Injection locked multi-phase signal generator

A periodic signal generator, comprising:

• means for generating a periodic reference signal having a predetermined frequency and a first value of phase noise;
• means coupled to said means for generating said periodic reference signal for generating a first plurality of output signals of said predetermined frequency and having substantially the same value of phase noise as said first value of phase noise, said first plurality of output signals having a mutual phase difference of a first degree of phase difference accuracy;
• and
• oscillator means having a second value of phase noise, when free running, which is greater than said first value of phase noise, coupled to and injection locked to said first plurality of output signals for generating a second plurality of output signals by summing the first plurality of output signals into a signal path of said oscillator means, said second plurality of output signals having a mutual phase difference of 360°/n, where n is an integer, and a second degree of phase difference accuracy, and
• whereby the injection locking of said oscillator means to the output signals of said means for generating output signals of a first degree of phase difference accuracy results in the second degree of phase difference accuracy being greater than the first degree of phase difference accuracy and a phase noise which is substantially equal to the phase noise of said first plurality of output signals.

A periodic RF signal generator, comprising:

• an RF signal source of a plurality of phase related output signals of a predetermined RF frequency and having a first degree of mutual phase difference accuracy and a first value of phase noise;
• and
• a ring oscillator connected to said signal source, having a second value of phase noise, when free running, which is greater than said first value of phase noise;
• wherein the ring oscillator is a source of a plurality of phase related output signals injection locked to output signals of said signal source and having a second degree of accuracy of mutual phase difference by summing the phase related output signals of the RF signal source into a signal path of the ring oscillator;
• and
• whereby the injection locking of said ring oscillator to the output signals of said signal source results in the frequency of the ring oscillator being equal to the predetermined frequency of the RF signal source, said output signals of the ring oscillator having a phase noise substantially equal to said first value of phase noise, said second degree of phase accuracy also being greater than said first degree of phase accuracy.

A periodic signal generator, comprising:

• a source of a periodic reference signal having a predetermined RF frequency and a first value of phase noise;
• a multi-phase output signal source of a plurality of RF output signals connected to said source and having a frequency of said predetermined RF frequency, a substantially said first value of phase noise and having a mutual phase relationship of a first degree of phase difference accuracy;
• a ring oscillator operating substantially at said predetermined RF frequency and having a second value of phase noise when free running which is greater than said first value of phase noise connected to the multi-phase RF signal source;
• and
• wherein said ring oscillator is a second source of a plurality of RF output signals that can be injection locked to said plurality of RF output signals of said output signal source and which have a mutual phase relationship of 360°/n, where n is an integer, and a second degree of phase accuracy by summing the output signals of the multi-phase output signal source into a signal path of the ring oscillator;
• whereby the injection locking of said ring oscillator to said multi-phase output signal source results in the second degree of phase difference accuracy being greater than the first degree of phase difference accuracy and the ring oscillator having a phase noise which is substantially equal to said first value of phase noise of the periodic RF reference signal.

A periodic signal generator, comprising:

• a multi-phase signal source generating a plurality of phase related output signals having a predetermined frequency, a first value of phase noise or jitter and a mutual phase difference of a first value of phase difference accuracy;
• and
• a ring oscillator having a free running frequency at or about the predetermined frequency of the signal source and having a value of phase noise or jitter, when free running, greater than said first value of phase noise or jitter, injection locked to the output signals of the multi-phase signal source and generating a plurality of phase related output signals having a mutual phase difference of a second value of phase difference accuracy by summing the output signals of the signal source into a signal path of the ring oscillator;
• whereby the injection locking of said ring oscillator to the phase related output signals of said multi-phase signal source results in the frequency of ring oscillator being equal to the predetermined frequency of the multi-phase signal source and said signals generated thereby having a phase noise or jitter which is now substantially equal to said first value of phase noise and the second value of phase accuracy being greater than the first value of phase accuracy.

A periodic signal generator, comprising:

• a reference signal source for generating a periodic output signal of a predetermined frequency and having a phase noise of a first value;
• a multi-phase signal source being driven by said reference signal source and generating a plurality of output signals having a mutual phase difference relationship of a first degree of phase difference accuracy and a phase noise of substantially said first value;
• and
• a ring oscillator that can be injection locked to the output signals of the multi-phase signal source, and having a phase noise, when free running, greater than said first value of phase noise and operating at a frequency substantially equal to the frequency of said reference signal source and generating a plurality of output signals having a mutual phase relationship of 360°/n, where n is an integer, and having a second degree of phase difference accuracy by summing the output signals of the multi-phase signal source into a signal path of the ring oscillator;
• whereby, upon injection locking of said ring oscillator to said multi-phase signal source, the frequency of the ring oscillator is the same as the predetermined frequency of the reference signal source, the second degree of phase difference accuracy becomes greater than the first degree of phase difference accuracy and the value of the phase noise of the output signals generated by the ring oscillator is substantially equal to the first value of phase noise of said reference signal source over a relatively large bandwidth.

A method of generating a plurality of phase related periodic output signals, comprising the steps of:

• generating a periodic output signal of a predetermined reference frequency and having a first value of phase noise which meets a predetermined noise standard;
• generating a plurality of phase-related intermediate output signals having a first degree of phase difference accuracy from said periodic output signal, and
• injection locking a ring oscillator operating at or about said predetermined reference frequency and having a second value of phase noise, when free running, greater than said first value of phase noise with said plurality of intermediate output signals and generating a plurality of phase-related output signals having a second degree of phase difference accuracy from said intermediate output signals by summing the intermediate output signals into a signal path of the ring oscillator;
• whereby the injection locking of said ring oscillator to said intermediate output signals results in the second degree of phase difference accuracy being substantially greater than the first degree of phase difference accuracy and the phase noise of said output signals having a value which is equal to or approximately equal to said first value of phase noise.