IP Library Granted Patent US 8,902,529
Granted Patent B1
US 8,902,529 · App. 13/682,686 · Granted Dec 2, 2014

Dual frequency crystal oscillator

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,902,529
App. No.
13/682,686
Granted
Dec 2, 2014
Kind
B1
Abstract

An oscillator is disclosed comprising a first crystal operable to generate a first oscillating signal at a first frequency, and a second crystal coupled to the first crystal and operable to generate a second oscillating signal at a second frequency higher than the first frequency. The oscillator further comprises a DC restore circuit operable to generate a third oscillating signal comprising a substantially fifty percent duty cycle in response to the second oscillating signal.

Claims (62)

1. An oscillator comprising:

a first crystal operable to generate a first oscillating signal at a first frequency;

a second crystal coupled to the first crystal and operable to generate a second oscillating signal in response to the first oscillating signal at a second frequency higher than the first frequency; and

a DC restore circuit operable to generate a third oscillating signal comprising a substantially fifty percent duty cycle in response to the second oscillating signal.

2. The oscillator as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first and second crystals are fabricated in a single package.

3. The oscillator as recited in claim 1 , further comprising:

a first amplifier coupled to the first crystal and operable to generate the first oscillating signal; and

a second amplifier coupled to the second crystal and operable to generate the second oscillating signal,

wherein the first amplifier comprises a first DC offset and the second amplifier comprises a second DC offset different from the first DC offset.

4. The oscillator as recited in claim 3 , wherein the DC restore circuit is operable to compensate for the difference between the first DC offset and the second DC offset.

5. The oscillator as recited in claim 4 , wherein the DC restore circuit is operable to compensate for the difference between the first DC offset and the second DC offset by adding a bias signal to an input of the second amplifier.

6. The oscillator as recited in claim 5 , wherein the DC restore circuit is operable to:

first count a number of cycles of a fast clock while the second oscillating signal is above a threshold;

second count a number of cycles the fast clock while the second oscillating signal is below the threshold; and

generate the third oscillating signal based on a difference between the first count and the second count.

7. The oscillator as recited in claim 6 , wherein the DC restore circuit is operable to generate the bias signal based on the difference between the first count and the second count.

8. The oscillator as recited in claim 1 , wherein the DC restore circuit is operable to:

first count a number of cycles of a fast clock while the second oscillating signal is above a threshold;

second count a number of cycles the fast clock while the second oscillating signal is below the threshold; and

generate the third oscillating signal based on a difference between the first count and the second count.

9. The oscillator as recited in claim 1 , wherein the second crystal acts as a bandpass filter for extracting a harmonic frequency component of the first oscillating signal.

10. A disk drive comprising:

a disk;

a head actuated over the disk;

a pulse width modulated (PWM) signal generator operable to generate a PWM signal;

a spindle motor operable to rotate the disk in response to the PWM signal;

a phase-locked loop (PLL) operable to generate a system clock used to process a read signal emanating from the head; and

an oscillator comprising:

a first crystal operable to generate a first oscillating signal at a first frequency; and

a second crystal coupled to the first crystal and operable to generate a second oscillating signal at a second frequency higher than the first frequency,

wherein:

the PWM signal generator is operable to generate the PWM signal based on the first oscillating signal; and

the PLL is operable to generate the system clock based on the second oscillating signal.

11. The disk drive as recited in claim 10 , wherein the first and second crystals are fabricated in a single package.

12. A method comprising:

generating a first oscillating signal at a first frequency using a first crystal;

generating a second oscillating signal in response to the first oscillating signal at a second frequency higher than the first frequency using a second crystal coupled to the first crystal; and

generating a third oscillating signal comprising a substantially fifty percent duty cycle in response to the second oscillating signal.

13. The method as recited in claim 12 , wherein the first and second crystals are fabricated in a single package.

14. The method as recited in claim 13 , further comprising:

generating the first oscillating signal using a first amplifier coupled to the first crystal; and

generating the second oscillating signal using a second amplifier coupled to the second crystal,

wherein the first amplifier comprises a first DC offset and the second amplifier comprises a second DC offset different from the first DC offset.

15. The method as recited in claim 14 , further comprising generating the third oscillating signal by compensating for the difference between the first DC offset and the second DC offset.

16. The method as recited in claim 15 , further comprising compensating for the difference between the first DC offset and the second DC offset by adding a bias signal to an input of the second amplifier.

17. The method as recited in claim 16 , further comprising:

first counting a number of cycles of a fast clock while the second oscillating signal is above a threshold;

second counting a number of cycles the fast clock while the second oscillating signal is below the threshold; and

generating the third oscillating signal based on a difference between the first count and the second count.

18. The method as recited in claim 17 , further comprising generating the bias signal based on the difference between the first count and the second count.

19. The method as recited in claim 12 , further comprising:

first counting a number of cycles of a fast clock while the second oscillating signal is above a threshold;

second counting a number of cycles the fast clock while the second oscillating signal is below the threshold; and

generating the third oscillating signal based on a difference between the first count and the second count.

20. The method as recited in claim 12 , wherein the second crystal acts as a bandpass filter for extracting a harmonic frequency component of the first oscillating signal.

21. A method of operating a disk drive, the disk drive comprising a head actuated over a disk, a pulse width modulated (PWM) signal generator operable to generate a PWM signal, a spindle motor operable to rotate the disk in response to the PWM signal, and a phase-locked loop (PLL) operable to generate a system clock used to process a read signal emanating from the head, the method comprising:

generating a first oscillating signal at a first frequency using a first crystal; and

generating a second oscillating signal at a second frequency higher than the first frequency using a second crystal coupled to the first crystal,

wherein:

the PWM signal generator is operable to generate the PWM signal based on the first oscillating signal; and

the PLL is operable to generate the system clock based on the second oscillating signal.

22. The method as recited in claim 21 , wherein the first and second crystals are fabricated in a single package.

Assignments (8)
PATENT COLLATERAL AGREEMENT - DDTL LOAN AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 21, 2023
From: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 067045/0156 →
PATENT COLLATERAL AGREEMENT - A&R LOAN AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 21, 2023
From: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 064715/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST AT REEL 038744 FRAME 0481 Recorded Feb 8, 2022
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
To: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 058982/0556 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 5, 2018
From: U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 045501/0714 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 17, 2016
From: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 038744/0481 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 17, 2016
From: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 038744/0281 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 17, 2016
From: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 038722/0229 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 20, 2012
From: BENNETT, GEORGE J.
To: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 029333/0571 →