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US 5,631,920 AGranted
Spread spectrum clock generator
AssigneeLexmark International, Inc.
InventorKeith B. Hardin
Life of this patent
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AssigneeLexmark International, Inc.
InventorKeith B. Hardin
Estimating the term…
A clock circuit includes an oscillator for generating a reference frequency signal, and a spread spectrum clock generator cooperating with the oscillator, generating a spread spectrum clock output signal having a fundamental frequency and reduced amplitude EMI spectral components at harmonics of the fundamental frequency. The spread spectrum clock generator preferably includes a clock pulse generator for generating a series of clock pulses, and a spread spectrum modulator for frequency modulating the clock pulse generator to broaden and flatten amplitudes of EMI spectral components which would otherwise be produced by the clock pulse generator. The spread spectrum modulator frequency modulated the clock pulses with specific profiles of frequency deviation versus the period of the profile. The clock generator circuits are digital and may be reset to a starting condition to synchronize the spread spectrum clock. For a laser printhead, the clock is synchronized with the start-of-sweep signal, so that printing is not degraded.
A clock controlled electronic device having a clock to provide spread spectrum clock signals to said device, said spread spectrum clock comprising a reference frequency clock, a stored table of digital values, a counter to address said table at different counts of said counter counting signals from said reference frequency clock, a voltage controlled oscillator having a control input, means to receive said stored digital values addressed by said different counts of said counter and to convert said received digital values to control signals to said input of said voltage controlled oscillator, the output of said voltage controlled oscillator providing said spread spectrum clock signals to said device.
A clock controlled electronic device having a clock to provide spread spectrum clock signals to said device, said spread spectrum clock comprising a reference frequency clock, a stored table of digital values, a first counter to address said table at different parts of said table determined by different counts of said first counter, a second counter to receive said stored digital values addressed by said different counts of said first counter, said second counter being responsive to clock signals of said reference frequency clock to step said second counter after said second counter receives each said digital value, a phase detector responsive to the difference in phase of two inputs to produce an output representative of the phase difference of said two inputs of said phase detector, said second counter providing an output signal upon reaching a predetermined value, said output signal providing a control signal to step the count of said first counter and said output signal providing one input to said phase detector, a voltage controlled oscillator having an input receiving said output of said phase detector and an output providing the second input of said phase detector to form a phase locked loop, the output of said phase locked loop providing said spread spectrum clock signals to said device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.