Patent · US Expired

Phase locked loop and multi-stage phase comparator

US6125158A · kind A · utility

23Cited by
8References
35Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateDec 23, 1997
Grant dateSep 26, 2000
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 23, 2017

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH03L7/091
  • WIPO fieldBasic communication processes
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

The disclosure describes a multi-stage phase comparator and a phase-locked loop incorporating such a comparator. The comparator measures a phase difference between a reference signal and an output signal using a periodic clock. The comparator is a two stage comparator comprising a fine and coarse comparator. The coarse comparator measures the number of full clock periods between a transition of the reference signal and the output signal. The fine comparator comprises a delay line generator that generates a plurality of delayed clocks. The delayed clocks are used to over sample the reference signal to determine a fine phase difference representing a remaining fraction of the clock period, between transitions of the reference and output signals. A phase locked loop using the multi-stage comparator allows for more accurate phase locking.

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