large degree of freedom of clock frequency which can be set in each of the circuits, a decisive operation, and a small communication latency. The semiconductor device according to the present invention includes a first circuit that performs processing based on a first clock signal, the first clock signal having a frequency M/N times as large as a frequency of a second clock signal (N is a positive integer, and M is a positive integer larger than N); a second circuit that performs processing based on the second clock signal; and a communication timing control circuit that generates a communication timing signal to control a timing at which the first circuit performs communication with the second circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Atsufumi Shibayama
  • Patent number: 8571161
    Abstract: It is described an electronic device for generating a fractional synthesized frequency. The device comprises a multi-phase controlled oscillator configured to generate, from a control signal, a plurality of signals phase-shifted each other and comprises a phase detector configured to receive a selected signal from the plurality of phase-shifted signals, to receive a reference signal and to measure a difference between a phase of the selected signal and a phase of the reference signal. The electronic device further comprises control means for estimating, from the measured phase difference, a phase error affecting the generation of at least one of the plurality of phase-shifted signals, and for generating a corrected measure of the phase difference taking into account the estimated phase error, the corrected measure being used to provide the control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Politechnico di Milano
    Inventors: Salvatore Levantino, Carlo Samori, Marco Zanuso
  • Patent number: 8571149
    Abstract: A single chip radio transceiver includes circuitry that enables received wideband RF signals to be down converted to base band frequencies and base band signals to be up converted to wideband RF signals prior to transmission without requiring conversion to an intermediate frequency. The circuitry includes a low noise amplifier, automatic frequency control circuitry for aligning the LO frequency with the frequency of the received RF signals, signal power measuring circuitry for measuring the signal to signal and power ratio and for adjusting frontal and rear amplification stages accordingly, and finally, filtering circuitry to filter high and low frequency interfering signals including DC offset.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Zhongming Shi, Ahmadreza (Reza) Rofougaran, Arya Reza Behzad
  • Patent number: 8564345
    Abstract: Digitally controllable delay lines including fine grain and coarse grain delay elements, and methods and system to calibrate the delay lines in fine grain increments. Calibration may include calibrating a number of fine grain elements for which a combined delay is substantially equal to a delay of a coarse grain element, and calibrating numbers of fine grain and coarse grain elements which a combined delay corresponds to a period of a reference clock. A digitally controlled delay line may be implemented as part of a digital delay locked loop (DLL), and calibration parameters may be provided to a slave DLL having a similarly implemented delay line. A digitally controllable DLL may provide relatively low-power, high-resolution over a spectrum of process, voltage, and temperature variations, and may be implemented in relatively high-speed applications previously reserved for analog DLLs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventor: Wing K. Yu
  • Patent number: 8565362
    Abstract: A clock recovery apparatus includes a mask generator configured to generate a plurality of time masks using a multi-phase clock signal and a clock recovery unit configured to select one of the time masks to recover a clock from a data stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Dongbu HiTek Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Sang Seob Kim
  • Patent number: 8559581
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a CDR circuit including delay elements, including: a divider having a delay element and configured to extract a clock by using, as a trigger, a data input with a signal transition regularly inserted; and a latch configured to latch an input data signal in synchronization with the clock extracted by the divider.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Tomokazu Tanaka, Hidekazu Kikuchi