CLOCK GENERATION CIRCUIT AND CLOCK ADJUSTMENT METHOD THEREOF

• US 20200136597A1
• Filed: 10/23/2019
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nuvoton Technology Corporation (Winbond Electronics Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nuvoton Technology Corporation (Winbond Electronics Corporation)
• Inventors: Chiu, Ta-Chin, Tu, Chieh-Sheng
• Granted Patent: US 10,826,474 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 3/0315 Ring oscillators
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 5/135 by the use of time reference signals, e.g. clock signals
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 7/08 Duration or width modulation ; Duty cycle modulation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 7/0016 correction of synchronization errors

Abstract

A clock generation circuit and a clock adjustment method thereof are provided. The clock generation circuit includes a fixed clock source, a variable clock source, a timing adjustment circuit, and a pulse width signal generator. The fixed clock source generates a reference clock signal having a fixed frequency. The variable clock source receives a frequency setting signal to correspondingly generate an operational clock signal having a variable frequency. The timing adjustment circuit determines whether a frequency of the operation clock signal is N times of a target frequency according to the reference clock signal to set a frequency of the operation clock signal. The pulse width signal generator divides the operating clock signal to generate a pulse width modulation signal having the target frequency.

Claims

1. A clock generation circuit, comprising:

a fixed clock source generating a reference clock signal having a fixed frequency;

a variable clock source receiving a frequency setting signal to correspondingly generate an operational clock signal having a variable frequency;

a timing adjustment circuit coupled to the fixed clock source and the variable clock source to receive the reference clock signal and the operational clock signal, determining whether a frequency of the operational clock signal is N times of a target frequency according to the reference clock signal, providing the changed frequency setting signal to the variable clock source to change the frequency of the operational clock signal when the frequency of the operational clock signal is not N times of the target frequency, and maintaining a frequency of the current operational clock signal when the frequency of the operational clock signal is N times of the target frequency, wherein N is an integer greater than one; and

a pulse width signal generator coupled to the variable clock source to receive the operational clock signal, and dividing the frequency of the operational clock signal to generate a pulse width modulation signal having the target frequency.

2. The clock generation circuit according to claim 1, wherein the fixed frequency is higher than the target frequency and the variable frequency.

3. The clock generation circuit according to claim 2, wherein the variable frequency is between the fixed frequency and the target frequency.

4. The clock generation circuit according to claim 1, wherein the timing adjustment circuit continuously changes the variable frequency when error between the variable frequency and N times of the target frequency are greater than or equal to a corresponding allowable value, and the timing adjustment circuit stops adjusting the variable frequency when error between the variable frequency and N times of the target frequency are less than a corresponding allowable value.

5. The clock generation circuit according to claim 4, wherein the greater the N is, the greater the corresponding allowable value is.

6. The clock generation circuit according to claim 1, wherein an initial value of the variable frequency is set to be a minimum value of a variation scope of the variable frequency.

7. The clock generation circuit according to claim 1, wherein an initial value of the variable frequency is set to be a maximum value of a variation scope of the variable frequency.

8. The clock generation circuit according to claim 1, wherein an initial value of the variable frequency is set to be a frequency corresponding to any level of a variation scope of the variable frequency.

9. The clock generation circuit according to claim 1, wherein the fixed clock source comprises a quartz oscillator.

10. The clock generation circuit according to claim 1, wherein the variable clock source comprises at least one of an RC oscillator and a ring oscillator.

11. A clock adjustment method of a clock generation circuit, comprising:

receiving a reference clock signal having a fixed frequency via a timing adjustment circuit;

receiving an operational clock signal having a variable frequency generated according to a frequency setting signal via the timing adjustment circuit;

determining whether a frequency of the operational clock signal is N times of a target frequency according to the reference clock signal via the timing adjustment circuit, wherein N is an integer greater than one;

when the frequency of the operational clock signal is not N times of the target frequency, providing the changed frequency setting signal to a variable clock source via the timing adjustment circuit to change the frequency of the operational clock signal;

when the frequency of the operational clock signal is N times of the target frequency, continuously providing the current frequency setting signal to the variable clock source via the timing adjustment circuit to maintain the frequency of the operational clock signal; and

dividing the frequency of the operational clock signal via a pulse width signal generator to generate a pulse width modulation signal having the target frequency.

12. The clock adjustment method according to claim 11, wherein the fixed frequency is higher than the target frequency and the variable frequency.

13. The clock adjustment method according to claim 12, wherein the variable frequency is between the fixed frequency and the target frequency.

14. The clock adjustment method according to claim 11, further comprising:

when error between the variable frequency and N times of the target frequency are greater than or equal to a corresponding allowable value, continuously changing the variable frequency via the timing adjustment circuit; and

when error between the variable frequency and N times of the target frequency are less than a corresponding allowable value, stopping adjusting the variable frequency via the timing adjustment circuit.

15. The clock adjustment method according to claim 14, wherein the greater the N is, the greater the corresponding allowable value is.

16. The clock adjustment method according to claim 11, wherein an initial value of the variable frequency is set to be a minimum value of a variation scope of the variable frequency.

17. The clock adjustment method according to claim 11, wherein an initial value of the variable frequency is set to be a maximum value of a variation scope of the variable frequency.

18. The clock adjustment method according to claim 11, wherein an initial value of the variable frequency is set to be a frequency corresponding to any level of a variation scope of the variable frequency.