IP Library Granted Patent US 8,942,324
Granted Patent B2
US 8,942,324 · App. 14/143,657 · Granted Jan 27, 2015

Circuit, use, and method for controlling a receiver circuit

Inventors: Ulrich Grosskinsky (Neudenau, DE); Werner Blatz (Leingarten, DE)
Assignee: Atmel Corporation
H04L7/0079H04L27/3872H04L7/033
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,942,324
App. No.
14/143,657
Granted
Jan 27, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

A circuit, use, and method for controlling a receiver circuit is provided, wherein a complex baseband signal is generated from a received signal, a phase difference between a phase of the complex baseband signal and a phase precalculated from previous sampled values is determined, the phase difference is compared with a first threshold, a number is determined by counting the exceedances of the first threshold by the phase difference, a number of the counted exceedances is compared with a second threshold, and the receiver circuit is turned off if the number of counted exceedances exceeds the second threshold within a time period.

Claims (38)

1. A method comprising:

generating a complex baseband signal from a received signal;

determining a phase difference between a phase of the complex baseband signal and a phase precalculated from previous sampled values;

comparing the phase difference with a first threshold;

determining a number by counting exceedances of the first threshold by the phase difference by counting pulses of a clock signal when the phase difference exceeds the first threshold;

comparing the number of the counted exceedances with a second threshold; and

turning off a receiver circuit if the number of counted exceedances exceeds the second threshold within a time period.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the receiver circuit is turned on time-controlled or turned on cyclically.

3. A circuit comprising:

a receiver circuit configured to receive a modulated signal;

a control unit configured to control the receiver circuit, the receiver circuit configured to output a phase difference between a phase of a complex baseband signal and a phase precalculated from previous sampled values; and

an evaluation circuit, which for evaluating the phase difference is connectable to the receiver circuit and the control unit, the evaluation circuit being configured to compare the phase difference with a first threshold and configured to output an output signal based on a number of exceedances of the first threshold by the phase difference, wherein the control unit is configured to turn off the receiver circuit based on the output signal of the evaluation circuit wherein the evaluation circuit has a counter configured to determine the number of exceedances, the counter being configured to count pulses of a clock signal when the phase difference exceeds the first threshold.

4. The circuit according to claim 3 , wherein the receiver circuit has a digital phase-locked loop or a digital demodulator, and wherein the phase-locked loop has a subtractor configured to output the phase difference.

5. The circuit according to claim 3 , wherein the evaluation circuit has a control input for setting the first threshold.

6. The circuit according to claim 3 , wherein the evaluation circuit has a first comparator, which is formed with the receiver circuit or with the output of a subtractor for comparing the phase difference with the first threshold, and wherein the evaluation circuit has a second comparator, which is configured to compare the number determined by the counter with a second threshold and an output of the output signal based on the comparison result of the evaluation circuit.

7. The circuit according to claim 6 , wherein the evaluation circuit has a control input for setting the second threshold.

8. The circuit according to claim 6 , wherein the second threshold is a increasing function of the clock signal.

9. The circuit according to claim 6 , wherein the first comparator is a digital discriminator or a window discriminator.

10. The circuit according to claim 3 , wherein the control unit is configured for a time-controlled and/or event-controlled turning on of the receiver circuit.

11. An apparatus, comprising:

circuitry configured to:

receive a modulated signal;

output a phase difference between a phase of a complex baseband signal and a phase precalculated from previous sampled values;

compare the phase difference with a first threshold;

increment a counter in response to determining that the phase difference exceeds the first threshold, wherein the counter comprises an input connected to a clock signal, the counter configured to count pulses of the clock signal when the phase difference exceeds the first threshold;

compare an output of the counter with a second threshold; and

turn off a receiver circuit in response to determining that the output of the counter exceeds the second threshold.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the circuitry comprises a digital phase-locked loop, the digital phase-locked loop configured to determine the phase precalculated from previous sampled values.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the circuitry comprises an evaluation circuit comprising:

a first comparator configured to compare the phase difference with the first threshold;

the counter; and

a second comparator configured to compare the output of the counter with the second threshold.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the first comparator comprises a control input, the first comparator configured to set the first threshold based on the control input.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the second comparator comprises a control input, the second comparator configured to set the second threshold based on the control input.

16. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the second threshold is an increasing function of the clock signal.

17. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the circuitry comprises a control circuit configured to:

turn off the receiver circuit in response to determining that the output of the counter exceeds the second threshold within the time period; and

turn on the receiver circuit based on a time-control.

Assignments (18)
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: ATMEL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 059262/0105 →
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: ATMEL CORPORATION
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 041715/0747 →
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT COLLATERAL Recorded Apr 7, 2016
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
To: ATMEL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 038375/0490 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 15, 2014
From: ATMEL CORPORATION
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
Reel/Frame 032908/0485 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 18, 2014
From: ATMEL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
To: ATMEL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 032235/0604 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 18, 2014
From: GROSSKINSKY, ULRICH; BLATZ, WERNER
To: ATMEL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
Reel/Frame 032235/0522 →
Priority Claims (1)
DE 10 2009 010 115 · Feb 24, 2009 · national
Continuity (3)
Continuation 12710861 · Feb 23, 2010
Provisional Application 61155067 · Feb 24, 2009
Related Publication 20140112419A1 · Apr 24, 2014