IP Library Granted Patent US 8,558,598
Granted Patent B2
US 8,558,598 · App. 12/722,320 · Granted Oct 15, 2013

Phase shift generating circuit

Inventors: James T. Walker (Palo Alto, CA); Andrew Read (Sunnyvale, CA)
Assignee: Supertex, Inc.
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,558,598
App. No.
12/722,320
Granted
Oct 15, 2013
Kind
B2
Abstract

A phase shift generation circuit has an edge detector, which outputs a first and a second edge signal. The circuit also has a divide by N circuit, which receives a first clock signal and a group of signals representing a number N, and outputs a second clock signal. The circuit further comprises a pulse counter, which receives the first edge signal and the second clock signal, and outputs a group of signals representing the number of the second clock pulses between occurrences of the first edge signal. The circuit has first and second recycling timers, which output a group of pulses approximating a uniformly spaced group across the time duration of the period of the input pulse. The circuit also comprises at least one flip flop which generates a phase shifted output pulse.

Claims (39)

1. A phase shift generating circuit for receiving a pulse width modulated pulse train signal having a first frequency and a first clock signal having a second frequency with the second frequency greater than the first frequency, said circuit comprising:

an edge detection circuit for receiving the pulse train signal and the first clock signal and for outputting a leading edge signal in response to the leading edge of the pulse train signal, and a trailing edge signal in response to the trailing edge of the pulse train signal;

a circuit for receiving a signal representing an integer N and the first clock signal and for generating a second clock signal having a second frequency, wherein said second frequency is the first frequency divided by the integer N;

a pulse counter for receiving the leading edge signal or the trailing edge signal and the second clock signal to store a digital number corresponding to a period of the pulse train signal;

a first timer circuit for receiving the first clock signal and the digital number and for outputting a plurality of set signals with each set signal generated from each pulse of the first clock signal and provided on a different set output line;

a second timer circuit for receiving the first clock signal and the digital number and for outputting a plurality of reset signals with each reset signal generated from each pulse of the first clock signal and provided on a different reset output line;

N storages, each storage having a set input for receiving one of said plurality of set signals and a reset input for receiving one of said plurality of reset signals, and an output;

a first latch for storing the digital number corresponding to a period of the pulse train signal from the pulse counter, and having a first output, supplied to the first timer circuit, with said first latch triggered by said trailing edge signal; and

a second latch for storing the digital number corresponding to a period of the pulse train signal from the first latch, and having a second output, supplied to the second timer circuit, with said second latch triggered by said leading edge signal;

wherein the output of said N storages is N output signals with each output signal having a time phase delay with the commencement of the plurality of output signals distributed over a period of the pulse train signal.

2. A phase shift generating circuit for receiving a pulse width modulated pulse train signal having a first frequency and a first clock signal having a second frequency with the second frequency greater than the first frequency, said circuit comprising:

an edge detection circuit for receiving the pulse train signal and the first clock signal and for outputting a leading edge signal in response to the leading edge of the pulse train signal, and a trailing edge signal in response to the trailing edge of the pulse train signal;

a circuit for receiving a signal representing an integer N and the first clock signal and for generating a second clock signal having a second frequency, wherein said second frequency is the first frequency divided by the integer N;

a pulse counter for receiving the leading edge signal or the trailing edge signal and the second clock signal to store a digital number corresponding to a period of the pulse train signal;

a first timer circuit for receiving the first clock signal and the digital number and for outputting a plurality of set signals with each set signal generated from each pulse of the first clock signal and provided on a different set output line;

a second timer circuit for receiving the first clock signal and the digital number and for outputting a plurality of reset signals with each reset signal generated from each pulse of the first clock signal and provided on a different reset output line;

N storages, each storage having a set input for receiving one of said plurality of set signals and a reset input for receiving one of said plurality of reset signals, and an output;

a first latch for storing the digital number corresponding to a period of the pulse train signal from the pulse counter, and having a first output, supplied to the first timer circuit, with said first latch triggered by said trailing edge signal;

a second latch for storing the digital number corresponding to a period of the pulse train signal from the pulse counter, and having a second output, with said second latch triggered by said leading edge signal; and

a delay generator circuit for storing the digital number from the second latch, and for receiving the second clock signal, and for generating a trigger output signal; with said delay generator circuit triggered by the trailing edge signal;

wherein the output of said N storages is N output signals with each output signal having a time phase delay with the commencement of the plurality of output signals distributed over a period of the pulse train signal.

3. The phase shift generating circuit of claim 2 further comprising:

a third latch for storing the digital number corresponding to a period of the pulse train signal from the first latch, and having a second output, supplied to the second timer circuit, with said second latch triggered by trigger output signal.

4. The phase shift generating circuit of claim 3 further comprising:

a plurality of digital filter circuits, with each filter circuit associated with each storage;

wherein each filter circuit receives a set signal and a reset signal and supplies a filtered set signal and a filtered reset signal to each storage, with each storage receiving a filtered set signal at the set input, and a filtered reset signal at the reset input.

5. A phase shift generation system for receiving a first plurality of enabled and disabled channel signals, representative of enabled and disabled channel information, comprising:

a digital code conversion circuit for generating a number N representative of the number of enabled channel signals within said plurality of enabled and disabled channel signals;

a phase generating circuit for receiving a pulse width modulated pulse train signal having a first frequency and a first clock signal having a second frequency with the second frequency greater than the first frequency, and for outputting N output signals; wherein each of the plurality of N output signals has a time phase delay with the commencement of the plurality of N output signals distributed over a period of the pulse train signal;

a first latch for storing the digital number corresponding to a period of the pulse train signal from the pulse counter, and having a first output, supplied to the first timer circuit, with said first latch triggered by said trailing edge signal; and

a second latch for storing the digital number corresponding to a period of the pulse train signal from the first latch, and having a second output, supplied to the second timer circuit, with said second latch triggered by said leading edge signal.

6. A phase shift generation system for receiving a first plurality of enabled and disabled channel signals, representative of enabled and disabled channel information, comprising:

a digital code conversion circuit for generating a number N representative of the number of enabled channel signals within said plurality of enabled and disabled channel signals;

a phase generating circuit for receiving a pulse width modulated pulse train signal having a first frequency and a first clock signal having a second frequency with the second frequency greater than the first frequency, and for outputting N output signals; wherein each of the plurality of N output signals has a time phase delay with the commencement of the plurality of N output signals distributed over a period of the pulse train signal;

a first latch for storing the digital number corresponding to a period of the pulse train signal from the pulse counter, and having a first output, supplied to the first timer circuit, with said first latch triggered by said trailing edge signal;

a second latch for storing the digital number corresponding to a period of the pulse train signal from the pulse counter, and having a second output, with said second latch triggered by said leading edge signal; and

a delay generator circuit for storing the digital number from the second latch, and for receiving the second clock signal, and for generating a trigger output signal; with said delay generator circuit triggered by the trailing edge signal.

7. The phase shift generating circuit of claim 6 further comprising:

a third latch for storing the digital number corresponding to a period of the pulse train signal from the first latch, and having a second output, supplied to the second timer circuit, with said second latch triggered by trigger output signal.

Assignments (16)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 14, 2022
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 060894/0437 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 11, 2022
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 059363/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 10, 2022
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 059863/0400 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 9, 2022
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 059358/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 28, 2022
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED
Reel/Frame 059666/0545 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 25, 2022
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 059333/0222 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 4, 2021
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 057935/0474 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 24, 2020
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 055671/0612 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 5, 2020
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INC.; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 053468/0705 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 30, 2020
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INC.; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 053466/0011 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 24, 2020
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INC.; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 053311/0305 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 18, 2018
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 047103/0206 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 25, 2018
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 046426/0001 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 10, 2017
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 041675/0617 →
MERGER Recorded Jan 31, 2015
From: SUPERTEX, INC.
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INC.
Reel/Frame 034860/0519 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 11, 2010
From: WALKER, JAMES T.; READ, ANDREW
To: SUPERTEX, INC.
Reel/Frame 024069/0516 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 61160677 · Mar 16, 2009
Related Publication 20100231279A1 · Sep 16, 2010