Delay line calibration
First Claim
1. An apparatus for calibrating a delay line, comprising:
- the delay line adapted to a delay an input signal received at a signal input in accordance with a control signal;
a feedback path adapted to couple an output of the delay line to the signal input of the delay line;
a counter coupled to the output of the delay line;
a controller coupled to an output of the counter and adapted to generate the control signal; and
a switch adapted to decouple the output of the delay line from the input signal of the delay line.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A tunable delay line is calibrated to maintain the delay of the delay line at a desired value or within a desired range of values. In some aspects a signal is passed through a delay line multiple times so that the cumulative delay of the signal through the delay line (e.g., as indicated by a count) may be calculated over a period of time. The count is compared with an expected count and, based on this comparison, the delay of the delay line is adjusted as necessary. In some aspects the signal may comprise a digital signal. In some aspects a delay through a delay line may be calculated based on analysis of amplitude changes in a signal caused by a phase shift imparted on the signal by the delay line. In some aspects a delay line is incorporated into a transmitted reference system to generate and/or process transmitted reference signals.
171 Citations
48 Claims
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1. An apparatus for calibrating a delay line, comprising:
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the delay line adapted to a delay an input signal received at a signal input in accordance with a control signal; a feedback path adapted to couple an output of the delay line to the signal input of the delay line; a counter coupled to the output of the delay line; a controller coupled to an output of the counter and adapted to generate the control signal; and a switch adapted to decouple the output of the delay line from the input signal of the delay line. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method of calibrating a delay line, comprising:
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counting, over a period of time, signals output by the delay line; coupling the signals output by the delay line to an input of the delay line; adjusting a delay of the delay line based on the counting, wherein adjusting the delay further comprises comparing an expected count with a count generated by the counting; and adjusting the expected count or the count to compensate for a component delay in a feedback path for the delay line. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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18. A method of calibrating a delay line, comprising:
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counting, over a period of time, signals output by the delay line; coupling the signals output by the delay line to an input of the delay line; adjusting a delay of the delay line based on the counting; and adjusting a gain of an amplifier that coupled the signals output by the delay line to the input of the delay line based on detection of at least a portion of the signals output by the delay line.
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19. A method of calibrating a delay line, comprising:
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applying an input signal to an input of the delay line to generate an output signal comprising a delayed input signal; repeatedly coupling the output signal to the input of the delay line to generate a plurality of output signals; counting, over a period of time, the output signals output by the delay line; adjusting a delay of the delay line based on the counting; and decoupling the signals output by the delay line from the input of the delay line. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A method of calibrating a delay line, comprising:
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counting, over a period of time, signals output by the delay line; coupling the signals output by the delay line to an input of the delay line; adjusting a delay of the delay line based on the counting; and regenerating the signals coupled to the input of the delay line.
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31. An apparatus for calibrating a delay line, comprising:
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means for applying an input signal to an input of the delay line to generate an output signal comprising a delayed input signal; means for repeatedly coupling the output signal to the input of the delay line to generate a plurality of output signals; means for counting, over a period of time, the output signals output by the delay line; means for adjusting a delay of the delay line based on the counting; and means for decoupling the signals output by the delay line from the input of the means for delaying. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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42. An apparatus for calibrating a delay line, comprising:
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the delay line having a delay that is adapted to be adjusted in accordance with a control signal; a feedback path adapted to couple an output of the delay line to an input of the delay line, wherein the feedback path comprises a pulse regenerator; a counter coupled to the output of the delay line; and a controller coupled to an output of the counter and adapted to generate the control signal. - View Dependent Claims (43)
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44. An apparatus for calibrating a delay line, comprising:
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the delay line having a delay that is adapted to be adjusted in accordance with a control signal; a feedback path adapted to couple an output of the delay line to an input of the delay line; a counter coupled to the output of the delay line; and a controller coupled to an output of the counter and adapted to generate the control signal; wherein the counter is adapted to generate a count over time in response to pulse signals being output by the delay line;
wherein the feedback path is adapted to feed the pulse signals to the input of the delay line; and
further wherein the controller is adapted to compare the count generated by the counter with an expected count and to adjust the expected count or the count to compensate for a component delay in the feedback path. - View Dependent Claims (45, 47)
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46. An apparatus for calibrating a delay line, comprising:
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the delay line having a delay that is adapted to be adjusted in accordance with a control signal; a feedback path adapted to couple an output of the delay line to an input of the delay line, wherein the feedback path comprises an amplifier adapted to provide gain in the feedback path; a counter coupled to the output of the delay line; a controller coupled to an output of the counter and adapted to generate the control signal; and a switch adapted to decouple the output of the delay line from the input of the delay line.
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48. A computer-program product for calibrating a delay line comprising:
a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising codes for causing a computer to; apply an input signal to an input of the delay line to generate an output signal comprising a delayed input signal; repeatedly couple the output signal to the input of the delay line to generate a plurality of output signals; count, over a period of time, the output signals output by the delay line; adjust a delay of the delay line based on the counting; and decouple the signals output by the delay line from the input of the delay line.
Specification