Dual loop architecture useful for a programmable clock source and clock multiplier applications

• US 7,825,708 B2
• Filed: 10/10/2008
• Issued: 11/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Skyworks Solutions Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Incorporated
• Inventors: Thomsen, Axel, Huang, Yunteng, Hein, Jerrell P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Donovan; Lincoln
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jager; Ryan C
• Application Number:
  US12/249,457
• Publication Number:
  US 20090039968A1
• Time in Patent Office: 753 Days
• Field of Search: 327/147, 331/17
• US Class Current: 327/156
• CPC Class Codes: H03L 1/022 by indirect stabilisation, i.e. by generating an electrical correction signal which is a function of the temperature H03L1/021 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03L 1/026 by using a memory for digitally storing correction values H03L1/025 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03L 2207/50 All digital phase-locked loop
• CPC Class Codes: H03L 7/095 using a lock detector H03L7/087 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03L 7/0992 comprising a counter or a frequency divider
• CPC Class Codes: H03L 7/1976 using a phase accumulator for controlling the counter or frequency divider
• CPC Class Codes: H03L 7/235 Nested phase locked loops

Abstract

A first phase-locked loop (PLL) circuit includes an input for receiving a timing reference signal from an oscillator, a controllable oscillator circuit supplying an oscillator output signal, and a multi-modulus feedback divider circuit. A second control loop circuit is selectably coupled through a select circuit to supply a digital control value (M) to the multi-modulus feedback divider circuit of the first loop circuit to thereby control the oscillator output signal. While the second control loop is coupled to supply the control value to the feedback divider circuit, the control value is determined according to a detected difference between the oscillator output signal and a reference signal coupled to the second control loop circuit at a divider circuit. While the second control loop circuit is not coupled to control the first PLL circuit, the first PLL circuit receives a digital control value to control a divide ratio of the feedback divider, the digital control value is determined at least in part according to a stored control value stored in nonvolatile storage, the stored control value corresponding to a desired frequency of the oscillator output signal.

Claims

1. An integrated circuit comprising:

a first phase-locked loop (PLL) circuit including an input for receiving a timing reference signal, a controllable oscillator circuit providing an oscillator output signal, and a feedback divider circuit;

a second phase-locked loop (PLL) circuit configured to be selectively coupled to supply a control value to the feedback divider circuit to thereby control the oscillator output signal;

a nonvolatile storage;

a selector circuit coupled to the nonvolatile storage and the second PLL circuit;

wherein while the second phase-locked loop circuit is not selected by the selector circuit to control the first PLL circuit, the first PLL circuit is coupled to receive a first control value as the control value to control a divide ratio of the feedback divider circuit, the first control value being determined at least in part according to a stored control value stored in the nonvolatile storage, the stored control value corresponding to a desired frequency of the oscillator output signal; and

wherein, while the second PLL is selected by the selector circuit to supply a second control value as the control value to the feedback divider circuit, the second control value is determined according to a detected difference between a feedback signal corresponding to the oscillator output signal and a reference signal coupled to an input of the second PLL circuit.

2. The integrated circuit as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

a temperature compensation circuit coupled to supply an adjustment value according to a detected temperature, and wherein the first control value supplied as the control value to the feedback divider circuit is further determined according to the adjustment value.

3. The integrated circuit as recited in claim 1 further comprising a voltage control input on the integrated circuit for adjusting a frequency of the oscillator output signal and wherein the first control value supplied as the control value is adjusted according to a voltage value present on the voltage control input.

4. The integrated circuit as recited in claim 1 wherein the stored control value in the non-volatile storage is based on a digital control value that was stored as a result of the second PLL circuit detecting a lock condition indicating a signal corresponding to the oscillator output signal was locked to a reference signal coupled to an input of the second phase-locked loop circuit.

5. The integrated circuit as recited in claim 1 wherein the second PLL circuit is configured as a low bandwidth phase-locked loop and a bandwidth of the first PLL circuit is substantially higher than the low bandwidth of the control loop circuit.

6. The integrated circuit as recited in claim 1 wherein the oscillator output signal is a non-integer multiple of the timing reference signal.

7. An apparatus comprising:

an inner loop circuit including a controllable oscillator supplying an inner loop output signal;

an outer loop circuit;

a selector circuit for selectively coupling the outer loop circuit to control the inner loop output signal;

first means for controlling the inner loop circuit using the outer loop circuit by supplying a control value from the outer loop circuit to control a divide ratio of a feedback divider of the inner loop circuit, while the outer loop is coupled to control the inner loop circuit, to cause the inner loop to generate the inner loop output signal, at least in part, according to a reference clock signal supplied to the outer loop circuit; and

second means for controlling the inner loop circuit while the outer loop circuit is not coupled to control the inner loop circuit, and wherein the second means for controlling is responsive to a stored control value to control the feedback divider.

8. The apparatus as recited in claim 7 wherein the second means further comprises means for adjusting the inner loop output signal according to a detected temperature.

9. The apparatus as recited in claim 7 wherein the second means further comprises means for adjusting the inner loop output signal according to a voltage on a voltage control input.

10. The apparatus as recited in claim 7 wherein the control value from the outer loop circuit to control the divide ratio of the feedback divider of the inner loop circuit is determined, at least in part, according to the reference clock signal and the inner loop output signal.

11. An integrated circuit comprising:

a first phase-locked loop circuit including, an input for receiving a timing reference signal, a feedback divider circuit, and a controllable oscillator circuit;

a second phase-locked loop circuit coupled to compare a feedback signal coupled to an output of the controllable oscillator circuit and a reference signal coupled to an input of the second phase-locked loop circuit, and to generate an error signal indicative of the comparison;

wherein the second phase-locked loop circuit is coupled to supply a divider control signal to control a divide ratio of the feedback divider circuit, the divider control signal being determined at least in part according to the error signal generated by the second phase-locked loop circuit;

wherein the second phase-locked loop circuit has a bandwidth substantially lower than a bandwidth of the first phase-locked loop circuit; and

wherein the bandwidth of the second PLL circuit is less than or equal to approximately 1 KHz and the bandwidth of the first PLL circuit is between approximately 10 KHz and 10 MHz.

12. An integrated circuit comprising:

a first phase-locked loop circuit including, an input for receiving a timing reference signal, a feedback divider circuit, and a controllable oscillator circuit;

a second phase-locked loop circuit coupled to compare a feedback signal coupled to an output of the controllable oscillator circuit and a reference signal coupled to an input of the second phase-locked loop circuit, and to generate an error signal indicative of the comparison;

wherein the second phase-locked loop circuit is coupled to supply a divider control signal to control a divide ratio of the feedback divider circuit, the divider control signal being determined at least in part according to the error signal generated by the second phase-locked loop circuit;

wherein the second phase-locked loop circuit has a bandwidth substantially lower than a bandwidth of the first phase-locked loop circuit; and

wherein the feedback signal for the second phase-locked loop circuit is fed back to the second phase-locked loop through an input to the integrated circuit.