IP Library Granted Patent US 7,253,691
Granted Patent B2
US 7,253,691 · App. 10/649,672 · Granted Aug 7, 2007

PLL clock generator circuit and clock generation method

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,253,691
App. No.
10/649,672
Granted
Aug 7, 2007
Kind
B2
Abstract

A clock generator circuit is provided wherein a comparison clock signal is generated by comparing a standard clock signal and an operating clock signal. The comparison clock signal is converted into a current signal. The current signal is converted to multiple current signals and an operating clock signal having multiple varying frequencies is generated based on the multiple current signals.

Claims (47)

1. A clock generator circuit comprising:

a phase comparator receiving a standard clock signal and an operating clock signal and generating an output signal; and

a voltage controlled oscillator generating the operating clock signal based on the output signal of the phase comparator,

wherein the voltage controlled oscillator comprises:

a voltage current converter converting a voltage signal into a current signal;

a current D/A converter fluctuating the current signal based on a digital signal; and

a current controlled oscillator oscillating the operating clock signal of which frequency corresponds to each of the variable current signals;

wherein the current DA converter has a plurality of current sources including current mirror circuits.

2. The clock generator circuit of claim 1 further comprising a first frequency dividing circuit frequency-dividing the standard clock signal and a second frequency dividing circuit frequency-dividing the operation clock signal.

3. The clock generator circuit of claim 1 , wherein the current D/A converter is a current D/A converter with a low pass filter.

4. The clock generator circuit of claim 1 , further comprising a control circuit controlling the current D/A converter.

5. The clock generator circuit of claim 1 , further comprising a determining circuit to determine the range of change of frequency of the clock oscillated by the current controlled oscillator.

6. A clock generator circuit for generating an operating clock based on a current signal generated based on a result of a comparison between a standard clock signal and a comparison clock signal comprising:

a first circuit generating a plurality of current signals; and

a second circuit generating a plurality of operating clock signals of which frequencies are different with each other based on the plurality of current signals,

wherein the first circuit comprises a current D/A converter that is controlled by a digital signal;

wherein the current DA converter has a plurality of current sources including current mirror circuits.

7. The clock generator circuit of claim 6 , wherein the current D/A converter includes a low pass filter.

8. The clock generator circuit of claim 6 further comprising a control circuit controlling the first circuit.

9. A clock generator circuit comprising:

a first clock generator part generating a first clock signal, wherein the first clock generator part comprises a phase comparator for comparing a standard clock signal and an operating clock signal, a voltage current converter converting a signal based on the comparison results into a current signal and a first current controlled oscillator generating the first clock signal based on the current signal; and

a second clock generator part generating a second clock signal, wherein the second clock generator part comprises a current D/A converter converting the current signal into variable current signals based on a digital signal for spreading spectrum and a second current controlled oscillator oscillating the second clock signal of which frequency corresponds to each of the variable current signals;

wherein the current DA converter has a plurality of current sources including current mirror circuits.

10. The clock generator circuit of claim 9 , wherein the current D/A converter is a current D/A converter with a low pass filter.

11. The clock generator circuit of claim 9 , further comprising a control circuit controlling the current D/A converter.

12. The clock generator circuit of claim 9 , further comprising a determining circuit to determine the range of change of frequency of the clock oscillated by the second current controlled oscillator.

13. The clock generator circuit of claim 9 , wherein the first clock generator part includes a corrective circuit that corrects the current signal and supplies the corrected current signal to the first voltage controlled oscillator.

14. A clock generator circuit comprising:

a first circuit generating a first clock signal of a frequency spectrum containing N number of peaks (N is an integer); and

a second circuit generating a second clock signal of a frequency containing a frequency spectrum with M number of peaks (M is an integer that is greater than 1, M>N) on the basis of a current signal generated based on a digital signal for spreading spectrum, the digital signal for spreading spectrum is based on a comparison result of comparing a standard clock signal and an operating clock signal;

wherein the current DA converter has a plurality of current sources including current mirror circuits.

15. The clock generator circuit of claim 14 , wherein the circuit includes a current D/A converter or a current D/A converter with a low pass filter to fluctuate the current signal.

16. A PLL circuit comprising:

a phase comparator receiving and comparing a standard clock signal and an operating clock signal;

a charge pump supplying an output signal based on the comparison;

a voltage controlled oscillator outputting the operating clock signal based on the output signal of the charge pump;

wherein the voltage controlled oscillator comprises a voltage current converter that converts a voltage signal into a current signal;

a current D/A converter that changes the current signal into a variable current signal based on a digital signal; and

a current controlled oscillator that oscillates the operating clock signal based on the variable current signal;

wherein the current DA converter has a plurality of current sources including current mirror circuits.

17. A clock generation method comprising the steps of:

comparing a standard clock signal and an operating clock signal;

converting the results of the comparison into a current signal;

using a current D/A converter to change the current signal into variable current signals based on a digital control signal; and

outputting the operating clock signal with varying frequencies based on the variable current signal;

wherein the current DA converter has a plurality of current sources including current mirror circuits.

18. The clock generator circuit of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of current circuits is selected based on the digital signal.

Assignments (9)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE 8647899 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 035240 FRAME 0429. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE SECURITY INTERST. Recorded Nov 3, 2020
From: CYPRESS SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION; SPANSION LLC
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
Reel/Frame 058002/0470 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 14, 2016
From: CYPRESS SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION
To: MONTEREY RESEARCH, LLC
Reel/Frame 040911/0238 →
PARTIAL RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Aug 11, 2016
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: CYPRESS SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION; SPANSION LLC
Reel/Frame 039708/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 30, 2015
From: SPANSION, LLC
To: CYPRESS SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 036038/0620 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 21, 2015
From: CYPRESS SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION; SPANSION LLC
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
Reel/Frame 035240/0429 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 11, 2013
From: FUJITSU SEMICONDUCTOR LIMITED
To: SPANSION LLC
Reel/Frame 031205/0461 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jul 22, 2010
From: FUJITSU MICROELECTRONICS LIMITED
To: FUJITSU SEMICONDUCTOR LIMITED
Reel/Frame 024982/0245 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 12, 2008
From: FUJITSU LIMITED
To: FUJITSU MICROELECTRONICS LIMITED
Reel/Frame 021998/0645 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 28, 2003
From: OKADA, KOJI
To: FUJITSU LIMITED
Reel/Frame 014440/0511 →