The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 29, 2011
Filed:
Feb. 03, 2010
Chih-chang Lin, San Jose, CA (US);
Tien-chun Yang, San Jose, CA (US);
Steven Swei, Fremont, CA (US);
Chih-Chang Lin, San Jose, CA (US);
Tien-Chun Yang, San Jose, CA (US);
Steven Swei, Fremont, CA (US);
Abstract
Embodiments described herein are related to a counter. In some embodiments, the counter can be used as a divider, e.g., in a fractional PLL. In some embodiments, the counter (e.g., the main counter or counter C) includes a first counter (e.g., counter C) and a second counter (e.g., counter C), which, together with the first counter C, perform the counting function for counter C. For example, if counter C is to count to the value N, then counter Ccounts, e.g., to N, and counter Ccounts to Nwhere N=N+N. For counter Cto count to N, Nis loaded to counter C. Similarly, for counter Cto count to N, Nis loaded to counter C. While counter Ccounts (e.g., to N), Ncan be loaded to counter C. After counter Cfinishes counting to N, N, if loaded, is available for counter Cto start counting to this N. Counters Cand Ccan alternately count and thus provide continuous counting for counter C. Other embodiments and exemplary applications are also disclosed.