Phase controlling apparatus, frequency controlling apparatus, oscillating apparatus, phase controlling method, and frequency controlling method

• US 20070046380A1
• Filed: 08/24/2006
• Published: 03/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Keysight Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Iwasaki, Katsuhito
• Granted Patent: US 7,576,616 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 331/1.A
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/0342 for generating simultaneously two or more related waveforms, e.g. with different phase angles only

Abstract

A phase controlling apparatus is disclosed. The phase controlling apparatus controls phases of signals which are output from a plurality of signal sources corresponding to first phase information which indicates a phase of a predetermined signal. The phase controlling apparatus includes a phase information storing section and a phase controlling section. The phase information storing section stores second phase information which indicates a phase of a signal which is output from each of the plurality of signal sources. The phase controlling section changes a phase of a signal which is output from at least one of the plurality of signal sources corresponding to the second phase information stored in the phase information storing means to control the difference of phases of signals which are output from the plurality of signal sources.

Claims

1. A phase controlling apparatus which controls phases of signals which are output from a plurality of signal sources corresponding to first phase information which indicates a phase of a predetermined signal, the apparatus comprising:

phase information storing means for storing second phase information which indicates a phase of a signal which is output from each of the plurality of signal sources; and

phase controlling means for changing a phase of a signal which is output from at least one of the plurality of signal sources corresponding to the second phase information stored in the phase information storing means to control the difference of phases of signals which are output from the plurality of signal sources.

2. The phase controlling apparatus as set forth in claim 1,

wherein the plurality of signal sources have phase offset adjusting means for shifting phases of signals which are output from the plurality of signal sources,

wherein the second phase information has a higher phase resolution than the phase offset adjusting means does.

3. The phase controlling apparatus as set forth in claim 1,

wherein when a value of a signal which is output from a signal source under control becomes zero, the phase controlling means controls the signal source to stop outputting the signal and after a predetermined period of time has elapsed, the phase controlling means controls the signal source to start outputting the signal.

4. The phase controlling apparatus as set forth in claim 1,

wherein the phase controlling means starts controlling the signal source early for a predetermined period of time necessary after a control signal is input to the signal source until it outputs a signal corresponding to the control signal.

5. The phase controlling apparatus as set forth in claim 1,

wherein the plurality of signal sources are direct digital synthesizers which output sine waves.

6. The phase controlling apparatus as set forth in one of claim 1, further comprising:

clock signal generating means for generating a clock signal to each section of the phase controlling apparatus and each of the plurality of signal sources which are operated based on the clock signal,

wherein the phase information storing means has a phase counter which performs a count operation with the clock signal, and

wherein the phase controlling means has;

a first register which stores first phase timing information with which a control signal which causes a signal source under control to stop outputting the signal is sent;

a second register which stores second phase timing information with which a control signal which causes the signal source under control to start outputting the signal is sent; and

control signal sending means for comparing phase information which is output from the phase counter of the phase information storing means corresponding to a reference signal source with the first phase timing information stored in the first register and sending the control signal to the signal source under control, the control signal causing the signal source under control to stop outputting the signal when they match, and for comparing phase information which is output from the phase counter with the second phase timing information stored in the second register and sending the control signal to the signal source under control, the control signal causing the signal source under control to start outputting the signal when they match.

7. An oscillating apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of signal sources which output signals corresponding to first phase information which indicates a phase of a predetermined signal;

phase information storing means for storing second phase information which indicates a phase of a signal which is output from each of the plurality of signal sources; and

phase controlling means for changing a phase of a signal which is output from at least one of the plurality of signal sources corresponding to the second phase information stored in the phase information storing means to control the difference of phases of signals which are output from the plurality of signal sources.

8. The oscillating apparatus as set forth in claim 7,

wherein the plurality of signal sources have phase offset adjusting means for shifting phases of signals which are output from the plurality of signal sources,

wherein the second phase information has a higher phase resolution than the phase offset adjusting means does.

9. The oscillating apparatus as set forth in claim 7,

wherein when a value of a signal which is output from a signal source under control becomes zero, the phase controlling means controls the signal source to stop outputting the signal and after a predetermined period of time has elapsed, the phase controlling means controls the signal source to start outputting the signal.

10. The oscillating apparatus as set forth in claim 7,

wherein the phase controlling means starts controlling the signal source early for a predetermined period of time necessary after a control signal is input to the signal source until it outputs a signal corresponding to the control signal.

11. The oscillating apparatus as set forth in claim 7,

wherein the plurality of signal sources are direct digital synthesizers which output sine waves.

12. The oscillating apparatus as set forth in claim 7, further comprising:

clock signal generating means for generating a clock signal to each section of the oscillating apparatus and each of the plurality of signal sources which are operated based on the clock signal,

wherein the phase information storing means has a phase counter which performs a count operation with the clock signal, and

wherein the phase controlling means has;

a first register which stores first phase timing information with which a control signal which causes a signal source under control to stop outputting the signal is sent;

a second register which stores second phase timing information with which a control signal which causes the signal source under control to start outputting the signal is sent; and

control signal sending means for comparing phase information which is output from the phase counter of the phase information storing means corresponding to a reference signal source with the first phase timing information stored in the first register and sending the control signal to the signal source under control, the control signal causing the signal source under control to stop outputting the signal when they match, and for comparing phase information which is output from the phase counter with the second phase timing information stored in the second register and sending the control signal to the signal source under control, the control signal causing the signal source under control to start outputting the signal when they match.

13. A frequency controlling apparatus which controls a frequency of a signal which is output from a signal source corresponding to first phase information which indicates a phase of a predetermined signal, the apparatus comprising:

phase information storing means for storing second phase information which indicates a phase of the signal which is output from the signal source; and

frequency controlling means for sending a control signal to the signal source, the control signal causing the signal source to change the frequency of the signal with a phase of 360 degrees corresponding to the second phase information stored in the phase information storing means.

14. The frequency controlling apparatus as set forth in claim 13,

wherein the frequency controlling means starts controlling the signal source early for a predetermined period of time necessary after a control signal is input to the signal source until it outputs a signal corresponding to the control signal.

15. The frequency controlling apparatus as set forth in one of claim 13,

wherein the signal source is a direct digital synthesizer which outputs a sine wave.

16. The frequency controlling apparatus as set forth in one of claim 13, further comprising:

clock signal generating means for generating a clock signal to each section of the frequency controlling apparatus which are operated based on the clock signal,

wherein the phase information storing means has a phase counter which performs a count operation with the clock signal, and

wherein the frequency controlling means has;

a register which stores phase timing information with which a control signal which causes the frequency of the signal which is output from the signal source to be changed is sent; and

control signal sending means for comparing phase information which is output from the phase counter with the phase timing information stored in the register and sending the control signal to the signal source under control, the control signal causing the frequency of the signal which is output from the signal source to be changed when they match.

17. An oscillating apparatus, comprising:

a signal source which outputs a predetermined signal corresponding to first phase information which indicates a phase of the signal;

phase information storing means for storing second phase information which indicates the phase of the signal which is output from the signal source; and

frequency controlling means for sending a control signal to the signal source, the control signal causing a frequency of the signal to be changed with a phase of 360 degrees corresponding to the second phase information stored in the phase information storing means.

18. A phase controlling apparatus which controls phases of signals which are output from a plurality of signal sources based on a clock signal, the apparatus comprising:

inputting means for inputting the clock signal; and

phase controlling means for stopping supplying the input clock signal to a predetermined one of the plurality of signal sources for a predetermined period of time and then starting supplying the clock signal to the signal source so as to control the phases of the signals which are output from the plurality of signal sources.

19. An oscillating apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of signal sources which output predetermined signals based on a clock signal; and

phase controlling means for stopping supplying the clock signal to a predetermined one of the plurality of signal sources for a predetermined period and then starting supplying the clock signal to the signal source so as to control the phases of the signals which are output from the plurality of signal sources.

20. A phase controlling method of controlling a difference of phases of signals which are output from a plurality of signal sources, the method comprising the steps of:

causing a signal source under control of the plurality of signal sources to stop outputting the signal when a signal output of the signal source under control becomes zero; and

causing the signal source under control to start outputting the signal after the signal output of the signal source under control has become zero and a predetermined period of time has elapsed.

21. The phase controlling method as set forth in claim 20,

wherein the first step includes sending a control signal to the signal source under control, the control signal causing the signal source under control to stop outputting the signal early for a predetermined period of time necessary after the control signal is input to the signal source under control until it outputs a signal corresponding to the control signal, and

wherein the second step includes sending the control signal to the signal source under control, the control signal causing the signal source under control to start outputting the signal early for the predetermined period of time.

22. A frequency controlling method of controlling a frequency of a signal which is output from a signal source, comprising the steps of:

generating a control signal causing a frequency of the signal to be changed with a phase of 360 degrees; and

sending a control signal to the signal source.

23. The frequency controlling method as set forth in claim 22, further comprising the step of:

sending a control signal to the signal source, the control signal causing the frequency of the signal which is output from the signal source to be changed early for a predetermined period of time necessary after the control signal is input to the signal source until it outputs a signal corresponding to the control signal.