IP Library Granted Patent US 7,590,163
Granted Patent B1
US 7,590,163 · App. 11/437,311 · Granted Sep 15, 2009

Spread spectrum clock generation

Assignee: Conexant Systems, Inc.
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,590,163
App. No.
11/437,311
Granted
Sep 15, 2009
Kind
B1
Abstract

There is provided a method of modifying a first clock to generate a second clock with reduced electromagnetic interference (EMI). The method comprises receiving the first clock, generating an upslew modulation form during an upslew frequency transition, generating a downslew modulation form during a downslew frequency transition, modulating a frequency of the first clock over a period of time using the upslew modulation form and the downslew modulation form to generate the second clock, and wherein the upslew modulation form and the downslew modulation form are different. The upslew modulation form and the downslew modulation form are defined by upslew modulation values and downslew modulation values, respectively, and the method further comprises receiving the upslew modulation values and the downslew modulation values, and generating fractional upslew modulation values and fractional downslew modulation, respectively, for modulating the frequency of the first clock.

Claims (35)

1. A clock modulation system for modifying a clock input to generate a clock output with reduced electromagnetic interference (EMI), the clock modulation system comprising:

a phase detector configured to receive the clock input and generate a phase detector output;

a filter configured to receive the phase detector output and generate a filter output;

an oscillator configured to receive the filter output and generate an oscillator output;

a feedback divider configured to receive the oscillator output and generate a divided output using a divide ratio; and

a spread spectrum modulation profile generator configured to control the divide ratio for modulating a frequency of the clock input over a period of time using an upslew modulation form and a downslew modulation form to generate the clock output;

wherein the spread spectrum modulation profile generator generates the upslew modulation form during an upslew frequency transition and generates the downslew modulation form during a downslew frequency transition, wherein the upslew modulation form is asymmetrical to the downslew modulation form, wherein the upslew frequency transition occurs during a first time period of the period of time and the downslew frequency transition occurs during a second time period of the period of time, and wherein the second time period is longer than the first time period.

2. The clock modulation system of claim 1 , wherein the upslew modulation form and the downslew modulation form are defined by upslew modulation values and downslew modulation values, respectively, generated by the spread spectrum modulation profile generator and wherein the clock modulation system further comprising:

a fractional modulator configured to receive the upslew modulation values and the downslew modulation values and generate fractional upslew modulation values and fractional downslew modulation values, respectively, for modulating the frequency of the clock input.

3. The clock modulation system of claim 1 , wherein the upslew modulation form includes a first segment and a second segment, and wherein the first segment is defined by low to high frequency deviation and the second segment is defined by high to low frequency deviation.

4. The clock modulation system of claim 1 , wherein the upslew modulation form includes a first segment and a second segment, and wherein the upslew frequency transition of the first segment is equal to the upslew frequency transition of the second segment.

5. The clock modulation system of claim 4 , wherein the first segment occurs during a first period of the first time period and the second segment occurs during a second period of the first time period, and wherein the second period is equal to the first period.

6. The clock modulation system of claim 4 , wherein the first segment is defined by low to 0% frequency deviation and the second segment is defined by 0% to high frequency deviation.

7. The clock modulation system of claim 1 , wherein the upslew modulation form includes a first segment and a second segment, and wherein the first segment has a different modulation form than the second segment.

8. The clock modulation system of claim 1 , wherein the downslew modulation form includes a first segment and a second segment, and wherein the downslew frequency transition of the first segment is equal to the downslew frequency transition of the second segment.

9. The clock modulation system of claim 8 , wherein the first segment occurs during a first period of the second time period and the second segment occurs during a second period of the second time period, and wherein the second period is equal to the first period.

10. The clock modulation system of claim 8 , wherein the first segment is defined by high to 0% frequency deviation and the second segment is defined by 0% to low frequency deviation.

11. The clock modulation system of claim 1 , wherein the downslew modulation form includes a first segment and a second segment, and wherein the first segment has a different modulation form than the second segment.

12. A method of modifying a first clock to generate a second clock with reduced electromagnetic interference (EMI), the method comprising:

receiving the first clock;

generating an upslew modulation form during an upslew frequency transition;

generating a downslew modulation form during a downslew frequency transition; and

modulating, by a fractional modulator, a frequency of the first clock over a period of time using the upslew modulation form and the downslew modulation form to generate the second clock;

wherein the upslew modulation form is asymmetrical to the downslew modulation form, wherein the upslew frequency transition occurs during a first time period of the period of time and the downslew frequency transition occurs during a second time period of the period of time, and wherein the second time period is longer than the first time period.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the upslew modulation form and the downslew modulation form are defined by upslew modulation values and downslew modulation values, respectively, and wherein the method further comprising:

receiving the upslew modulation values and the downslew modulation values, and generating fractional upslew modulation values and fractional downslew modulation values, respectively, for modulating the frequency of the first clock.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the upslew modulation form includes a first segment and a second segment, and wherein the first segment is defined by low to high frequency deviation and the second segment is defined by high to low frequency deviation.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the upslew modulation form includes a first segment and a second segment, and wherein the upslew frequency transition of the first segment is equal to the upslew frequency transition of the second segment.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the first segment occurs during a first period of the first time period and the second segment occurs during a second period of the first time period, and wherein the second period is equal to the first period.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the first segment is defined by low to 0% frequency deviation and the second segment is defined by 00% to high frequency deviation.

18. The method of claim 12 , wherein the upslew modulation form includes a first segment and a second segment, and wherein the first segment has a different modulation form than the second segment.

19. The method of claim 12 , wherein the downslew modulation form includes a first segment and a second segment, and wherein the downslew frequency transition of the first segment is equal to the downslew frequency transition of the second segment.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the first segment occurs during a first period of the second time period and the second segment occurs during a second period of the second time period, and wherein the second period is equal to the first period.

21. The method of claim 20 , wherein the first segment is defined by high to 0% frequency deviation and the second segment is defined by 0% to low frequency deviation.

22. The method of claim 12 , wherein the downslew modulation form includes a first segment and a second segment, and wherein the first segment has a different modulation form than the second segment.

Assignments (10)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 27, 2017
From: SYNAPTICS INCORPORATED
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 044037/0896 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 7, 2017
From: CONEXANT SYSTEMS, LLC
To: SYNAPTICS INCORPORATED
Reel/Frame 043786/0267 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jun 26, 2017
From: CONEXANT SYSTEMS, INC.
To: CONEXANT SYSTEMS, LLC
Reel/Frame 042986/0613 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 23, 2016
From: LAKESTAR SEMI INC.
To: CONEXANT SYSTEMS, INC.
Reel/Frame 038803/0693 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded May 20, 2016
From: CONEXANT SYSTEMS, INC.
To: LAKESTAR SEMI INC.
Reel/Frame 038777/0885 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 6, 2016
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A.
To: CONEXANT SYSTEMS, INC.; CONEXANT, INC.; CONEXANT SYSTEMS WORLDWIDE, INC.; BROOKTREE BROADBAND HOLDING, INC.
Reel/Frame 038631/0452 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Mar 11, 2010
From: CONEXANT SYSTEMS, INC.; CONEXANT SYSTEMS WORLDWIDE, INC.; CONEXANT, INC.; BROOKTREE BROADBAND HOLDING, INC.
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK, MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A.
Reel/Frame 024066/0075 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 1, 2010
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A. (FORMERLY, THE BANK OF NEW YORK TRUST COMPANY, N.A.)
To: CONEXANT SYSTEMS, INC.
Reel/Frame 023998/0838 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Nov 22, 2006
From: CONEXANT SYSTEMS, INC.
To: BANK OF NEW YORK TRUST COMPANY, N.A.
Reel/Frame 018711/0818 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 19, 2006
From: MILLER, MARK; NGUYEN, CHILAN T.
To: CONEXANT SYSTEMS, INC.
Reel/Frame 017903/0684 →