Back to results
US 8,797,087 B2Granted
Reference quantity generator
AssigneeIntel Mobile Communications GmbH
InventorMarkus Schimper
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A reference quantity generator for generating a reference quantity includes a reference source configured to provide a reference source signal, a digitally controlled signal source and a digital controller. The digitally controlled signal source is configured to provide a digitally controlled quantity. The reference quantity is determined based on the digitally controlled quantity. The digital controller is configured to provide a digital control signal to control the digitally controlled signal source to adapt the digitally controlled quantity based on the reference source signal using a feedback.
Claims18
A reference quantity generator configured to generate a reference quantity, the reference quantity generator comprising:
- a reference source configured to provide a reference source signal;
- a digitally controlled signal source configured to provide a digitally controlled quantity, wherein the reference quantity is based on the digitally controlled quantity, wherein the digitally controlled signal source comprises a comparator configured to compare a comparator input signal with a threshold signal, the comparator input signal being indicative of a quantitative relation between the reference source signal and at least one of the digitally controlled quantity and the reference quantity;
- and
- a digital controller configured to provide a digital control signal to control the digitally controlled signal source to adapt the digitally controlled quantity based on the reference source signal using a feedback, wherein the digital controller comprises an up-and-down counter configured to receive a comparator output signal from the comparator and generate a digital output value, wherein the up-and-down counter is configured to alter the digital output value by an upward or downward digital unit step based on the comparator output signal,
- wherein the digitally controlled signal source comprises a digital-to-analog converter configured to receive the digital output value from the up-and-down counter and generate the digitally controlled quantity based on the digital output value.
2 more elements
A reference quantity generator configured to generate a reference quantity, the reference quantity generator comprising:
- a reference source configured to provide a reference source signal;
- a digitally controlled signal source configured to provide a digitally controlled quantity, wherein the reference quantity is based on the digitally controlled quantity;
- and
- a digital controller configured to provide a digital control signal to control the digitally controlled signal source to adapt the digitally controlled quantity based on the reference source signal using a feedback provided at a feedback node,
- wherein the reference source is a current source having a current source transistor which serves as a first comparison transistor and wherein the reference quantity generator comprises a second comparison transistor, wherein a control terminal of the second comparison transistor is coupled to an output of the digitally controlled signal source such that a control voltage of the second comparison transistor is determined by the digitally controlled quantity,
- wherein a sink terminal of the first comparison transistor is coupled to a sink terminal of the second comparison transistor to form the feedback node, and
- wherein the reference quantity generator is configured to increase or decrease the digital control signal based on a voltage at the feedback node between the sink terminal of the first comparison transistor and the sink terminal of the second comparison transistor.
4 more elements
A reference quantity generator configured to generate a reference quantity, comprising:
- a reference source configured to provide a reference source signal;
- and
- an analog-and-digital control loop configured to receive an analog setpoint signal that is a function of the reference source signal or that is equal to the reference source signal, and provide the reference quantity using a feedback and a digital control, wherein a noise measure of the analog-and-digital control loop is lower than a noise measure of the reference source, wherein the analog-and-digital control loop comprises:
- an analog-to-digital converter configured to convert the analog setpoint signal to a digital indicator signal;
- a digital controller configured to generate a digital control signal based on the digital indicator signal;
- a digital-to-analog converter configured to generate an analog control signal based on the digital control signal;
- and
- an analog signal processing chain configured to generate the analog setpoint signal based on the analog control signal.
5 more elements
A method for generating a reference quantity, the method comprising:
- providing a reference source signal;
- determining, using a feedback, a digital control signal based on the reference source signal;
- determining a digitally controlled quantity based on the digital control signal;
- and
- determining the reference quantity based on the digitally controlled quantity;
- wherein the feedback is based on the reference quantity or an associated quantity and provided to adapt the digitally controlled quantity based on the reference source signal,
- wherein determining the digital control signal comprises:
- comparing a comparator input signal with a threshold signal to provide a comparison result, the comparator input signal being indicative of a deviation between the reference source signal and at least one of the digitally controlled quantity and the reference quantity;
- increasing or decreasing a digital output value of an up-and-down counter based on the comparison result;
- and
- performing a digital-to-analog conversion of the digital output value to provide the digitally controlled quantity.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.