Method and system for implementing a PLL using high-voltage switches and regulators
AssigneeBroadcom Corporation
InventorsStephen Au, Dandan Li
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus in an integrated circuit radio transceiver are operable to apply a modified control signal to drive logic that includes a plurality of first devices having a first threshold voltage and a first gate oxide thickness that are both greater than a second threshold voltage and a second gate oxide thickness for a greater second plurality of devices within the integrated circuit radio transceiver. The transceiver therefore generates a first control signal having a first magnitude operable to drive logic that includes a plurality of devices having a second threshold voltage and applies the first control signal to a level shifter to produce the modified control signal.
Claims20
An integrated circuit radio transceiver, comprising:
- baseband processor for processing ingoing and outgoing digital communication signals;
- transmitter front end for processing and transmitting outgoing RF signals based upon the outgoing digital communication signals;
- receiver front end for receiving ingoing RF signals and for processing the ingoing RF signals to produce the ingoing digital communication signals;
- and
- phase locked loop circuitry operable to provide a local oscillation to at least one of the transmitter and receiver front ends to support up-conversion to RF and down-conversion from RF, respectively, the phase locked loop circuitry further including:
- a voltage controlled oscillator operable to produce an oscillation characterized by a specified frequency signal;
- a phase-frequency detector operable to compare a feedback signal based upon the oscillation to a reference signal to produce an adjustment signal;
- a charge pump operable to produce a charging current based upon the adjustment signal;
- a loop filter operable to produce an oscillator control voltage to the voltage controlled oscillator based upon the charging current;
- wherein at least one of the charge pump and the loop filter comprise a first MOSFET switch having a first gate oxide thickness that requires a first threshold voltage to bias the first MOSFET on;
- wherein the integrated circuit radio transceiver comprises a library of second MOSFET devices having a second gate oxide thickness and require a second threshold voltage to bias the second MOSFETs on, wherein a quantity of the second MOSFET devices of the library that are used within the integrated circuit radio transceiver is much greater than a quantity of the first MOSFET devices;
- and
- wherein the first gate oxide thickness is greater than the second gate oxide thickness and wherein the first threshold voltage is greater than the second threshold voltage.
An integrated circuit radio transceiver, comprising:
- front end circuitry for transmitting outgoing radio frequency signals and for receiving ingoing radio frequency signals;
- at least one first MOSFET switch that is used in a switching application of the integrated circuit transceiver having a thicker gate oxide;
- a library of components that includes second MOSFET switches that are used in circuitry of the integrated circuit radio transceiver wherein the circuitry is operable to produce output signals that are less than or equal to a first voltage magnitude based upon input signals that are less than or equal to the first voltage magnitude;
- and
- a level shifter operable to receive a control signal having the first voltage magnitude and generated within the circuitry of the integrated circuit radio transceiver, the level shifter operable to produce a modified control signal having a second voltage magnitude based upon the received control signal.
A method in an integrated circuit radio transceiver, comprising:
- applying a modified control signal to drive logic that includes a first plurality of first devices having a first threshold voltage and a first gate oxide thickness that are both greater than a second threshold voltage and a second gate oxide thickness for a greater second plurality of second devices within the integrated circuit radio transceiver;
- generating a first bias signal having a first magnitude operable to drive logic that includes a plurality of the second devices having the second threshold voltage;
- and
- applying a first control signal having a magnitude equal to or less than the first bias signal to a level shifter to produce the modified control signal.
A method for generating a local oscillation in a phase-locked loop that includes a charge pump and a loop filter coupled in series, the method comprising:
- generating a first control signal using a thin gate oxide device, wherein the thin oxide gate device, when biased in an off state, produces a substantial leakage current;
- applying the first control signal to a level shifter;
- level shifting the first control signal to create a modified control signal;
- and
- applying the modified control signal to operably bias a thick gate oxide device of a device within one of the charge pump and the loop filter.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.