Digital Calibration Techniques for Segmented Capacitor Arrays

• US 20100148881A1
• Filed: 12/11/2008
• Published: 06/17/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Altera Corporation (Intel Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Altera Corporation (Intel Corporation)
• Inventors: Moussavi, Mohsen
• Granted Patent: US 7,812,678 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 331/36.C
• CPC Class Codes: H03L 2207/50 All digital phase-locked loop
• CPC Class Codes: H03L 7/0814 the phase shifting device being digitally controlled
• CPC Class Codes: H03L 7/0816 the controlled phase shifter and the frequency- or phase-detection arrangement being connected to a common input
• CPC Class Codes: H03L 7/0818 the controlled phase shifter comprising coarse and fine delay or phase-shifting means
• CPC Class Codes: H03L 7/0991 the oscillator being a digital oscillator, e.g. composed of a fixed oscillator followed by a variable frequency divider H03L7/0995 takes precedence; fixed oscillators with means for selecting among various phases H03L7/0814
• CPC Class Codes: H03L 7/0995 the oscillator comprising a ring oscillator
• CPC Class Codes: H03L 7/18 using a frequency divider or counter in the loop H03L7/20, H03L7/22 take precedence

Abstract

An apparatus includes phase detection circuitry that generates control signals in response to an input clock signal and a feedback clock signal. The apparatus also includes a clock signal generation circuit that includes fine and coarse capacitors. The clock signal generation circuit changes a capacitance of the capacitors that are affecting the output clock signal in response to a change in the control signals. The apparatus also includes measurement circuitry that determines a calibration number of the fine capacitors having a combined capacitance that most closely matches a capacitance of one of the coarse capacitors.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

phase detection circuitry that generates control signals in response to an input clock signal and a feedback clock signal;

a clock signal generation circuit comprising fine and coarse capacitors, the clock signal generation circuit changing a capacitance of the capacitors that are affecting the output clock signal in response to a change in the control signals; and

measurement circuitry that determines a calibration number of the fine capacitors having a combined capacitance that most closely matches a capacitance of one of the coarse capacitors.

2. The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein a number of the fine capacitors affecting the output clock signal is based on the calibration number when a number of coarse capacitors affecting the output clock signal changes.

3. The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein the apparatus is configured to increase a capacitance at a node in the clock signal generation circuit to decrease a phase of the output clock signal by coupling one of the coarse capacitors to the node and decoupling one less than the calibration number of the fine capacitors from the node, and

wherein the apparatus is configured to decrease a capacitance at the node in the clock signal generation circuit to increase the phase of the output clock signal by decoupling one of the coarse capacitors from the node and coupling one less than the calibration number of the fine capacitors to the node.

4. The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein the apparatus is a phase-locked loop, the clock signal generation circuit is a digitally controlled oscillator circuit, and the phase-locked loop further comprises a frequency divider that generates the feedback clock signal in response to the output clock signal.

5. The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein the apparatus is a delay-locked loop, the clock signal generation circuit is a delay chain, and the feedback clock signal and the output clock signal are the same signal.

6. The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein each of the coarse capacitors has a larger capacitance than each of the fine capacitors.

7. The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein the phase detection circuitry comprises a phase detector and a digital loop filter coupled to the phase detector.

8. The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein the apparatus is a circuit fabricated on a programmable logic integrated circuit.

9. The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein the measurement circuitry comprises a time base circuit that generates an oscillating signal and a counter circuit that counts a first number of periods in the output clock signal in a first half of each period of the oscillating signal when a selected number of the fine capacitors are affecting a phase of the output clock signal, and wherein a counter circuit counts a second number of periods in the output clock signal in a second half of each period of the oscillating signal when only one of the coarse capacitors is affecting a phase of the output clock signal.

10. The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein the phase detection circuitry and the clock signal generation circuit are coupled in a feedback loop.

11. The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein the measurement circuitry is fabricated on a first integrated circuit and the phase detection circuitry and the clock signal generation circuit are fabricated on a second integrated circuit.

12. A circuit comprising:

phase detection circuitry that generates control signals in response to an input clock signal and a feedback clock signal; and

a clock signal generation circuit comprising fine and coarse capacitors, the clock signal generation circuit changing a capacitance of the fine and the coarse capacitors that are affecting the output clock signal in response to a change in the control signals,

wherein a measurement circuit determines a calibration number of the fine capacitors having a combined capacitance that most closely matches a capacitance of one of the coarse capacitors, and a number of the fine capacitors affecting the output clock signal is based on the calibration number when a number of coarse capacitors affecting the output clock signal changes.

13. The circuit defined in claim 12 wherein the phase detection circuitry comprises a register circuit that stores signals generated based on the calibration number.

14. The circuit defined in claim 12 wherein the circuit is configured to increase a capacitance at a node in the clock signal generation circuit to increase a delay in the output clock signal by coupling one of the coarse capacitors to the node and decoupling one less than the calibration number of the fine capacitors from the node using signals stored in a first storage circuit, and

wherein the circuit is configured to decrease a capacitance at the node in the clock signal generation circuit to decrease the delay in the output clock signal by decoupling one of the coarse capacitors from the node and coupling one less than the calibration number of the fine capacitors to the node using signals stored in a second storage circuit.

15. The circuit defined in claim 12 wherein the circuit is a phase-locked loop, the clock signal generation circuit is a digitally controlled oscillator circuit, and the phase-locked loop further comprises a frequency divider that generates the feedback clock signal in response to the output clock signal.

16. The circuit defined in claim 12 wherein the circuit is a delay-locked loop, and the clock signal generation circuit is a delay chain.

17. The circuit defined in claim 12 wherein the measurement circuit comprises a time base circuit that generates an oscillating signal and a counter circuit that counts a first number of periods in the output clock signal in one half of each period of the oscillating signal when a selected number of the fine capacitors is affecting the output clock signal, and wherein a counter circuit counts a second number of periods in the output clock signal in another half of each period of the oscillating signal when only one of the coarse capacitors is affecting the output clock signal.

18. A method for generating a periodic signal, the method comprising:

comparing phases of a periodic input signal and a periodic feedback signal to generate control signals;

varying a capacitance of fine and coarse capacitors that are affecting a phase of a periodic output signal in response to changes in the control signals; and

determining a calibration number of the fine capacitors that have a combined capacitance most closely matching a capacitance of one of the coarse capacitors.

19. The method defined in claim 18 wherein varying the capacitance of fine and coarse capacitors that are affecting the phase of the periodic output signal in response to changes in the control signals further comprises increasing a capacitance at a node to increase a delay in a phase of the periodic output signal by coupling one of the coarse capacitors to the node and decoupling one less than the calibration number of the fine capacitors from the node, and decreasing a capacitance at the node to decrease a delay in the phase of the periodic output signal by decoupling one of the coarse capacitors from the node and coupling one less than the calibration number of the fine capacitors to the node.

20. The method defined in claim 18 wherein determining the calibration number of the fine capacitors that have a combined capacitance most closely matching a capacitance of one of the coarse capacitors further comprises counting a first number of periods in the periodic output signal in one half of each period of an oscillating signal when a selected number of the fine capacitors is affecting a phase of the periodic output signal, and counting a second number of periods in the periodic output signal in another half of each period of the oscillating signal when only one of the coarse capacitors is affecting a phase of the periodic output signal.