Frequency synthesizer

• US 5,521,948 A
• Filed: 04/21/1995
• Issued: 05/28/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Takeuchi, Isao
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Stephen
• Assistant Examiner(s): VO, DON NGUYEN
• Application Number:
  US08/426,730
• Time in Patent Office: 403 Days
• Field of Search: 375/376, 331/1 A, 331/2, 331/16, 331/25, 331/11, 331/18, 331/1 R, 455/165.1, 455/183.1, 455/260, 327/147, 327/156
• US Class Current: 375/376
• CPC Class Codes: H03L 7/087 using at least two phase detectors or a frequency and phase detector in the loop
• CPC Class Codes: H03L 7/1974 for fractional frequency division

Abstract

A frequency synthesizer includes a voltage-controlled oscillator, frequency dividing circuits, a signal source, phase comparing circuits, an adding circuit, a converting circuit and a control circuit. The frequency dividing circuits divide an output supplied thereto from the voltage-controlled oscillator with frequency-dividing ratios of 1/N and 1/(N+1) where N is an arbitrary integer. The signal source outputs a reference frequency signal. The phase comparing circuits phase-compare a signal divided by N supplied thereto from one frequency dividing circuit and a signal divided by (N+1) supplied thereto from another frequency dividing circuit and the reference frequency signal from the signal source. The adding circuit adds a signal which results from phase-comparing the reference frequency signal output from the phase comparing circuit and the signal divided by N and a signal which results from phase-comparing the reference frequency signal output from the phase comparing circuit and the signal divided by (N+1). The converting circuit converts an output from the adding circuit to a DC signal and supplies the same to the voltage-controlled oscillator. The control circuit controls frequency-dividing ratios of the frequency dividing circuits. The control circuit cyclically changes the frequency-dividing ratios of the frequency dividing circuits to 1/N or 1/(N+1).

Claims

1. A frequency synthesizer comprising:

voltage-controlled oscillating means;

frequency-dividing means for dividing an output from said voltage-controlled oscillating means with a frequency-dividing ratio of 1/N and with a frequency-dividing ratio of 1/(N+1) for providing at least two frequency divided output signals, where N is an arbitrary integer;

a signal source for outputting a reference frequency signal;

phase comparing means for phase-comparing said frequency divided output signals having said frequency-dividing ratios of 1/N and 1(N+1) from said frequency-dividing means and said reference frequency signal supplied thereto from said signal source;

adding means for adding a first signal from said phase comparing means resulting from phase-comparing said reference frequency signal and said signal frequency-divided by said frequency-dividing ratio of 1/N and a second signal from said phase comparing means resulting from phase-comparing said reference frequency signal and said signal frequency-divided by said frequency-dividing ratio of 1/(N+1);

converting means for converting an output from said adding means and supplying a DC output for controlling said voltage-controlled oscillating means; and

control means receiving one of said at least two frequency divided output signals for controlling said frequency-dividing ratios of said frequency-dividing means, wherein said control means changes said frequency-dividing ratio of said frequency-dividing means to 1/N or 1/(N+1) cyclically and on an alternating basis.

2. A frequency synthesizer according to claim 1, wherein said frequency dividing means includes at least two frequency dividers each for dividing an input signal by said frequency-dividing ratios of 1/N and 1/(N+1) and said control means switches said frequency-dividing ratio to 1/N or 1/(N+1) based on an output signal from one of said two frequency dividers.

3. A frequency synthesizer according to claim 2, wherein said phase comparing means includes at least two phase comparators supplied with said reference frequency signal from said signal source for phase-comparing said frequency divided output signals from said two frequency dividers and said reference frequency signal from said signal source, and wherein output signals from said at least two phase comparators are supplied to said adding means.

4. A frequency synthesizer according to claim 1, wherein said frequency dividing means includes first and second frequency dividers each for dividing an input signal with said frequency-dividing ratios of 1/N and 1/(N+1), and wherein said control means controls said first frequency divider such that said frequency-dividing ratio of said first frequency divider is cyclically changed to 1/N and 1/(N+1) and controls said second frequency divider such that said frequency-dividing ratio of said second frequency divider is cyclically changed to 1/(N+1) and 1/N, whereby said voltage-controlled oscillating means outputs a frequency signal based on a frequency-dividing ratio of (N+0.5) times the frequency of said reference frequency signal.

5. A frequency synthesizer according to claim 1, wherein said frequency dividing means includes first, second, third and fourth frequency dividers each for dividing a respective input signal with said frequency-dividing ratios of 1/N and 1/(N+1) and sets frequency-dividing ratios of other meaning frequency dividers to 1/N cyclically, whereby said voltage-controlled oscillating means outputs a frequency signal based on a frequency-dividing ratio of (N+0.25) times the frequency of said reference frequency signal.

6. A frequency synthesizer according to claim 1, wherein said converting means is formed of a low-pass filter.