IP Library Patent Application 19011411
Patent Application
App. No. 19/011,411

PHASE LOCK LOOP (PLL) SYNCHRONIZATION

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US None
App. No.
19/011,411
Abstract

In an embodiment, an apparatus includes a first integrated circuit (IC) chip comprising a first phase lock loop (PLL) configured to generate a first output clock signal and a second IC chip comprising a second PLL configured to generate a second output clock signal. The first output clock signal and the second output clock signal are synchronized based on a reference time signal.

Claims (22)

1 . An apparatus comprising:

a first integrated circuit (IC) chip comprising a first phase lock loop (PLL) configured to generate a first output clock signal; and

a second IC chip comprising a second PLL configured to generate a second output clock signal, wherein the first output clock signal and the second output clock signal are synchronized based on a reference time signal.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the reference time signal is generated at a first particular cycle of a reference clock signal, wherein synchronization of the first output clock signal and the second output clock signal is initiated during a second particular cycle of the reference clock signal, and wherein the first particular cycle of the reference clock signal is a different cycle than the second particular cycle of the reference clock signal.

3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first PLL comprises a first sigma delta modulator (SDM) and the second PLL comprises a second SDM.

4 . The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the first PLL comprises a particular sigma-delta sequence and the second PLL comprises the particular sigma-delta sequence.

5 . The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein synchronization of the first output clock signal and the second output clock signal comprises synchronizing a starting point of the particular sigma-delta sequence in the first PLL and the second PLL.

6 . The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the first PLL further comprises a first feedback divider controlled by a first divider ratio associated with the first SDM.

7 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein one or more timing components of the first PLL are configured to generate a synchronization signal to trigger phase synchronization of the first PLL if the reference time signal equals a pre-set reference time signal count value and the first PLL is in a locked state.

8 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each of the first PLL and the second PLL comprises one or both of an integer mode PLL or a fractional mode PLL.

9 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first PLL and the second PLL are reset based on a combination of an active state of a synchronization enable signal and an active state of a reference time signal, wherein an inactive state of the synchronization enable signal prevents the reference time signal from resetting the PLL.

10 . A method comprising:

generating, by a first PLL of a first IC chip, a first output clock signal; and

generating, by second PLL of a second IC chip, a second output clock signal, wherein the first output clock signal and the second output clock signal are synchronized based on a reference time signal.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the reference time signal is generated at a first particular cycle of a reference clock signal, wherein synchronization of the first output clock signal and the second output clock signal is initiated during a second particular cycle of the reference clock signal, and wherein the first particular cycle of the reference clock signal is a different cycle than the second particular cycle of the reference clock signal.

12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the first PLL comprises a first SDM and the second PLL comprises a second SDM.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the first PLL comprises a particular sigma-delta sequence and the second PLL comprises the particular sigma-delta sequence.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein synchronization of the first output clock signal and the second output clock signal comprises synchronizing a starting point of the particular sigma-delta sequence in the first PLL and the second PLL.

15 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the first PLL further comprises a first feedback divider controlled by a first divider ratio associated with the first SDM.

16 . The method of claim 10 , wherein one or more timing components of the first PLL are configured to generate a synchronization signal to trigger phase synchronization of the first PLL if the reference time signal equals a pre-set reference time signal count value and the first PLL is in a locked state.

17 . The method of claim 10 , wherein each of the first PLL and the second PLL comprises one or both of an integer mode PLL or a fractional mode PLL.

18 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the first PLL and the second PLL are reset based on a combination of an active state of a synchronization enable signal and an active state of a reference time signal, wherein an inactive state of the synchronization enable signal prevents the reference time signal from resetting the first PLL or the second PLL.

Assignments (7)
CERTIFICATE OF CONVERSION (STATE OF DELAWARE TO STATE OF TEXAS; NEW FILE NO.: 805421124; FILED : 02-14-2024) Recorded Feb 14, 2025
From: SPACE EXPLORATION TECHNOLOGIES CORP.
To: SPACE EXPLORATION TECHNOLOGIES CORP.
Reel/Frame 070631/0644 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 6, 2025
From: GHAZALI, MOSTAFA
To: STMICROELECTRONICS (GRENOBLE 2) SAS
Reel/Frame 069760/0506 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 6, 2025
From: STMICROELECTRONICS (GRENOBLE 2) SAS
To: STMICROELECTRONICS INTERNATIONAL N.V.
Reel/Frame 069760/0559 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 6, 2025
From: KAHRIZI, MASOUD
To: SPACE EXPLORATION TECHNOLOGIES CORP.
Reel/Frame 069760/0464 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 6, 2025
From: TANTOS, ANDRAS
To: SPACE EXPLORATION TECHNOLOGIES CORP.
Reel/Frame 069827/0779 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 6, 2025
From: JACQUET, DAVID FRANCOIS
To: STMICROELECTRONICS (GRENOBLE 2) SAS
Reel/Frame 069827/0846 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 6, 2025
From: STMICROELECTRONICS INTERNATIONAL N.V.
To: SPACE EXPLORATION TECHNOLOGIES CORP.
Reel/Frame 069760/0583 →