A wide band frequency synthesizer may include a primary phase-locked loop (PLL) to receive a signal that include a local signal and a VCO signal mixed together and to generate the tuning voltage based on a phase comparison of the local signal and the VCO signal. The local signal may be obtained from a reference signal through frequency multiplication. If the primary PLL fails to lock onto an output frequency, a secondary PLL (acquisition circuit) may be switched in performing a phase comparison between the reference signal and the VCO signal to generate the tuning voltage. The secondary PLL may then provide the tuning voltage to an output of the primary PLL.

A wide band frequency synthesizer may include a primary phase-locked loop (PLL) to receive a signal that include a local signal and a VCO signal mixed together and to generate the tuning voltage based on a phase comparison of the local signal and the VCO signal. The local signal may be obtained from a reference signal through frequency multiplication. If the primary PLL fails to lock onto an output frequency, a secondary PLL (acquisition circuit) may be switched in performing a phase comparison between the reference signal and the VCO signal to generate the tuning voltage. The secondary PLL may then provide the tuning voltage to an output of the primary PLL.

A method and apparatus for performing on-system phase-locked loop (PLL) management in a memory device are provided. The method may include: utilizing a processing circuit within the memory controller to set multiple control parameters among multiple parameters stored in a register circuit of a transmission interface circuit within the memory controller, for controlling parameter adjustment of a PLL of the transmission interface circuit; utilizing a trimming control circuit to perform the parameter adjustment of the PLL according to the multiple control parameters, to adjust a set of voltage parameters among the multiple parameters, for optimizing a control voltage of a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO); and during the parameter adjustment of the PLL, utilizing the trimming control circuit to generate and store multiple processing results in the register circuit, for being sent back to the processing circuit, to complete the parameter adjustment of the PLL, thereby achieving the on-system PLL management.

A method and apparatus for performing on-system phase-locked loop (PLL) management in a memory device are provided. The method may include: utilizing a processing circuit within the memory controller to set multiple control parameters among multiple parameters stored in a register circuit of a transmission interface circuit within the memory controller, for controlling parameter adjustment of a PLL of the transmission interface circuit; utilizing a trimming control circuit to perform the parameter adjustment of the PLL according to the multiple control parameters, to adjust a set of voltage parameters among the multiple parameters, for optimizing a control voltage of a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO); and during the parameter adjustment of the PLL, utilizing the trimming control circuit to generate and store multiple processing results in the register circuit, for being sent back to the processing circuit, to complete the parameter adjustment of the PLL, thereby achieving the on-system PLL management.

A frequency estimator for estimating a frequency, including a counter configured to count an integer number of full clock cycles during a measurement time window; a Time-to-Digital Converter (TDC) configured to measure a fraction of a clock cycle during the measurement time window; and a processor configured to determine the estimated frequency based on the counted number of full clock cycles and the measured fraction of the clock cycle.

A frequency estimator for estimating a frequency, including a counter configured to count an integer number of full clock cycles during a measurement time window; a Time-to-Digital Converter (TDC) configured to measure a fraction of a clock cycle during the measurement time window; and a processor configured to determine the estimated frequency based on the counted number of full clock cycles and the measured fraction of the clock cycle.

A receiving device includes a phase-locked loop (PLL) circuit having a current control oscillator, a phase detector, an integral path, and a proportional path. The current control oscillator can generate an oscillation clock based on a first and second current. The phase detector can acquire a phase detection result based on the oscillation clock and a received signal. The integral path can generate the first current based on an integrated value of the phase detection results and supply the first current to the current control oscillator. The proportional path includes a digital-to-current converter to generate the second current based on the phase detection result and supply the second current to the current control oscillator. The receiving device includes a controller configured to adjust the second current based on frequency-current characteristics of the current control oscillator.

A receiving device includes a phase-locked loop (PLL) circuit having a current control oscillator, a phase detector, an integral path, and a proportional path. The current control oscillator can generate an oscillation clock based on a first and second current. The phase detector can acquire a phase detection result based on the oscillation clock and a received signal. The integral path can generate the first current based on an integrated value of the phase detection results and supply the first current to the current control oscillator. The proportional path includes a digital-to-current converter to generate the second current based on the phase detection result and supply the second current to the current control oscillator. The receiving device includes a controller configured to adjust the second current based on frequency-current characteristics of the current control oscillator.

A Quadrature Voltage Controlled Oscillator (Quad VCO) based on standard digital cells and delay cells, is adapted to generate two high-frequency output signals that are “in quadrature”, so they both oscillate with similar frequency while exhibiting a mutual phase offset of about 90 degrees, and a) the digital cells include a mix of digital circuits used for implementing standard flip-flop circuits and standard logic gates; and b) the delay cells include circuits accepting a logic signal at their input and outputting a time-delayed version of said input signal, with a time delay that may be varied by a control voltage analog signal that determines the cell delay.

A Quadrature Voltage Controlled Oscillator (Quad VCO) based on standard digital cells and delay cells, is adapted to generate two high-frequency output signals that are “in quadrature”, so they both oscillate with similar frequency while exhibiting a mutual phase offset of about 90 degrees, and a) the digital cells include a mix of digital circuits used for implementing standard flip-flop circuits and standard logic gates; and b) the delay cells include circuits accepting a logic signal at their input and outputting a time-delayed version of said input signal, with a time delay that may be varied by a control voltage analog signal that determines the cell delay.