Patent ID: 7830216
Filing Date: 2010-11-09
Classification: H03L

Abstract:
1. An apparatus, comprising: a first oscillator to provide a first signal having a first untuned frequency, wherein the first oscillator is a Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) oscillator; and a frequency-control circuit coupled to receive the first signal and to provide an output clock signal having an output frequency, wherein the frequency-control circuit is configured to alter one or more pulses of the first signal to tune the output frequency of the output clock signal to have an average frequency over time at a desired target frequency, and wherein the frequency-control circuit comprises: a counter to count a number of pulses of the first signal, and a pulse-altering circuit coupled to receive the number of pulses from the counter and to alter the one or more pulses of the first signal to tune the output frequency based on the received number of pulses; wherein the pulse-altering circuit comprises a pulse-removal control circuit to receive the number of pulses from the counter, to compare the number of pulses against a threshold number of pulses, and to provide a control signal based on the comparison; wherein the pulse-altering circuit also comprises a pulse-removal circuit to receive the first signal and the control signal and to remove one or more pulses from the first signal when the control signal indicates that the number of pulses exceeds the threshold number of pulses, wherein the pulse-removal circuit provides the output clock signal having the average frequency; and wherein the pulse-removal control circuit is configured to control the timing of the pulse-removal circuit to dither when the one or more pulses of the first signal are removed.