Patent classifications
H03L7/0992
Faster phase-locked loop locking using successive approximation toward a target frequency
A digital phase-locked loop (DPLL) includes a time-to-digital converter (TDC) to generate a multi-bit code based on a phase error between a reference clock and a feedback clock, a digital loop filter (DLF) coupled to the TDC, a digitally-controlled oscillator (DCO) circuit coupled to the DLF and to generate an output signal that is convertible to the feedback clock, and a logic component coupled to an input of the DCO circuit. The logic component is to: trigger, in response to detecting a power on of the DPLL circuit, a switch to decouple the DLF from the DCO circuit; determine, from the reference clock, a target frequency; measure a frequency of the feedback clock; and iteratively generate, based on the frequency during each iteration, a set of digital bits to the input of the DCO circuit that successively causes the frequency to converge towards the target frequency.
Time-to-digital converter (TDC) measuring phase difference between periodic inputs
A time-to-digital converter (TDC) includes a count logic and a digital core. The count logic generates a first sequence of counts representing a first sequence of edges of a first periodic signal, and a second sequence of counts representing a second sequence of edges of a second periodic signal. The digital core generates a sequence of outputs representing the phase differences between the first periodic signal and the second periodic signal from the first sequence of counts and the second sequence of counts. Each output is generated from a pair of successive edges of the first direction of one of the periodic signals and an individual one of the other periodic signal occurring between the pair, and the output is set equal to the minimum of difference of the individual one with the first value of the pair and the individual one with the second value of the pair.
METHOD TO MITIGATE UNDESIRED OSCILLATOR FREQUENCY MODULATION EFFECTS IN-SIDE A SYNTHESIZER DUE TO INTERFERENCE SIGNALS AND SYNTHESIZER CIRCUIT
A synthesizer circuit to generate a local oscillator carrier signal for a baseband signal includes a controlled oscillator comprising a phase lock loop and an oscillator configured to generate an oscillating signal. A pulling compensation circuit is configured to generate a correction signal for a present output of the phase locked loop using information on an error of the oscillating signal, information on a present sample of a baseband signal and a preceding correction signal for a preceding output of the phase locked loop.
Reducing noise contribution in compensating for unequal successive time periods of a reference clock in a fractional-N phase locked loop
Enhancing the accuracy in compensating errors caused by a reference signal with unequal successive periods in a fractional-N phase locked loop (PLL). A compensation block generates a compensation factor, and is implemented based on a correction block and a filter. The correction block generates a correction signal containing a first frequency correction factor and a second frequency correction factor for a first period and a second period constituting each pair of successive periods, with the correction signal also containing a noise component at direct current (DC). The filter operates to remove the noise component at DC from the correction signal to generate a compensation factor containing the first frequency correction factor and the second frequency correction factor. The compensation factor thus generated may be provided as an input to a division factor generator of a frequency divider block of the PLL, potentially resulting in zero error frequency synthesis.
Phase synchronization updates without synchronous signal transfer
Embodiments of the present disclosure provide systems and methods for realizing phase synchronization updates based on an input system reference signal SYSREF without the need to synchronously distribute the SYSREF signal on a high-speed domain. In particular, phase synchronization mechanisms of the present disclosure are based on keeping a first phase accumulator in the device clock domain and using a second phase accumulator in the final digital clock domain to asynchronously transmit phase updates to the final digital clock domain. Arrival of a new SYSREF pulse may be detected based on the counter value of the first phase accumulator, which value is asynchronously transferred and scaled to the second phase accumulator downstream. In this manner, even though the SYSREF signal itself is not synchronously transferred to the second phase accumulator, the phase updates from the SYSREF signal may be transferred downstream so that the final phase may be generated deterministically.
METHOD FOR COMMUNICATING A REFERENCE TIME BASE IN A MICROCONTROLLER, AND CORRESPONDING MICROCONTROLLER INTEGRATED CIRCUIT
In an embodiment a method includes generating a low-frequency clock signal having a first frequency, in a standby mode and in a run mode of the CPU, generating a high-frequency clock signal having a second frequency higher than the first frequency, in the run mode, updating a value of the reference time base at each period of the low-frequency clock signal in the standby mode, and accessing the counter register with the high-frequency clock signal in the run mode.
Calibration loop for differential sub-sampling phase detector in sub-sampling phase locked loop
Presented herein are techniques for implementing a differential sub-sampling phase locked loop (PLL). A method includes detecting a common-mode voltage on an output of a differential sub-sampling phase detector operating in the differential sub-sampling phase locked loop, and controlling, based on the common-mode voltage, a duty cycle of a feedback signal of the differential sub-sampling phase locked loop that is fed back to the differential sub-sampling phase detector.
Triple-path clock and data recovery circuit, oscillator circuit and method for clock and data recovery
A clock and data recovery circuit includes a sampling circuit, a phase detector, a first processing circuit, a second processing circuit and an oscillator circuit. The sampling circuit is configured to sample input data according to an output clock, and generate a sampling result. The phase detector is configured to generate a detection result according to the sampling result. The first processing circuit is configured to process the sampling result to generate a first digital code. The second processing circuit is configured to accumulate a portion of the first digital code to generate a second digital code. A rate of change of a code value of the second digital code is slower than a rate of change of a code value of the first digital code. The oscillator circuit is configured to generate the output clock according to the detection result, the first digital code and the second digital code.
CALIBRATION LOOP FOR DIFFERENTIAL SUB-SAMPLING PHASE DETECTOR IN SUB-SAMPLING PHASE LOCKED LOOP
Presented herein are techniques for implementing a differential sub-sampling phase locked loop (PLL). A method includes detecting a common-mode voltage on an output of a differential sub-sampling phase detector operating in the differential sub-sampling phase locked loop, and controlling, based on the common-mode voltage, a duty cycle of a feedback signal of the differential sub-sampling phase locked loop that is fed back to the differential sub-sampling phase detector.
CALIBRATION OF A TIME-TO-DIGITAL CONVERTER USING A VIRTUAL PHASE-LOCKED LOOP
A clock product includes a time-to-digital converter responsive to an input clock signal, a reference clock signal, and a time-to-digital converter calibration signal. The time-to-digital converter includes a coarse time-to-digital converter and a fine time-to digital converter. The clock product includes a calibration circuit including a phase-locked loop. The calibration circuit is configured to generate the time-to-digital converter calibration signal. The clock product includes a controller configured to execute instructions that cause the phase-locked loop to generate an error signal for each possible value of a fine time code of a digital time code generated by the time-to-digital converter and to average the error signal over multiple clock cycles to generate an average error signal.