MASKING CIRCUIT AND TIME-TO-DIGITAL CONVERTER COMPRISING THE SAME
First Claim
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1. A masking circuit for a time-to-digital converter (TDC), the masking circuit comprising:
- a reset circuit configured to generate a reset signal based on a reference signal and a controlled signal, the reference signal and the controlled signal to be sent to the TDC for detection of phase difference;
a counter configured to count to a predetermined value associated with the reference signal and the controlled signal, and configured to be reset to an initial value in response to the reset signal; and
a comparator configured to compare a count from the counter and the predetermined value, and to generate a mask signal when a count from the counter equals the predetermined value, the mask signal masking a portion of pulses of the controlled signal from entering the TDC.
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Abstract
A time-to-digital converter (TDC) comprises a TDC core and a masking circuit. The TDC core is configured to detect phase difference between a reference signal and a controlled signal. The masking circuit is configured to generate a mask signal based on the reference signal, the controlled signal, and a command signal including information of a predetermined value associated with the reference signal and the controlled signal. The mask signal is used to mask a portion of pulses of the controlled signal from entering the TDC core during detection of phase difference.
27 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A masking circuit for a time-to-digital converter (TDC), the masking circuit comprising:
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a reset circuit configured to generate a reset signal based on a reference signal and a controlled signal, the reference signal and the controlled signal to be sent to the TDC for detection of phase difference; a counter configured to count to a predetermined value associated with the reference signal and the controlled signal, and configured to be reset to an initial value in response to the reset signal; and a comparator configured to compare a count from the counter and the predetermined value, and to generate a mask signal when a count from the counter equals the predetermined value, the mask signal masking a portion of pulses of the controlled signal from entering the TDC. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A time-to-digital converter (TDC), comprising:
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a TDC core configured to detect phase difference between a reference signal and a controlled signal; and a masking circuit configured to generate a mask signal based on the reference signal, the controlled signal, and a command signal including information of a predetermined value associated with the reference signal and the controlled signal, the mask signal masking a portion of pulses of the controlled signal from entering the TDC core. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method, comprising:
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receiving a reference signal and a controlled signal for phase comparison; determining a frequency command word, FCW, based on the frequency of the reference signal and the frequency of the controlled signal; determining a number, N, based on the period of the controlled signal and a delay to be introduced if the entire controlled signal is used in the phase comparison; generating a mask signal based on the frequency command word FCW and the value of N; and masking a number of pulses of the controlled signal from the phase comparison with the mask signal. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification