Apparatus and methods for a phase frequency detector with a wide operational range

1. A phase frequency detector (PFD) comprising:

a first flip-flop configured to receive a reference clock and generate a first output signal based on differences between the reference clock and a feedback clock;

a second flip-flop configured to receive the feedback clock and generate a second output signal based on differences between the reference clock and the feedback clock;

a reset processing path connected to the first flip-flop and the second flip-flop, the reset processing path having a reset delay to control a pulse width of a reset signal associated with the first flip-flop and the second flip-flop; and

an output processing path connected to the first flip-flop and the second flip-flop, the output processing path having an output delay to control a pulse width of the first output signal and the second output signal,

wherein the reset processing path and the output processing path are delay independent.

2. The PFD of claim 1 , wherein a value of the reset delay is smaller than a value of the output delay.

3. The PFD of claim 1 , wherein a value of the reset delay is set to minimize the pulse width of the reset signal.

4. The PFD of claim 3 , wherein a value of the reset delay is set to zero.

5. The PFD of claim 1 , wherein a value of the output delay is set to mitigate a dead zone of the PFD.

6. The PFD of claim 1 , further comprising

a multiplexor connected to reset inputs of the first flip-flop and the second flip-flop;

a logical AND gate configured to receive the first output signal at one input and the second output signal at another input, wherein the reset processing path is connected between one input of the multiplexor and an output of the logical AND gate and wherein the output processing path is connected between another input of the multiplexor and an output of the reset delay after the logical AND gate; and

a logical OR gate configured to generate a selection signal for the multiplexor based on the first output signal and the second output signal,

wherein the multiplexor, based on the selection signal, is configured to output a signal processed through the reset processing path or the output processing path.

7. The PFD of claim 6 , wherein the selection signal enables an output from the reset processing path when the first output signal and the second output signal are both low.

8. The PFD of claim 7 , wherein the reset signal is generated when the first output signal and the second output signal are both high.

9. The PFD of claim 1 , wherein the reset processing path further comprising

a logical AND gate configured to receive the first output signal at one input and the second output signal at another input; and

the reset delay connected to an output of the logical AND gate and connected to reset inputs of the first flip-flop and the second flip-flop.

10. The PFD of claim 1 , wherein the output delay includes a first output delay and a second output delay and the output processing path further comprising

a first output processing path including

the first output delay configured to receive the first output signal; and

a first logical OR gate configured to receive the first output signal at one input and an output of the first output delay at another input; and

a second output processing path including

the second output delay configured to receive the second output signal; and

a second logical OR gate configured to receive the second output signal at one input and an output of the second output delay at another input,

wherein the reset delay has a value smaller than a value of the first output delay and a value of the second output delay.

11. The PFD of claim 10 , wherein the value of the first output delay and the value of the second output delay are substantially matched.

12. A phase locked loop (PLL) comprising:

a phase frequency detector (PFD) configured to output a first pulse and a second pulse based on differences between a reference clock and a feedback clock, the PFD including

a first multistate circuit configured to receive the reference clock and generate the first pulse;

a second multistate circuit configured to receive the feedback clock and generate the second pulse;

a reset path configured to control a pulse width of a signal for resetting the first multistate circuit and the second multistate circuit when the first pulse and the second pulse are both high; and

an overlap path configured to control a pulse width of the first pulse and the second pulse,

wherein the reset path and the overlap path have independently configurable delays.

13. The PLL of claim 12 , wherein a delay associated with the reset path is smaller than a delay associated with the overlap path.

14. The PLL of claim 12 , wherein a delay associated with the reset path minimizes the pulse width of the signal to increase a probability of detection of one of the reference clock or the feedback clock.

15. The PLL of claim 12 , wherein a delay associated with the overlap path mitigates dead zone operation of the PFD and a delay associated with the reset path is smaller than the delay associated with the overlap path.

16. The PLL of claim 15 , wherein the delay associated with the reset path is zero.

17. The PLL of claim 12 , wherein the PFD further comprising

a multiplexor connected to control inputs of the first multistate circuit and the second multistate circuit;

a logical AND gate configured to receive the first pulse at one input and the second pulse at another input;

the reset path between one input of the multiplexor and an output of the logical AND gate;

the output path between another input of the multiplexor and the output of a delay after the logical AND gate; and

a logical OR gate configured to generate a signal to the multiplexor to select an output from the reset path or the output path based on the first pulse and the second pulse.

18. The PLL of claim 17 , wherein the signal enables the reset path when the first pulse and the second pulse are both low.

19. The PLL of claim 12 , wherein

the reset path further comprising

a logical AND gate configured to receive the first pulse at one input and the second pulse at another input; and

a first delay connected to an output of the logical AND gate and connected to reset inputs of the first multistate circuit and the second multistate circuit and the output path further comprising

a first output processing path including

a second delay configured to receive the first pulse; and

a first logical OR gate configured to receive the first pulse at one input and an output of the second delay at another input; and

a second output processing path including

a third delay configured to receive the second pulse; and

a second logical OR gate configured to receive the second pulse at one input and an output of the third delay at another input,

wherein the first delay has a value smaller than a value of the second delay and a value of the third delay.

20. A method for improved operational range of a phase frequency detector (PFD), the method comprising:

providing, in the PED, a reset processing path with a first delay configured to minimize a reset signal pulse width; and

providing, in the PFD, an output processing path with a second delay configured to control an output signal pulse width based on dead zone mitigation,

wherein the first delay and the second delay are independently configurable.