Patent · US Expired

Lock sensor circuit and method for phase lock loop circuits

US5304952A · kind A · utility

59Cited by
2References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMay 10, 1993
Grant dateApr 19, 1994
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 10, 2013

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S331/02
  • WIPO fieldBasic communication processes
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A lock sensor circuit detects and indicates occurrence of a phase lock condition of an output signal of a phase lock loop (PLL) circuit when the PLL output signal is phase locked to a reference signal. A phase and frequency detector (PFD) has a reference signal input (REF IN) and a feedback signal input (VCO FBK IN) coupled to the output of the PLL circuit. The PFD delivers output UP and DOWN signals according to whether the reference signal leads or lags the feedback signal. A multi-bit up/down counter (FIG. 2 ) has UP and DOWN inputs coupled to the respective UP and DOWN outputs of the PFD and an m bit output (Q0, Q1, . . . Q10). A lock sensor circuit (50) coupled to the m bit up/down counter monitors the nth bit output (QN) of the up/down counter where n<m. A first down counter (F1, F2) counts consecutive output DOWN signals in the absence of an output UP signal. A second up counter (F3, F4) counts consecutive output UP signals in the absence of an output DOWN signal. A lock logic circuit (TLATCH, BLATCH, 64, 66, G7) is coupled through NAND gates (G1, G2) to outputs of the respective first down counter (F1, F2) and second up counter (F3,F4). The lock logic circuit generates an u…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.