Dynamic reference frequency for fractional-N Phase-Locked Loop

• US 9,287,886 B2
• Filed: 02/05/2009
• Issued: 03/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/29/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Ciccarelli, Steven C., Bossu, Frederic, Aparin, Vladimir, Wang, Kevin H.
• Primary Examiner(s): CHENG, DIANA
• Application Number:
  US12/366,441
• Publication Number:
  US 20090221235A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,595 Days
• Field of Search: 455/76, 455/260, 327/156, 327/158
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H03L 7/1974 for fractional frequency division

Abstract

Within a receiver, the frequency of a comparison reference clock signal supplied to a fractional-N Phase-Locked Loop (PLL) is dynamically changed such that undesirable reciprocal mixing of reference spurs with known jammers (for example, transmit leakage) is minimized. As the transmit channel changes within a band, and as the transmit leakage frequency changes, a circuit changes the frequency of the comparison reference clock signal such that reference spurs generated by the PLL are moved in frequency so that they do not reciprocally mix with transmitter leakage in undesirable ways. In a second aspect, the PLL is operable either as an integer-N PLL or a fractional-N PLL. In low total receive power situations, the PLL operates as an integer-N PLL to reduce receiver susceptibility to fractional-N spurs. In a third aspect, jammer detect information is used to determine the comparison reference clock signal frequency.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

generating a comparison reference clock signal having a first frequency;

supplying the comparison reference clock signal to a Phase-Locked Loop (PLL) configured to provide a local oscillator signal to a mixer of a transceiver;

in response to detecting a jammer at a jammer frequency within a predetermined frequency value of a transceiver receive channel frequency, wherein the jammer is at a signal strength above a predetermined level, providing a signal to the PLL to change the first frequency of the comparison reference clock signal to a second frequency when a carrier signal to noise ratio is below a predetermined threshold; and

returning the comparison reference clock signal to the first frequency, after the transceiver has operated for a time period using the comparison reference clock signal at the second frequency, in response to a determination that the jammer signal strength has not been reduced in magnitude.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising detecting the jammer by determining that the first frequency has a specific frequency relationship with a spur associated with a transmit signal.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the specific frequency relationship comprises a frequency overlap associated with respective power spectral densities of the comparison reference clock signal and the spur.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the transceiver transmits a transmit signal and the transmit signal includes transmit channel information, the transmit channel information indicating one or more of a transmit channel associated with the transmit signal, channel assignment information identifying the transmit channel, and channel assignment information that identifies the transmit channel and a receive channel.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a plurality of frequencies of the comparison reference clock signal each corresponding to a respective transmit channel of a plurality of transmit channels of a transmit band.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the transceiver transmits a transmit signal, the method further comprising:

changing the transmit signal from a first transmit channel of the plurality of transmit channels to a second transmit channel of the plurality of transmit channels; and

changing the comparison reference clock signal from the second frequency to a third frequency, the third frequency associated with the second transmit channel.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the second frequency is associated with a frequency overlap with the second transmit channel, and wherein the third frequency is not associated with a frequency overlap with the second transmit channel.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising accessing a lookup table to determine the second frequency.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the lookup table includes PLL control information.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising receiving a receive signal identifying transmit channel information, wherein the lookup table is accessed in response to receiving the receive signal.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the comparison reference clock signal has the first frequency for a first amount of time when a transmitter is transmitting in a first transmit channel of a transmit band, and wherein the comparison reference clock signal has the second frequency for a second amount of time when the transmitter is transmitting in a second transmit channel of the transmit band.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting between a fractional-N mode of the PLL and an integer-N mode of the PLL.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising accessing a lookup table based on transmit channel information to output PLL control information, wherein the PLL control information determines whether the PLL operates according to the fractional-N mode or according to the integer-N mode.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating a reference clock signal at a crystal oscillator, wherein the comparison reference clock signal is generated based on the reference clock signal.

15. A circuit comprising:

a Phase-Locked Loop (PLL) configured to supply a local oscillator signal to a mixer of a transceiver;

a Programmable Comparison Reference Clock Signal Generator (PCRCSG) configured to supply a comparison reference clock signal to the PLL, wherein the comparison reference clock signal has a first frequency; and

a lookup circuit configured to supply PLL control information to the PCRCSG based on transmit channel information;

wherein the transceiver is configured to transmit a transmit signal according to the transmit channel information,

wherein the PCRCSG is configured to change the first frequency of the comparison reference clock signal to a second frequency based on the PLL control information;

wherein the transmit channel information comprises a jammer frequency being within a predetermined frequency value of a receive channel frequency of the transceiver, a jammer signal strength being above a predetermined level, and a carrier signal to noise ratio being below a predetermined threshold;

wherein the PCRCSG is configured to return the comparison reference clock signal to the first frequency, after the transceiver has operated for a time period using the comparison reference clock signal at the second frequency, in response to a determination that the jammer signal strength has not been reduced in magnitude.

16. The circuit of claim 15, transceiver is configured to receive a signal that includes the transmit channel information.

17. The circuit of claim 15, wherein the transmit channel information includes channel assignment information, and wherein the channel assignment information identifies the transmit channel.

18. The circuit of claim 15, wherein the transmit channel information includes channel assignment information, and wherein the channel assignment information identifies the transmit channel and a receive channel.

19. The circuit of claim 15, wherein the transmit channel is one of a plurality of transmit channels of a transmit band.

20. The circuit of claim 15, further comprising a processor and a set of processor-executable instructions stored on a processor-readable medium.

21. A circuit comprising:

a jammer detection circuit configured to generate an interrupt signal in response to detecting a jammer and further configured to output at least one value indicating a frequency of the detected jammer is within a predetermined frequency value of a receive channel frequency, a strength of the detected jammer is above a predetermined level, and a carrier signal to noise ratio is below a predetermined threshold;

a lookup circuit configured to generate phase-locked loop control information responsive to the at least one value; and

a Phase-Locked Loop (PLL) of a local oscillator of a receiver, the PLL being configured to change a clock signal from a first frequency to a second frequency based on the phase-locked loop control information;

wherein the PLL is configured to return the clock signal to the first frequency, after the PLL has operated the clock signal for a time period at the second frequency, in response to a determination that the strength of the detected jammer has not been reduced in magnitude.

22. The circuit of claim 21, further comprising a first integrated circuit and a second integrated circuit, wherein the first integrated circuit includes the lookup circuit, wherein the second integrated circuit includes the PLL, and wherein the first integrated circuit is coupled to supply the phase-locked loop control information to the second integrated circuit.

23. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer-readable tangible medium comprising instructions executable by a processor to cause the processor to;

execute an interrupt service routine responsive to receiving an interrupt, wherein the interrupt service routine includes reading at least one value stored in a register, the at least one value indicating a frequency of a detected jammer is within a predetermined frequency value of a receive channel frequency, a strength of a detected jammer is above a predetermined level, and a carrier signal to noise ratio is below a predetermined threshold; and

change a frequency of a comparison reference clock signal to be provided to a phase-locked loop (PLL), wherein the frequency is changed from a first frequency to a second frequency based on the at least one value;

wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to cause the processor to return the comparison reference clock signal to the first frequency, after operating the comparison reference clock signal for a time period at the second frequency, in response to a determination that detected jammer signal strength has not been reduced in magnitude.

24. The computer program product of claim 23, wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to cause the processor to supply phase-locked loop control information to the PLL based on the at least one value.

25. The computer program product of claim 24, wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to maintain a lookup table of values associated with respective frequencies of the comparison reference clock signal to be provided to the PLL.

26. An apparatus comprising:

means for transmitting a transmit signal;

means for generating a local oscillation signal based on a comparison reference clock signal;

means for detecting a jammer associated with the transmit signal; and

means for changing a frequency of the comparison reference clock signal from a first frequency to a second frequency based on a jammer frequency being within a predetermined frequency value of a receive channel frequency of the means for transmitting, a jammer signal strength being above a predetermined level, and a carrier signal to noise ratio being below a predetermined threshold;

wherein the means for changing the frequency is configured to return the comparison reference clock signal to the first frequency, after the means for transmitting has operated for a time period using the comparison reference clock signal at the second frequency, in response to a determination that the jammer signal strength has not been reduced in magnitude.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, further comprising means for storing a plurality of values each corresponding to a respective one of a plurality of frequencies of the comparison reference clock signal, wherein the means for storing the plurality of values is responsive to values output by the means for detecting the jammer.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the means for storing the plurality of values comprises a lookup table.

29. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the means for changing the frequency of the comparison reference clock signal includes a processor, a serial bus, and a programmable comparison reference clock signal generator.

30. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the means for generating the local oscillation signal comprises a Phase-Locked Loop (PLL) operable in a selectable one of a fractional-N mode and an integer-N mode.

31. A mobile device comprising:

a phase locked loop (PLL) coupled to generate a local oscillation signal based on a comparison reference clock signal;

a jammer detection circuit coupled to generate a signal in response to detecting a jammer having a jammer frequency within a predetermined frequency value of a receive channel frequency and a jammer signal strength above a predetermined level, and a carrier signal to noise ratio being below a predetermined threshold; and

a processor responsive to the signal to select at least one value of a lookup table of values, the processor determining whether the PLL operates according to a fractional mode corresponding to a first frequency or according to an integer mode corresponding to a second frequency and further changing a frequency of the comparison reference clock signal from the first frequency to the second frequency based on the at least one value;

wherein the processor is configured to return the comparison reference clock signal to the first frequency, after operating the comparison reference clock signal for a time period at the second frequency, in response to a determination that detected jammer signal strength has not been reduced in magnitude.

32. The mobile device of claim 31, wherein the processor uses a timer responsive to a change of mode of the PLL until enabling a next change of mode of the PLL, wherein the change of mode is associated with one of changing from integer operation to fractional operation and changing from fractional operation to integer operation, and wherein the next change of mode is associated with the other of changing from integer operation to fractional operation and changing from fractional operation to integer operation.