Digitally controlled oscillator

• US 9,496,882 B2
• Filed: 09/26/2014
• Issued: 11/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
• Inventors: Tsai, Tsung-Hsien
• Primary Examiner(s): KINKEAD, ARNOLD M
• Application Number:
  US14/497,890
• Publication Number:
  US 20160072514A1
• Time in Patent Office: 781 Days
• Field of Search: 331/2, 331/46, 331/55, 331/57, 331/50
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H03B 27/00 Generation of oscillations providing a plurality of outputs of the same frequency but differing in phase, other than merely two anti-phase outputs
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 3/011 Modifications of generator to compensate for variations in physical values, e.g. voltage, temperature to maintain energy constant H03K3/015
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 5/133 using a chain of active delay devices
• CPC Class Codes: H03L 1/00 Stabilisation of generator output against variations of physical values, e.g. power supply
• CPC Class Codes: H03L 2207/50 All digital phase-locked loop
• CPC Class Codes: H03L 7/0802 the loop being adapted for reducing power consumption H03L7/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03L 7/093 using special filtering or amplification characteristics in the loop H03L7/087 - H03L7/091 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03L 7/099 concerning mainly the controlled oscillator of the loop
• CPC Class Codes: H03L 7/0994 comprising an accumulator
• CPC Class Codes: H03L 7/0995 the oscillator comprising a ring oscillator
• CPC Class Codes: H03L 7/0997 Controlling the number of delay elements connected in series in the ring oscillator

Abstract

In some embodiments, a digitally controlled oscillator includes a first oscillator a second oscillator and a switch. The second oscillator is selectively enabled in response to a controlled signal. The switch is coupled between the first oscillator and the second oscillator and is selectively conducted in response to the controlled signal, so that an oscillator signal is provided by the first oscillator when the switch is not conducted, and provided by the first oscillator and the second oscillator when the switch is conducted.

Claims

1. A digitally controlled oscillator (DCO), comprising:

a first oscillator;

a second oscillator, being selectively enabled in response to a controlled signal; and

a switch, coupled between the first oscillator and the second oscillator, being selectively conducted in response to the controlled signal, so that an oscillator signal is provided by the first oscillator when the switch is not conducted, and provided by the first oscillator and the second oscillator when the switch is conducted,

wherein the second oscillator includes a capacitive device arranged to adjust the resolution of the oscillator signal, and the capacitive device is, in response to a second controlled signal, selectively enabled when the switch is conducted and the second oscillator is enabled;

wherein the DCO provides the oscillator signal with a first resolution when the second oscillator is not enabled, the switch is not conducted and the capacitive device is not enabled;

the DCO provides the oscillator signal with a second resolution when the second oscillator is enabled, the switch is conducted and the capacitive device is enabled; and

the DCO provides the oscillator signal with a third resolution when the second oscillator is enabled, the switch is conducted and the capacitive device is not enabled.

2. The DCO as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first oscillator includes a first capacitor and the second oscillator includes a second capacitor, the first capacitor being selectively connected in parallel with the second capacitor in response to a conduction state of the switch.

3. The DCO as claimed in claim 2 exhibiting a first capacitance when the first capacitor is connected in parallel with the second capacitor, and exhibiting a second capacitance when the first capacitor is not connected in parallel with the second capacitor, the first capacitance being greater than the second capacitance.

4. The DCO as claimed in claim 2, wherein the amount of operation current in the first oscillator and the second oscillator when the first capacitor is connected in parallel with the second capacitor is larger than the amount of operation current in the first oscillator when the first capacitor is not connected in parallel with the second capacitor.

5. The DCO as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of the first or the second oscillator includes a ring oscillator.

18. The DCO as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first resolution is higher than the second resolution, and the second resolution is higher than the third resolution.

6. A method, comprising:

providing a digitally controlled oscillator (DCO), the DCO including a first oscillator, a second oscillator and a switch coupled between the first oscillator and the second oscillator, wherein the second oscillator comprises a capacitive device;

selectively enabling the second oscillator in response to an enable signal;

selectively conducting the switch in response to the enable signal;

providing an oscillator signal by the first oscillator when the switch is not conducted;

providing an oscillator signal by the first oscillator and the second oscillator when the switch is conducted; and

selectively, in response to a second controlled signal, enabling the capacitive device when the switch is conducted and the second oscillator is enabled, and

providing, by the DCO, the oscillator signal with a first resolution when the second oscillator is not enabled, the switch is not conducted and the capacitive device is not enabled;

providing, by the DCO, the oscillator signal with a second resolution when the second oscillator is enabled, the switch is conducted and the capacitive device is enabled; and

providing, by the DCO, the oscillator signal with a third resolution when the second oscillator is enabled, the switch is conducted and the capacitive device is not enabled.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the first oscillator includes a first capacitor and the second oscillator includes a second capacitor, further comprising:

selectively connecting the first capacitor in parallel with the second capacitor in response to a conduction state of the switch.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the DCO exhibits a first capacitance when the first capacitor is connected in parallel with the second capacitor, and exhibits a second capacitance when the first capacitor is not connected in parallel with the second capacitor, the first capacitance being greater than the second capacitance.

9. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the amount of operation current in the first oscillator and the second oscillator when the first capacitor is connected in parallel with the second capacitor is larger than the amount of operation current in the first oscillator when the first capacitor is not connected in parallel with the second capacitor.

10. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein at least one of the first or the second oscillator includes a ring oscillator.

19. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the first resolution is higher than the second resolution, and the second resolution is higher than the third resolution.

11. A method, comprising:

providing a digitally controlled oscillator (DCO), the DCO including a first oscillator including a third capacitor, a second oscillator including a capacitive device and a switch coupled between the first oscillator and the second oscillator, and the DCO providing an oscillator signal having a first resolution; and

adjusting the first resolution by selectively enabling the second oscillator in response to a controlled signal and by selectively conducting the switch in response to the controlled signal, wherein adjusting the first resolution further comprises;

adjusting the first resolution by selectively connecting the third capacitor in parallel with the capacitive device in response to the conduction state of the switch; and

selectively enabling the capacitive device in response to a second controlled signal when the switch is conducted and the second oscillator is enabled;

adjusting the first resolution to a second resolution by enabling the second oscillator, connecting the third capacitor in parallel with the capacitive device and enabling the capacitive device; and

adjusting the first resolution to a third resolution by enabling the second oscillator, and not enabling the capacitive device.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the first oscillator includes a first capacitor and the second oscillator includes a second capacitor, wherein adjusting the first resolution further comprises:

adjusting the first resolution by selectively connecting the first capacitor in parallel with the second capacitor in response to a conduction state of the switch.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein adjusting the first resolution further comprises:

adjusting the first resolution to the second resolution lower than the first resolution by connecting the first capacitor in parallel with the second capacitor in response to the conduction state of the switch.

14. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein adjusting the first resolution further comprises:

adjusting the first resolution to the second resolution lower than the first resolution by connecting the first capacitor in parallel with the second capacitor and connecting the third capacitor in parallel with the capacitive device in response to the conduction state of the switch.

15. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein adjusting the first resolution further comprises:

adjusting the first resolution to the second resolution lower than the first resolution by connecting the first capacitor in parallel with the second capacitor and connecting the third capacitor in parallel with the capacitive device in response to the conduction state of the switch, and enabling the capacitive device in response to the second controlled signal;

or

adjusting the first resolution to the third resolution lower than the second resolution by connecting the first capacitor in parallel with the second capacitor in response to the conduction state of the switch, and not enabling the capacitive device in response to the second controlled signal.

16. The method as claimed in claim 15, wherein the capacitance of the first and the second capacitor is inversely proportional to resolution of the oscillator signal.

17. The method as claimed in claim 15, wherein the capacitance of the third and the capacitive device is proportional to resolution of the oscillator signal.