Space Exploration Technologies Corp.

Stmicroelectronics S.a.

Mostafa Ghazali

Masoud Kahrizi

Andras Tantos

David Francois Jacquet

Pierre-Olivier Jouffre

Jouffre Pierre-Olivier

In an embodiment, an apparatus includes one or more timing components configured to generate a reference time signal based on a timing signal and a reference clock signal. The apparatus includes phase lock loop (PLL) configured to generate a synchronized output clock signal based on the reference clock signal and the reference time signal.

Phase lock loop (PLL) synchronization

In an embodiment, an apparatus includes an integrated circuit (IC) chip configured to receive a timing signal and a reference clock signal. The IC chips is configured to a reference time signal based on the timing signal and the reference clock signal. The IC chip includes a phase lock loop (PLL). The PLL is synchronized based on the reference time signal.

In an embodiment, an apparatus includes a first integrated circuit (IC) chip configured to receive a timing signal and a reference clock signal; and a second IC chip configured to receive the timing signal and the reference clock signal. The first and second IC chips are configured to generate respective first and second reference time signals based on the timing signal and the reference clock signal. The first and second IC chips include a respective first phase lock loop (PLL) and second PLL. The first PLL and the second PLL are synchronized to each other based on the first reference time signal and the second reference time signal.

In an embodiment, an apparatus includes a first integrated circuit (IC) chip configured to receive a timing signal and a reference clock signal; a second IC chip configured to receive the timing signal from the first IC chip and the reference clock signal; and a third IC chip configured to receive the timing signal from the second IC chip and the reference clock signal. The second IC chip is electrically coupled between the first and third IC chips. The first, second, and third IC chips include respectively first, second, and third phase lock loop (PLL). The first, second, and third IC chips are configured to generate respective first, second, and third reference time signals based on the timing signal and the reference clock signal. The first, second, and third PLLs are synchronized to each other based on the respective first, second, and third reference time signals.

A frequency synthesizer is provided with a PLL, including a divider by N circuit and a phase generation circuit which is connected to the output of the VCO of the PLL. The phase generation circuit generates a predetermined number of phases synchronized on the frequency of the VCO and at intervals from each other equal to a time difference representative of a phase error measured by a phase comparator of the PLL. A signal generation circuit provides an intermediate signal starting from the phases, the period of which is dependent on the time difference and a first adjustment parameter. The intermediate signal is applied to the divider by N circuit. A correction circuit determines the phase error accumulated during N&#x2212;1 periods of the intermediate signal and makes a correction of the intermediate signal every N periods of the intermediate signal as a function of the accumulated phase error such that the loop becomes stable.

Frequency synthesizer architecture

A phase-locked loop comprising a comparator generating a control voltage depending on the phase-shift between a reference signal and a feedback signal, an oscillator controlled by the control voltage, generating several phase-shifted signals of same period, one of which forms the output signal of the phase-locked loop, a multiplexer capable of providing any of the phase-shifted signals to the input of a divider, the output of which forms the feedback signal, and a means controlling the multiplexer to successively provide fractions of the phase-shifted signals, so that the divider receives a signal having an average period equal to a real fraction of the period of the phase-shifted signals.

Growing community of inventors

Grenoble, France

Mostafa Ghazali