Fractional-N frequency synthesizer with separate phase and frequency detectors

• US 8,537,952 B1
• Filed: 03/07/2008
• Issued: 09/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Marvell Asia Pte Limited (Marvell Technology Group Limited)
• Original Assignee: Marvell International Limited (Marvell Technology Group Limited)
• Inventors: Arora, Himanshu
• Primary Examiner(s): Lam, Kenneth
• Assistant Examiner(s): NEFF, MICHAEL R
• Application Number:
  US12/044,532
• Time in Patent Office: 2,020 Days
• Field of Search: 375/376
• US Class Current: 375/376
• CPC Class Codes: H03C 3/0925 applying frequency modulation at the divider in the feedback loop
• CPC Class Codes: H03C 3/0933 using fractional frequency division in the feedback loop of the phase locked loop
• CPC Class Codes: H03L 7/089 the phase or frequency detector generating up-down pulses H03L7/087 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03L 7/1974 for fractional frequency division

Abstract

A fractional-N PLL uses separate charge pumps under the control of separate frequency and phase detectors. Phase jitter from an N divider is linearized by the use of a circuit that generates pulses from the output of the N divider. After frequency lock, the frequency detector turns off the frequency charge pump. After phase lock, activity in the phase detector down charge pump is minimized, reducing the overall noise produced by respective phase and frequency detector charge pumps.

Claims

1. A method of generating a signal having a desired frequency from a reference signal, the method comprising:

providing the reference signal to both a phase detector and a frequency detector;

generating a first signal that includes a first pulse synchronized with one of i) each rising edge of an output of an N-divider or ii) each falling edge of the output of the N-divider, the first pulse having a first pulse width determined by a first delay circuit;

generating a second signal that includes a second pulse synchronized with the other one of i) each rising edge of the output of the N-divider or ii) each falling edge of the output of the N-divider, the second pulse having a second pulse width determined by a second delay circuit, the first and second pulse widths being of equal value, wherein the rising edge of the first pulse leads the falling edge of the second pulse by a pulse width of the output of the N-divider;

providing the first signal to both the phase detector and the frequency detector;

providing the second signal to both the phase detector and the frequency detector;

controlling a first charge pump with an output of the phase detector;

controlling a second charge pump with an output of the frequency detector;

coupling a loop filter to the first charge pump and the second charge pump; and

controlling a voltage controlled oscillator with an output of the loop filter to generate the signal having the desired frequency.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein coupling the loop filter to the first charge pump and the second charge pump comprises:

coupling a first filter network having a first unity gain loop bandwidth to the output of the phase detector; and

coupling a second filter network having a second unity gain loop bandwidth to the output of the frequency detector.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the second unity gain loop bandwidth is higher than the first unity gain loop bandwidth.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein controlling the first charge pump comprises:

supplying i) a constant charge from a first charge source and ii) a variable charge from a second charge source.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first pulse is triggered on the rising edge of the output of the N divider and the second pulse is triggered on the falling edge of the output of the N divider.

6. A synthesizer, comprising:

a phase detector;

a frequency detector;

a first charge pump pair controlled by the phase detector;

a second charge pump pair controlled by the frequency detector;

a loop filter coupled to the first and second charge pump pairs;

a voltage controlled oscillator coupled to the loop filter;

an N-divider coupled to the voltage controlled oscillator; and

a pulse generation circuit coupled to i) the N-divider, ii) the phase detector and iii) the frequency detector, wherein the pulse generation circuit generates a first signal that includes a first pulse synchronized with one of i) each rising edge of an output of the N-divider or ii) each falling edge of the output of the N-divider, the first pulse having a first pulse width determined by a first delay circuit, and

wherein the pulse generation circuit generates a second signal that includes a second pulse synchronized with the other one of i) each rising edge of the output of the N-divider or ii) each falling edge of the output of the N-divider, the second pulse having a second pulse width determined by a second delay circuit, the first pulse width and the second pulse width being of equal value, wherein the rising edge of the first pulse leads the falling edge of the second pulse by a pulse width of the output of the N-divider.

7. The synthesizer of claim 6, further comprising a delta-sigma modulator coupled to the divider.

8. The synthesizer of claim 6, wherein the loop filter comprises i) a first filter coupled to the first charge pump pair, and ii) a second filter coupled to the frequency detector.

9. The synthesizer of claim 8, wherein the first filter contains a zero characteristic, and the second filter has no zero characteristic.

10. The synthesizer of claim 6, wherein the phase detector uses the first and second signals and a reference frequency to control the first charge pump pair.

11. The synthesizer of claim 6, wherein the frequency detector uses the first and second signals and a reference frequency to control the second charge pump pair.

12. A synthesizer for generating a frequency output, comprising:

a controlled oscillator means providing an output signal;

a means for (i) receiving the output signal and a dividing factor and (ii) dividing a frequency of the output signal to produce a first reference signal;

a pulse generator means for receiving the first reference signal and generating a first timing pulse and a second timing pulse, wherein the first timing pulse is pulse synchronized with one of i) each rising edge of the first reference signal or ii) each falling edge of the first reference signal, the first timing pulse having a first pulse width determined by a first delay circuit, and wherein the second timing pulse is synchronized with the other one of i) each rising edge of the first reference signal or ii) each falling edge of the first reference signal, the second timing pulse having a second pulse width determined by a second delay circuit, the first and second pulse widths being of equal value, wherein the rising edge of the first timing pulse leads the falling edge of the second timing pulse by a pulse width of the first reference signal;

a frequency detector means that receives the first and second timing pulses and a second reference signal to generate first control signals;

a frequency charge pump controlled by the first control signals;

a first loop filter means coupled to the frequency charge pump, the first loop filter means producing a first oscillator control signal that controls, in part, the controlled oscillator means;

a means for (i) receiving the first and second timing pulses and the second reference signal and (ii) detecting (a) a phase between the first and second timing pulses and (b) a phase between the first timing pulse and the second reference signal to generate second control signals;

a phase charge pump controlled by the second control signals; and

a second loop filter means coupled to the phase charge pump, the second loop filter means producing a second oscillator control signal that controls, in part, the controlled oscillator means.

13. The synthesizer of claim 12, further comprising a delta-sigma modulator for receiving the first reference signal and providing a feedback signal to the divider means.

14. The synthesizer of claim 12, wherein the pulse generator means ends the first timing pulse after a delay period following the triggering of the first timing pulse.

15. The synthesizer of claim 14, wherein the pulse generator means ends the second timing pulse after the delay period following the triggering of the second timing pulse.

16. The synthesizer of claim 12, wherein the frequency detector means and first loop filter are part of a first network having a first unity gain loop bandwidth;

and

wherein the phase detector and second loop filter are part of a second network having a second unity gain loop bandwidth.

17. The synthesizer of claim 16, wherein the first unity gain loop bandwidth is higher than the second unity gain loop bandwidth.