IP Library Granted Patent US 9,571,083
Granted Patent B2
US 9,571,083 · App. 14/466,798 · Granted Feb 14, 2017

All-digital delay-locked loop tuning method with randomized LSB-tuning

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,571,083
App. No.
14/466,798
Granted
Feb 14, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

In some example embodiments, there may be provided an apparatus. The apparatus may include a delay line including a plurality of cells; and tuning circuitry coupled to the delay line and configured to generate a first output and a second output to tune the delay of the delay line, wherein the first output tunes in aggregate the plurality of cells of the delay line, and wherein the second output tunes each of the plurality of cells separately. Related methods, systems, and articles of manufacture are also disclosed.

Claims (38)

1. An apparatus comprising:

a digital delay line including a plurality of cells; and

a digital tuning circuitry, coupled to the digital delay line, configured to generate a first output and a second randomized output to digitally tune the delay of the digital delay line, wherein the first output digitally tunes in aggregate the plurality of cells of the digital delay line, and wherein the second randomized output digitally tunes an individual delay of each of the plurality of cells, of the digital delay line, separately.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second randomized output comprises at least one bit, wherein the at least one bit controls the tuning of at least one of the plurality of cells.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second randomized output comprises least significant bits, wherein each of the least significant bits controls a separate one of the plurality of cells.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second randomized output comprises least significant bits, wherein each of the least significant bits controls a separate one of the plurality of cells, wherein each of the least significant bits has a separate value.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second randomized output is scrambled.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a phase detector, coupled to the tuning circuitry, to provide a control signal input to the tuning circuitry, wherein the second randomized output is generated based on the control signal input.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein at least one of a user equipment or a wireless access point includes the apparatus to enable generation of a signal, a local oscillator, and/or a clock.

8. A method comprising:

generating, at tuning circuitry, a first output;

generating, at the tuning circuitry, a second randomized output, wherein the tuning circuitry is coupled to a digital delay line including a plurality of cells;

a digital tuning, by the tuning circuitry, a delay of the digital delay line, the digital tuning performed based on the first output and the second randomized output, wherein the first output tunes in aggregate the plurality of cells of the digital delay line, and wherein the second randomized output tunes an individual delay of each of the plurality of cells, of the digital delay line, separately.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the second randomized output comprises at least one bit, wherein the at least one bit controls the tuning of at least one of the plurality of cells.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the second randomized output comprises least significant bits, wherein each of the least significant bits controls a separate one of the plurality of cells.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the second randomized output comprises least significant bits, wherein each of the least significant bits controls a separate one of the plurality of cells, wherein each of the least significant bits has a separate value.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the second randomized output is scrambled.

13. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

providing, by a phase detector coupled to the tuning circuitry, a control signal input to the tuning circuitry, wherein the second randomized output is generated based on the control signal input.

14. The method of claim 8 , wherein at least one of a user equipment or a wireless access point includes the tuning circuitry and the digital delay line to enable generation of a signal, a local oscillator, and/or a clock.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including computer program code which when executed by at least one processor causes operations comprising:

generating, at tuning circuitry, a first output;

generating, at the tuning circuitry, a second randomized output, wherein the tuning circuitry is coupled to a delay line including a plurality of cells;

a digital tuning, by the tuning circuitry, a delay of the delay line, the digital tuning performed based on the first output and the second randomized output, wherein the first output digitally tunes in aggregate the plurality of cells of the delay line, and wherein the second randomized output digitally tunes each of the plurality of cells separately.

16. An apparatus comprising:

means for generating, at the apparatus, a first output;

means for generating, at the apparatus, a second randomized output, wherein the apparatus is coupled to a delay line including a plurality of cells;

means for digitally tuning, by the apparatus, a delay of the digital delay line, the digital tuning performed based on the first output and the second randomized output, wherein the first output digitally tunes in aggregate the plurality of cells of the digital delay line, and wherein the second randomized output digitally tunes an individual delay of each of the plurality of cells, of the digital delay line, separately.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the second randomized output comprises at least one bit, wherein the at least one bit controls the tuning of at least one of the plurality of cells.

18. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the second randomized output comprises least significant bits, wherein each of the least significant bits controls a separate one of the plurality of cells.

19. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the second randomized output comprises least significant bits, wherein each of the least significant bits controls a separate one of the plurality of cells, wherein each of the least significant bits has a separate value.

20. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the second randomized output is scrambled.

21. The apparatus of claim 16 further comprising:

means for providing, by a phase detector coupled to the apparatus, a control signal input to the tuning circuitry, wherein the second randomized output is generated based on the control signal input.

22. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein at least one of a user equipment or a wireless access point includes the apparatus to enable generation of a signal, a local oscillator, and/or a clock.

23. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the digital tuning circuitry includes a pseudorandom number generator configured to introduce random patterning to the second digital output.

24. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the tuning of the digital delay line is limited to digital tuning.

Assignments (12)
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 6, 2024
From: RPX CORPORATION; RPX CLEARINGHOUSE LLC
To: BARINGS FINANCE LLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 068328/0674 →
RELEASE OF LIEN ON PATENTS Recorded Aug 5, 2024
From: BARINGS FINANCE LLC
To: RPX CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 068328/0278 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Apr 22, 2023
From: RPX CORPORATION
To: BARINGS FINANCE LLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 063429/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 28, 2021
From: PROVENANCE ASSET GROUP LLC
To: RPX CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 059352/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 30, 2021
From: NOKIA US HOLDINGS INC.
To: PROVENANCE ASSET GROUP HOLDINGS LLC; PROVENANCE ASSET GROUP LLC
Reel/Frame 058363/0723 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 30, 2021
From: CORTLAND CAPITAL MARKETS SERVICES LLC
To: PROVENANCE ASSET GROUP HOLDINGS LLC; PROVENANCE ASSET GROUP LLC
Reel/Frame 058983/0104 →
ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION AGREEMENT Recorded Feb 14, 2019
From: NOKIA USA INC.
To: NOKIA US HOLDINGS INC.
Reel/Frame 048370/0682 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 13, 2017
From: NOKIA TECHNOLOGIES OY; NOKIA SOLUTIONS AND NETWORKS BV; ALCATEL LUCENT SAS
To: PROVENANCE ASSET GROUP LLC
Reel/Frame 043877/0001 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 13, 2017
From: PROVENANCE ASSET GROUP HOLDINGS, LLC; PROVENANCE ASSET GROUP LLC
To: NOKIA USA INC.
Reel/Frame 043879/0001 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 13, 2017
From: PROVENANCE ASSET GROUP HOLDINGS, LLC; PROVENANCE ASSET GROUP, LLC
To: CORTLAND CAPITAL MARKET SERVICES, LLC
Reel/Frame 043967/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 19, 2015
From: NOKIA CORPORATION
To: NOKIA TECHNOLOGIES OY
Reel/Frame 034781/0200 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 5, 2014
From: RAPINOJA, TAPIO ILMARI
To: NOKIA CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 033677/0060 →