Sony patents digital circuit design for precise clock synchronization
Sony has secured a patent for an all-digital phase-locked loop circuit that uses two parallel time-to-digital converters to measure phase differences. One converter provides a coarse measurement, while the other offers finer resolution and can be turned off when not needed to save power. The circuit outputs a signal to synchronize the reference clock with the digital components of the chip.
In the filing’s own words
All digital phase-locked loop circuits are disclosed. In one example, an all digital phase-locked loop circuit includes a first time-to-digital converter that performs phase difference detection at a first resolution, and a second time-to-digital converter that performs phase difference detection at a second resolution finer than the first resolution and that is arranged in parallel with the first time-to-digital converter. The second time-to-digital converter is configured to allow it to be disabled, and the first time-to-digital converter outputs a clock synchronization selection signal used for synchronizing a reference clock signal to a clock synchronization unit that generates a clock signal of a digital part.
What exactly they claim (claim 1)
1. An all digital phase-locked loop circuit comprising: a first time-to-digital converter that performs phase difference detection at a first resolution; and a second time-to-digital converter that performs phase difference detection at a second resolution finer than the first resolution and that is arranged in parallel with the first time-to-digital converter, wherein the second time-to-digital converter is configured to allow being disabled, and the first time-to-digital converter outputs a clock synchronization selection signal used for synchronizing a reference clock signal to a clock synchronization circuit that generates a clock signal of a digital part.
Facts
- Company
- Sony (Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation)
- Official title
- All digital phase-locked loop circuit
- Patent number
- US12732197B2
- Application number
- 18841566
- Filed
- Mar 20, 2023
- Granted
- Sep 8, 2026
- Inventors
- 4
- Claims
- 11
Classified under
H03L 7/087 Electricity & electronicsH03L 7/0802 Electricity & electronicsH03L 7/085 Electricity & electronicsH03L 7/0991 Electricity & electronicsH03L 7/197 Electricity & electronicsH03L 2207/50 Electricity & electronicsMore from Sony in Chips & hardware
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Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.