IP Library Granted Patent US 9,473,293
Granted Patent B2
US 9,473,293 · App. 14/582,186 · Granted Oct 18, 2016

Systems and methods for operating radio transceivers

Inventors: Chris N. Stoll (Dripping Springs, TX); Prachee S. Behera (Cedar Park, TX); David F. Brown (Boca Raton, FL); Shobak R. Kythakyapuzha (Tempe, AZ); Khurram Waheed (Austin, TX)
Assignee: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc.
H04L7/033H04B1/40
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,473,293
App. No.
14/582,186
Granted
Oct 18, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

A phase lock loop monitor circuit is disclosed. The phase lock loop monitor circuit may include a coarse tuning circuit operable to generate a coarse tune failure indicator, a frequency target lock detector circuit operable to generate a frequency target failure indicator, a cycle slip monitor circuit operable to generate a cycle slip lock failure indicator, and an abort logic circuit communicatively coupled to the coarse tuning circuit, the frequency target lock detector circuit, and the cycle slip monitor circuit, the abort logic circuit operable to generate a radio operation abort indicator based at least on the coarse tune failure indicator, the frequency target failure indicator, or the cycle slip lock failure indicator.

Claims (54)

1. A radio transceiver comprising:

a coarse tuning circuit operable to generate a coarse tune failure indicator;

a frequency target lock detector circuit operable to generate a frequency target failure indicator;

a cycle slip monitor circuit operable to generate a cycle slip lock failure indicator; and

a transceiver sequence manager communicatively coupled to the coarse tuning circuit, the frequency target lock detector circuit, and the cycle slip monitor circuit, the transceiver sequence manager operable to generate a radio operation abort indicator based at least on the coarse tune failure indicator, the frequency target failure indicator, or the cycle slip lock failure indicator;

a receive mode logic circuit operable to generate a first abort logic signal based at least on the radio operation abort indicator, a receive mode indicator, and a receive mode abort disable indicator;

a transmit mode logic circuit operable to generate a second abort logic signal based at least on the radio operation abort indicator, a transmit mode indicator, and a transmit mode abort disable indicator; and

a logic circuit operable to generate an abort indicator based at least on the first and second abort logic signals.

2. The radio transceiver of claim 1 , wherein the cycle slip monitor circuit comprises an analog cycle slip event detector circuit and a digital cycle slip event detector circuit.

3. The radio transceiver of claim 2 , wherein the digital cycle slip lock detector circuit is operable to:

monitor cycle slips;

generate a count of cycle slip events;

if the count is below a threshold, mask cycle slip events for a predetermined masking time;

if the count is above the threshold, set the cycle slip lock failure indicator; and

generate a signal associated with disabling the analog cycle slip lock detector circuit when monitoring is paused.

4. The radio transceiver of claim 1 , wherein the cycle slip lock failure indicator comprises an indicator that a plurality of cycle slip events have occurred within a predetermined time frame.

5. The radio transceiver of claim 1 , wherein the transceiver sequence manager is further operable to generate the radio operation abort indicator based at least on the coarse tune failure indicator prior to the radio transceiver entering a phase lock loop locking phase.

6. The radio transceiver of claim 1 , wherein the transceiver sequence manager is further operable to generate the radio operation abort indicator based at least on the frequency target failure indicator prior to the radio transceiver entering an active radio operation.

7. The radio transceiver of claim 1 , wherein the transceiver sequence manager is further operable to communicate to a processor that operation of the radio has been aborted.

8. A phase lock loop monitor circuit comprising:

a coarse tuning circuit operable to generate a coarse tune failure indicator;

a frequency target lock detector circuit operable to generate a frequency target failure indicator;

a cycle slip monitor circuit operable to generate a cycle slip lock failure indicator; and

an abort logic circuit communicatively coupled to the coarse tuning circuit, the frequency target lock detector circuit, and the cycle slip monitor circuit, the abort logic circuit operable to generate a radio operation abort indicator based at least on the coarse tune failure indicator, the frequency target failure indicator, or the cycle slip lock failure indicator;

a receive mode logic circuit operable to generate a first abort logic signal based at least on the radio operation abort indicator, a receive mode indicator, and a receive mode abort disable indicator;

a transmit mode logic circuit operable to generate a second abort logic signal based at least on the radio operation abort indicator, a transmit mode indicator, and a transmit mode abort disable indicator; and

a logic circuit [ 306 ] operable to generate an abort indicator based at least on the first and second abort logic signals.

9. The phase lock loop monitor circuit of claim 8 , wherein the cycle slip monitor circuit comprises an analog cycle slip event detector circuit and a digital cycle slip event detector circuit.

10. The phase lock loop monitor circuit of claim 9 , wherein the digital cycle slip lock detector circuit is operable to:

monitor cycle slips;

generate a count of cycle slip events;

if the count is below a threshold, mask cycle slip events for a predetermined masking time;

if the count is above the threshold, set the cycle slip lock failure indicator; and

generate a signal associated with disabling the analog cycle slip lock detector circuit when monitoring is paused.

11. The phase lock loop monitor circuit of claim 8 , wherein the cycle slip lock failure indicator comprises an indicator that a plurality of cycle slip events have occurred within a predetermined time frame.

12. The phase lock loop monitor circuit of claim 8 , wherein the abort logic circuit is operable to communicate the radio operation abort indicator to a transceiver sequence manager, wherein the transceiver sequence manager is operable to generate an abort indicator based at least on the coarse tune failure indicator prior to the radio transceiver entering a phase lock loop locking phase.

13. The phase lock loop monitor circuit of claim 8 , wherein the abort logic circuit is operable to communicate the radio operation abort indicator to a transceiver sequence manager, wherein the transceiver sequence manager is operable to generate an abort indicator based at least on the frequency target failure indicator prior to the radio transceiver entering an active radio operation.

14. The phase lock loop monitor circuit of claim 13 , wherein the transceiver sequence manager further comprises:

a receive mode logic circuit operable to generate a first abort logic signal based at least on the radio operation abort indicator, a receive mode indicator, and a receive mode abort disable indicator;

a transmit mode logic circuit operable to generate a second abort logic signal based at least on the radio operation abort indicator, a transmit mode indicator, and a transmit mode abort disable indicator; and

a logic circuit operable to generate an abort indicator based at least on the first and second abort logic signals.

15. A method for monitoring cycle slips in a radio transceiver, the method comprising:

monitoring cycle slip events within a predetermined monitoring window;

upon receiving a cycle slip event indication from an analog cycle slip event detector circuit, updating a count of cycle slip events;

if the count is below a threshold, masking cycle slip events for a predetermined masking time;

if the count is above the threshold, setting a cycle slip lock failure indicator;

upon expiration of the predetermined monitored window, suspending monitoring;

upon expiration of a predetermined low power wait time, resuming monitoring;

generating a first abort logic signal based at least on the radio operation abort indicator, a receive mode indicator, and a receive mode abort disable indicator;

generating a second abort logic signal based at least on the radio operation abort indicator, a transmit mode indicator, and a transmit mode abort disable indicator; and

generating an abort indicator based at least on the first and second abort logic signals.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising generating a signal associated with a suspension of the analog cycle slip event detector circuit when suspending monitoring.

17. The method of claim 15 , further comprising clearing the cycle slip lock failure indicator and subsequently resuming monitoring.

18. The method of claim 15 , further comprising enabling cycle slip monitoring events.

Assignments (15)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE REMOVE APPLICATION 11759915 AND REPLACE IT WITH APPLICATION 11759935 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 040925 FRAME 0001. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST. Recorded Feb 17, 2020
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
To: NXP, B.V. F/K/A FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
Reel/Frame 052917/0001 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE REMOVE APPLICATION 11759915 AND REPLACE IT WITH APPLICATION 11759935 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 040928 FRAME 0001. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST. Recorded Jan 17, 2020
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
To: NXP B.V.
Reel/Frame 052915/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 10, 2019
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
To: NXP B.V.
Reel/Frame 050744/0097 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE NATURE OF CONVEYANCE PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 040632 FRAME: 0001. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE MERGER AND CHANGE OF NAME. Recorded Sep 21, 2017
From: FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR INC.
To: NXP USA, INC.
Reel/Frame 044209/0047 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Nov 8, 2016
From: FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
To: NXP USA, INC.
Reel/Frame 040632/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 7, 2016
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
To: NXP B.V.
Reel/Frame 040928/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 21, 2016
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
To: NXP, B.V., F/K/A FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
Reel/Frame 040925/0001 →
SUPPLEMENT TO THE SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jun 16, 2016
From: FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
Reel/Frame 039138/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Jan 5, 2016
From: CITIBANK, N.A.
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
Reel/Frame 037444/0444 →
ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Jan 5, 2016
From: CITIBANK, N.A.
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
Reel/Frame 037444/0535 →
PATENT RELEASE Recorded Dec 21, 2015
From: CITIBANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
Reel/Frame 037358/0001 →
SUPPLEMENT TO IP SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Feb 18, 2015
From: FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
To: CITIBANK, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 035033/0001 →
SUPPLEMENT TO IP SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Feb 18, 2015
From: FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
To: CITIBANK, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 035034/0019 →
SUPPLEMENT TO IP SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Feb 18, 2015
From: FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
To: CITIBANK, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 035033/0923 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 2, 2015
From: STOLL, CHRIS N.; BEHERA, PRACHEE S.; BROWN, DAVID F.; KYTHAKYAPUZHA, SHOBAK R.; WAHEED, KHURRAM
To: FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
Reel/Frame 034621/0761 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20160191231A1 · Jun 30, 2016