US6570454B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Multiple input phase lock loop with hitless reference switching
Assignee: Microsemi Semiconductor ULC
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Filing: 2001-12-07
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Granted: 2003-05-27
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Expires: 2021-12-07
Abstract
Abstract A clock recovery circuit for recovering clock signals from one of a plurality of input reference signals, includes an acquisition phase locked loop (PLL) for each input. The acquisition PLL having phase comparator for comparing the phase of an input signal to a feedback signal, and first and second digital controlled oscillators (DCOs) receiving an input from the phase comparator. The first DCO of the acquisition PLL is in a feedback loop to supply an input to the phase comparator and the second DCO of the acquisition PLL has a control input to introduce a phase offset therein relative to said the DCO of the acquisition PLL and provides an output for the acquisition PLL. An output PLL has a phase comparator selectively connectable to the output of each of the acquisition PLLs. The output PLL has a first DCO providing an output for the circuit and a second DCO in a feedback loop providing a feedback signal to the phase comparator of the output PLL. The second DCO of the output PLL has a control input to introduce a phase offset therein relative to the first DCO of the output PLL. A control unit for sets the phase of the second DCO of the acquisition circuit and the second DCO of the output PLL to a common value during changeover from one input to another to avoid an instantaneous phase error upon switching reference signals.
Inventors
- 👤 Simon Skierszkan
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 14:14
CPC Classifications
H; H03; H03L; H03L7/00; H03L7/06; H03L7/08; H03L7/0805; H03L7/07; H03L7/081; H03L7/099; H03L7/0991; H03L7/0994; H04; H04J; H04J3/00; H04J3/02; H04J3/06; H04J3/0635; H04J3/0685; H04J3/0688
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim
238 words
A clock recovery circuit for recovering clock signals from one of a plurality of input reference signals, comprising: an acquisition phase locked loop (PLL) for each input, each said acquisition PLL having phase comparator for comparing the phase of an input signal to a feedback signal, and first and second digital controlled oscillators (DCOs) receiving an input from said phase comparator, said first DCO of said acquisition PLL being in a feedback loop to supply an input to said phase comparator and said second DCO of said acquisition PLL having a control input to introduce a phase offset therein relative to said first DCO of said acquisition PLL and providing an output for said acquisition PLL; an output PLL having a phase comparator selectively connectable to the output of each of said acquisition PLLs, said output PLL having a first DCO providing an output for said circuit and a second DCO in a feedback loop providing a feedback signal to said phase comparator of said output PLL, said second DCO of said output PLL having a control input to introduce a phase offset therein relative to said first DCO of said output PLL; and a control unit for setting the phase of the second DCO of said acquisition circuit and the second DCO of said output PLL to a common value during changeover from one input to another to avoid an instantaneous phase error upon switching reference signals.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
238 words
A clock recovery circuit for recovering clock signals from one of a plurality of input reference signals, comprising: an acquisition phase locked loop (PLL) for each input, each said acquisition PLL having phase comparator for comparing the phase of an input signal to a feedback signal, and first and second digital controlled oscillators (DCOs) receiving an input from said phase comparator, said first DCO of said acquisition PLL being in a feedback loop to supply an input to said phase comparator and said second DCO of said acquisition PLL having a control input to introduce a phase offset therein relative to said first DCO of said acquisition PLL and providing an output for said acquisition PLL; an output PLL having a phase comparator selectively connectable to the output of each of said acquisition PLLs, said output PLL having a first DCO providing an output for said circuit and a second DCO in a feedback loop providing a feedback signal to said phase comparator of said output PLL, said second DCO of said output PLL having a control input to introduce a phase offset therein relative to said first DCO of said output PLL; and a control unit for setting the phase of the second DCO of said acquisition circuit and the second DCO of said output PLL to a common value during changeover from one input to another to avoid an instantaneous phase error upon switching reference signals.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
30 words
A clock recovery circuit as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a tapped delay line in the feedback loop of said acquisition PLL to produce a low jitter output.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
30 words
A clock recovery circuit as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the phase comparator comprises a cycle/slip counter and a decimator for decimating the output of the cycle slip counter.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
A clock recovery circuit as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising an integrator/accumulator for integrating the output of the phase comparator.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
29 words
A clock recovery circuit as claimed in claim 4 , further comprising a first adder for adding the output of said integrator/accumulator to the output of said phase comparator.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
44 words
A clock recovery circuit as claimed in claim 5 , further comprising respective additional adders for adding constants to the output of said first adder, said additional adders being connected to the respective inputs of said first and second DCOs of said acquisition PLL.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
25 words
A clock recovery circuit as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said DCOs includes extra bits that count the cycles of the generated output clock.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
48 words
A clock recovery circuit as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising an integrator/accumulator for integrating the output of said phase comparator of said output PLL, and a first adder for adding the output of said integrator/accumulator to the output of said phase comparator of said output PLL.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
40 words
A clock recovery circuit as claimed in claim 8 , further comprising additional adders for adding a constant to the output of said first adder, said additional adders being connected to the inputs of the DCOs of said output PLL.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
53 words
A clock recovery circuit as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said digital controlled oscillators of said acquisition PLLs are adding type rate multipliers, one of which generates an output signal when attaining an overflow condition and a remainder term that generates a control signal representing the time error in each output signal.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
31 words
A clock recovery circuit as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said output of said first DCO of said output PLL is connected to a tapped delay line to reduce jitter.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
168 words
A method of recovering a clock signal from one of a plurality of input reference signals comprising the steps of: providing an acquisition phase locked loop (PLL) for each input, each said acquisition PLL including first and second digital controlled oscillators (DCOs); tracking a reference input signal with said first and second DCOs, said first DCO being in a feedback loop of said acquisition PLL and said second DCO providing an output of said acquisition phase locked loop; providing an output PLL selectively connectable to said acquisition PLLs, said output PLL including first and second DCOs; tracking said output of said acquisition PLLs with said first and second DCOs of said output PLL, said first DCO of said output PLL providing a recovered clock signal and said second DCO of said output PLL being in a feedback loop of said output PLL; and setting the phase of said second DCO of said acquisition PLL and said output PLL to a common value during changeover to another reference input.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
168 words
A method of recovering a clock signal from one of a plurality of input reference signals comprising the steps of: providing an acquisition phase locked loop (PLL) for each input, each said acquisition PLL including first and second digital controlled oscillators (DCOs); tracking a reference input signal with said first and second DCOs, said first DCO being in a feedback loop of said acquisition PLL and said second DCO providing an output of said acquisition phase locked loop; providing an output PLL selectively connectable to said acquisition PLLs, said output PLL including first and second DCOs; tracking said output of said acquisition PLLs with said first and second DCOs of said output PLL, said first DCO of said output PLL providing a recovered clock signal and said second DCO of said output PLL being in a feedback loop of said output PLL; and setting the phase of said second DCO of said acquisition PLL and said output PLL to a common value during changeover to another reference input.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the jitter in said acquisition phase locked loop is reduced with a tapped delay line.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method as claimed in claim 12 , wherein said DCOs have extension bits counting the output cycles of the clock generated by the DCO.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
35 words
A method as claimed in claim 12 , wherein each said PLL includes a phase comparator, and the output of the phase comparator is integrated prior to being fed to said first and second DCOs.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method as claimed in claim 15 , wherein cycle slips are counted with an up/down counter in said phase comparator.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the output of the cycle slip counter is decimated.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method as claimed in claim 12 , wherein said acquisition PLLs are selected by a controller that also controls the phase offset of said DCOs.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method as claimed in claim 18 , wherein said controller controls the select input of a multiplexer to connect the active acquisition PLL to said output PLL.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
133 words
An acquisition digital phase locked loop for recovering a stable clock signal from an input signal subject to jitter, comprising: a digital input circuit receiving said input signal; first and second digital controlled oscillators for generating outputs at a desired frequency and a control signal representing the time error in each said output signal; plurality of tapped delay lines, said tapped delay lines comprising a plurality of delay means, the sum of the delay of said plurality of tapped delay line being less than one clock cycle of said digital controlled oscillators; and a digital phase comparator for receiving said at least one input signal from said input circuit and said output signal from said last plurality tapped delay line providing means to generate a digital input signal controlling said digital controlled oscillators.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
133 words
An acquisition digital phase locked loop for recovering a stable clock signal from an input signal subject to jitter, comprising: a digital input circuit receiving said input signal; first and second digital controlled oscillators for generating outputs at a desired frequency and a control signal representing the time error in each said output signal; plurality of tapped delay lines, said tapped delay lines comprising a plurality of delay means, the sum of the delay of said plurality of tapped delay line being less than one clock cycle of said digital controlled oscillators; and a digital phase comparator for receiving said at least one input signal from said input circuit and said output signal from said last plurality tapped delay line providing means to generate a digital input signal controlling said digital controlled oscillators.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
54 words
An acquisition digital phase locked loop as claimed in claim 20 , wherein said digital controlled oscillators are adding type rate multipliers, one of which generates said output signal when attaining an overflow condition and a remainder term generating said control signal, and a second of said digital controlled oscillators having a settable phase.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
106 words
An output digital phase locked for generating stable output clocks comprising: a digital phase comparator that subtracts the virtual output clock from the acquisition PLL from the feedback virtual clock from the output PLL; an integrator having an accumulator that adds the output of the phase comparator to itself; and first and second digital controlled oscillators for generating an output at a desired frequency and a control signal representing the time error in said output signal, the first digital controlled oscillator feeding control signals to a plurality of tapped delay lines and the second digital controlled oscillator being settable provides feedback signals to the phase comparator.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
106 words
An output digital phase locked for generating stable output clocks comprising: a digital phase comparator that subtracts the virtual output clock from the acquisition PLL from the feedback virtual clock from the output PLL; an integrator having an accumulator that adds the output of the phase comparator to itself; and first and second digital controlled oscillators for generating an output at a desired frequency and a control signal representing the time error in said output signal, the first digital controlled oscillator feeding control signals to a plurality of tapped delay lines and the second digital controlled oscillator being settable provides feedback signals to the phase comparator.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
48 words
A method as claimed in claim 22 , further comprising a plurality of tapped delay lines, said tapped delay lines comprising a plurality of delay means, the sum of the delay of said plurality tapped delay line being less than one clock cycle of said digital controlled oscillators.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US5602884A
Cited
US6480047B2
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2006-05-26 | 2006-11-25 | 2007-05-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2010-05-26 | 2010-11-25 | 2011-05-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2014-05-26 | 2014-11-25 | 2015-05-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |