# Patent

## Title
PLL circuit having reduced capacitor size

## Abstract

A PLL circuit, having a control loop for an input to a VCO including first and second charge pumps eash having an output coupled to the input of the VCO; an RC network having a first resistance and a capacitance and being and RC network coupled to the output of the first charge pump. A second resistance coupled between the output of the first charge pump and the input to the VCO, the valve of the capacitance C being reduced by a factor X, where




  
    V
    VCO
  
  =
  
    
      
        x
        
          C
          ′
        
      
      ⁢
      
        I
        CP2
      
      ⁢
      t
    
    +
    
      
        I
        CP2
      
      ⁢
      R2
    
  




    
    
        VVCO=VCO input voltage
        Icp2 is the current output by the second charge pump
        R2=second resistance
        C′=new capacitance value=C*X
        C=original capacitance value.

## Background
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a phase locked loop circuit. More specifically, it relates to a phase lock loop (PLL) circuit which may be integrated on a small substrate area of a chip.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Conventionally, a PLL circuit comprises a voltage controlled oscillator, a phase error detector for detecting a phase error between an output of the voltage controlled oscillator and an external reference signal, and a loop filter inserted between an error signal output of the phase error detector and a control voltage input of the voltage controlled oscillator. A frequency divider may be provided between the output of the oscillator and an input of the phase error detector.
As shown in FIG. 1, a loop filter in a conventional PLL comprises a charge pump CP which is directly controlled by an error signal from a phase error detector PED and an RC series combination which is connected between a fixed supply terminal on the one hand and a connecting node between the current output of the charge pump CP and the control input of the voltage controlled oscillator VCO, on the other hand. The phase error detector PED has a first input receiving a reference frequency signal ƒin and a second input receiving the output of a frequency divider DIV, the input of which is connected to the output of the voltage controlled oscillator VCO. The output of voltage controlled oscillator VCO is the desired output signal of frequency ƒout. The control voltage VVCO of the oscillator VCO in such a circuit is given by




  
    
      
        
          
            V
            VCO
          
          =
          
            
              
                1
                C
              
              ⁢
              It
            
            +
            RI
          
        
        ,
      
    
    
      
        (
        1
        )
      
    
  




wherein C is the capacity and R is the resistance of the RC series combination, I is the current from the charge pump CP and t is the time.

Usually, for low bandwidth PLLs, if the capacitor C is formed on chip, it often covers more than 70% of the whole PLL circuit area. It would therefore be desirable to be able to reduce the capacitor area and, thus, the chip size. However, there is a problem in that the damping and bandwidth of the PLL circuit depend on the size of the capacitor C. Damping is given by




  
    
      
        
          s
          =
          
            
              1
              2
            
            ⁢
            
              
                
                  
                    IK
                    VCO
                  
                  ⁢
                  
                    R
                    2
                  
                  ⁢
                  C
                
                N
              
            
          
        
        ,
      
    
    
      
        (
        2
        )
      
    
  




wherein KVCO is the gain of the voltage-controlled oscillator, and N is the dividing ratio of frequency divider DIV.

Bandwidth is given by




  
    
      
        
          ω
          n
        
        =
        
          
            
              
                IK
                VCO
              
              NC
            
          
          .
        
      
    
    
      
        (
        3
        )
      
    
  




It is readily apparent that if the capacitor is to be reduced without reducing damping and bandwidth, it is necessary to increase the resistance R. An increased resistor value has several disadvantages. Matching becomes difficult, and the effect of thermal noise also increases.
So-called self-biased PLL circuits have a loop filter, which comprises two identical charge pumps in parallel. Instead of an RC series combination, there is a capacitor connected to the current output of one of the charge pumps and a resistor connected to the current output of the other. For a given damping and bandwidth, the values of capacitor and resistor are the same as for a conventional loop filter having a single charge pump.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A PLL circuit comprises a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO), a phase error detector (PED) for detecting a phase error between an output signal from said voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) divided by a frequency divider (DIV) and a reference signal (fin), and a loop filter (LF) inserted between an error signal output of said phase error detector (PED) and a control input of said voltage controlled oscillator (VCO), wherein said loop filter (LF) comprises two charge pumps (CP1, CP2), each delivering a respective output current (ICP1, ICP2) according to a level of the error signal at said error signal output. A first resistor (R2) and a first transistor (N2), the first resistor (R2) has a first terminal connected to a first supply potential (V+) and the first transistor (N2) has a current path connected between a second terminal of the first resistor (R2) and a second supply potential (GND), A capacitor (C′), a first electrode of which is connected to the current output of the first charge pump (CP1) and a second electrode of which is connected to one of said supply potentials (V+), and a control circuit (OA, N1, R1) has an input connected to the first electrode of said capacitor (C′) and an output connected to a control electrode of said first transistor (N2), for controlling the equivalent resistance of the first transistor (N2) so that said equivalent resistance divided by the resistance value of the first resistor (R2) equals the potential difference between said second supply potential (GND) and said first electrode of said capacitor (C′) divided by the potential difference (VC′) between said first supply potential (V+) and said first electrode of said capacitor (C′),

    
    
        an intermediate point between said first resistor (R2) and said first transistor (N2) being connected to a current output of said second charge pump (CP2) and connected to the control voltage input of the voltage controlled oscillator vand the output current of the first charge. pump (CP1) for a given level of the error signal being less than the output current of the second charge pump (CP2).
    
    


In a PLL circuit, a control loop for an input to a (VCO) comprises a first and second charge pumps each has a output coupled to the inout of the (VCO; an RC network having a first resistance and a capacitance and being coupled to the output of the first charge pump; a second resistance coupled between the output of the first charge pump and the input to the VCO, wherein the valve of the capacitance C is reduced by a factor X, here




  
    V
    VCO
  
  =
  
    
      
        x
        
          C
          ′
        
      
      ⁢
      
        I
        CP2
      
      ⁢
      t
    
    +
    
      
        I
        CP2
      
      ⁢
      R2
    
  




and VCO=VCO input voltage. Icp2 is the current output by the second charge pump, R2=second resistance, C′=new capacitance value=C* X; and C=original capacitance value. In a PLL circuit, a control loop for an input to a (VCO) comprises first and second charge pumps each having an output coupled to the inout of the (VCO;) an RC network having a first resistance and a capacitance and being coupled to the output of the first charge pump; a second resistance coupled between the output of the first charge pump and the input to the (VCO), wherein the valve of the capacitance C is reduced by a factor x, where





  
    V
    CO
  
  =
  
    
      
        1
        
          C
          ′
        
      
      ⁢
      
        I
        CP1
      
      ⁢
      t
    
    +
    
      
        I
        CP2
      
      ⁢
      R
    
  




and Icp1=x=is the current output by the first charge pump; Icp2=0<x<1=current output of second charge pump; Vco=Vco input voltage; C′=new capacitance value=C*; C=original capacitance value.

In a PLL circuit, a control loop for an input to a (VCO) comprising:

first and second charge pumps each having an output coupled to the inout of the (VCO);
an RC network having a first resistance and a capacitance and being coupled to the output of the first charge pump;
a second resistance coupled between the output of the first charge pump and the input to the (VCO), wherein the valve of the capacitance C is reduced by a factor x, where




  
    V
    CO
  
  =
  
    
      
        1
        
          C
          ′
        
      
      ⁢
      
        I
        CP1
      
      ⁢
      t
    
    +
    
      
        I
        CP2
      
      ⁢
      R
    
  




and

Icp1=x=is the current output by the first charge pump
Icp2=0<x<1=current output of second charge pump
Vco=Vco input voltage
C′=new capacitance value=C*X
C=original capacitance value.
It is a general object of the present invention to provide a PLL circuit which may be integrated on less substrate area than the conventional PLL circuits described above without affecting damping and bandwidth.
This and other objects and features are achieved by a PLL circuit, in which, both the capacitor and the output current of the first charge pump may be reduced over a conventional self-biased PLL circuit, since the relative contribution of the first charge pump to the control voltage applied to the voltage controlled oscillator does not depend directly on the current output by the first charge pump and the capacitor charged by it, but on the current flowing through the first resistor and the first transistor.
The control circuit may be formed of a second resistor and a second transistor connected in series between the first and second supply potentials and an operational amplifier having an output connected to control electrodes of the first and second transistors, a non-inverting input connected to an intermediate point between the second resistor and the second transistor, and an inverting input connected to the current output of the first charge pump. By this design, the equivalent resistance of the second transistor, divided by the resistance of the second resistor, equals the potential difference between the second supply potential and a first electrode of the capacitor, divided by the potential difference between said first supply potential and the first electrode of the capacitor. Since there is no other current source connected to the intermediate point between the second resistor and the second transistor, the potential at this point will be equal to the potential present at the inverting input of the operational amplifier, and accordingly, the equivalent resistance of the first transistor may easily be controlled such that this equivalent resistance divided by the resistance of the first resistor also equals the potential difference between the second supply potential and the first electrode of the capacitor divided by the potential difference between the first supply potential and the first electrode of the capacitor. In one preferred embodiment; this condition is satisfied by having the first and second resistors being identical and the first and second transistors being identical.



BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of an exemplary embodiment and the appended drawing.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a conventional PLL circuit; and
FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a PLL circuit according to the invention.



DETAILED DESCRIPTION
In FIG. 2, the voltage controlled oscillator VCO, 1/N frequency divider DIV and phase error detector PED are the same as in the conventional PLL circuit of FIG. 1 and will not be described anew. The error signal output of phase error detector PED is connected to control inputs of two charge pumps CP1, CP2. The two charge pumps CP1, CP2 are designed to deliver output currents ICP1, ICP2 that depend on the level of the error signal from phase error detector PED. The amount of ICP1 is smaller than that of ICP2 for any level of the error signal. The current ICP1 from the first charge pump CP1 charges a capacitor C′, one electrode of which is connected to the current output of the first charge pump CP1 and the other electrode of which is connected to a positive supply voltage V+. A voltage VC′ between the two electrodes of the capacitor C′ is given by




  
    
      
        
          V
          
            C
            ′
          
        
        =
        
          
            1
            
              C
              ′
            
          
          ⁢
          
            I
            CP1
          
          ⁢
          
            t
            .
          
        
      
    
    
      
        (
        4
        )
      
    
  




An operational amplifier OA has an inverting input connected to the first electrode of capacitor C′ and to the current output of charge pump CP1. An output of the operational amplifier OA is connected to a gate of a FET transistor N1 that will be referred to in the following as the second transistor, thus controlling the equivalent resistance of the second transistor N1. The source of second transistor N1. is grounded, whereas the drain is connected to a non-inverting input of operational amplifier OA and, via a second resistor R1, to the supply voltage V+. The operational amplifier OA controls the gate potential of the second transistor N1. such that the potentials at the inputs of operational amplifier OA become equal, i.e., that the voltage drop VA across the second resistor R1 equals VC′. That is, the current IN1 across the second transistor N1. equals




  
    
      
        
          I
          N1
        
        =
        
          
            V
            
              C
              ′
            
          
          R1
        
      
    
    
      
        (
        5
        )
      
    
  




The output of operational amplifier OA is further connected to the gate of a first FET transistor N2 which, together with a first transistor R2, forms a series connection between V+ and ground, similar to N1 and R1. An intermediate point between the first transistor N2 and the first resistor R2 is connected to the current output of the second charge pump CP2 and to the control input of voltage controlled oscillator VCO. The two FET transistors N1, N2 and the resistors R1, R2 are selected such that for a relevant range of gate potentials of the transistors,




  
    
      
        
          
            R
            1
          
          
            R
            N1
          
        
        =
        
          
            R
            2
          
          
            R
            N2
          
        
      
    
    
      
        (
        6
        )
      
    
  




wherein RN1, RN2 denote the equivalent ON resistance values of transistors N1, N2. Due to this selection, the voltage across R2 would equal VC if the current ICP2 from the second charge pump CP2 was zero. In fact, the current from the second charge pump CP2 causes an additional voltage ICP2*R2 across the first resistor R2, i.e. the voltage VVCO at the control input of voltage controlled oscillator VCO is the total voltage caused at R2 by the currents through the first transistor N2 and through the second charge pump CP2:

VVCO=IN2R2+ICP2R2  (7)

Since V+=IN1(R1+RN1)=IN2(R2+RN2), IN2 may be written as





  
    
      
        
          I
          N2
        
        =
        
          
            I
            N1
          
          ⁢
          
            
              
                
                  R
                  ⁢
                  
                    
                  
                  ⁢
                  1
                
                +
                
                  R
                  
                    N
                    ⁢
                    
                      
                    
                    ⁢
                    1
                  
                
              
              
                
                  R
                  ⁢
                  
                    
                  
                  ⁢
                  2
                
                +
                
                  R
                  
                    N
                    ⁢
                    
                      
                    
                    ⁢
                    2
                  
                
              
            
            .
          
        
      
    
    
      
        (
        8
        )
      
    
  




Combining eqns. (7) and (8) gives





  
    
      
        
          V
          VCO
        
        =
        
          
            
              I
              
                N
                ⁢
                
                  
                
                ⁢
                1
              
            
            ⁢
            
              
                
                  R
                  ⁢
                  
                    
                  
                  ⁢
                  1
                
                +
                
                  R
                  
                    N
                    ⁢
                    
                      
                    
                    ⁢
                    1
                  
                
              
              
                
                  R
                  ⁢
                  
                    
                  
                  ⁢
                  2
                
                +
                
                  R
                  
                    N
                    ⁢
                    
                      
                    
                    ⁢
                    2
                  
                
              
            
            ⁢
            R
            ⁢
            
              
            
            ⁢
            2
          
          +
          
            
              I
              
                CP
                ⁢
                
                  
                
                ⁢
                2
              
            
            ⁢
            R
            ⁢
            
              
            
            ⁢
            2.
          
        
      
    
    
      
        (
        9
        )
      
    
  




Combining eqns. (9) and (5) yields





  
    
      
        
          V
          VCO
        
        =
        
          
            
              1
              
                
                  C
                  ′
                
                ⁢
                R
                ⁢
                
                  
                
                ⁢
                1
              
            
            ⁢
            
              I
              
                CP
                ⁢
                
                  
                
                ⁢
                1
              
            
            ⁢
            
              t
              ·
              
                
                  
                    R
                    ⁢
                    
                      
                    
                    ⁢
                    1
                  
                  +
                  
                    R
                    
                      N
                      ⁢
                      
                        
                      
                      ⁢
                      1
                    
                  
                
                
                  
                    R
                    ⁢
                    
                      
                    
                    ⁢
                    2
                  
                  +
                  
                    R
                    
                      N
                      ⁢
                      
                        
                      
                      ⁢
                      2
                    
                  
                
              
            
            ⁢
            R
            ⁢
            
              
            
            ⁢
            2
          
          +
          
            
              I
              
                CP
                ⁢
                
                  
                
                ⁢
                2
              
            
            ⁢
            R
            ⁢
            
              
            
            ⁢
            2.
          
        
      
    
    
      
        (
        10
        )
      
    
  




Since the two currents ICP1, ICP2 in eqn. (10) are independent from one another, they may be set to different values. If ICP1 is selected as





  
    
      
        
          
            I
            
              CP
              ⁢
              
                
              
              ⁢
              1
            
          
          =
          
            x
            ⁢
            
              
            
            ⁢
            
              
                R
                ⁢
                
                  
                
                ⁢
                1
              
              
                R
                ⁢
                
                  
                
                ⁢
                2
              
            
            ⁢
            
              
                
                  R
                  ⁢
                  
                    
                  
                  ⁢
                  2
                
                +
                
                  R
                  
                    N
                    ⁢
                    
                      
                    
                    ⁢
                    2
                  
                
              
              
                
                  R
                  ⁢
                  
                    
                  
                  ⁢
                  1
                
                +
                
                  R
                  
                    N
                    ⁢
                    
                      
                    
                    ⁢
                    1
                  
                
              
            
            ⁢
            
              I
              
                CP
                ⁢
                
                  
                
                ⁢
                2
              
            
          
        
        ,
      
    
    
      
        (
        11
        )
      
    
  




x being an arbitrary constant, eqn. (10) yields





  
    
      
        
          
            V
            VCO
          
          =
          
            
              
                x
                
                  C
                  ′
                
              
              ⁢
              
                I
                
                  CP
                  ⁢
                  
                    
                  
                  ⁢
                  2
                
              
              ⁢
              t
            
            +
            
              
                I
                
                  CP
                  ⁢
                  
                    
                  
                  ⁢
                  2
                
              
              ⁢
              R
              ⁢
              
                
              
              ⁢
              2
            
          
        
        ,
      
    
    
      
        (
        12
        )
      
    
  




i.e., if x/C′ is selected equal to C of eqn. (1), and if R2 of FIG. 2 equals R of FIG. 1, then the PLL circuit of FIG. 2 will behave just like the circuit of FIG. 1. The variable x may be assigned any desired value. If, e.g., x=0.5 is chosen, the circuit of FIGS. 1 and 2 will behave identically if C′=0.5 C. That is, the capacitor C′ may be reduced by an arbitrary factor x without affecting the behaviour of the PLL, provided that the first charge pump CP1 is designed to deliver the current ICP1 specified by eqn. (12). In this way, a PLL circuit occupying a very small substrate surface may be designed.

The simplest way to satisfy eqn. (6) is to choose identical resistors R1, R2 and identical transistors N1, N2. Then eqn. (10) simplifies to




  
    
      
        
          
            V
            VCO
          
          =
          
            
              
                1
                
                  C
                  ′
                
              
              ⁢
              
                I
                
                  CP
                  ⁢
                  
                    
                  
                  ⁢
                  1
                
              
              ⁢
              t
            
            +
            
              
                I
                
                  CP
                  ⁢
                  
                    
                  
                  ⁢
                  2
                
              
              ⁢
              R
            
          
        
        ,
        
          
        
        ⁢
        
          R
          =
          
            
              R
              1
            
            =
            
              
                R
                2
              
              .
            
          
        
      
    
    
      
        (
        13
        )
      
    
  




In this case, if the charge pumps are designed such that ICP1=x ICP2, 0<x<1, C′ may be reduced by x, and a PLL behaving like that of FIG. 1 will be obtained.
While the invention has been shown and described with reference to preferred embodiments thereof, it is well understood by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

## Claims

1. A PLL circuit comprising
a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO), a phase error detector (PED) for detecting a phase error between an output signal from said voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) divided by a frequency divider (DIV) and a reference signal (fin), and a loop filter (LF) inserted between an error signal output of said phase error detector (PED) and a control input of said voltage controlled oscillator (VCO), wherein said loop filter (LF) comprises
two charge pumps (CP1, CP2), each delivering a respective output current (ICP1, ICP2) according to a level of the error signal at said error signal output,
a first resistor (R2) and a first transistor (N2), the first resistor (R2) having a first terminal connected to a first supply potential (V+) and the first transistor (N2) having a current path connected between a second terminal of the first resistor (R2) and a second supply potential (GND),
a capacitor (C′), a first electrode of which is connected to the current output of the first charge pump (CP1) and a second electrode of which is connected to one of said supply potentials (V+), and
a control circuit (OA, N1, R1) having an input connected to the first electrode of said capacitor (C′) and an output connected to a control electrode of said first transistor (N2), for controlling the equivalent resistance of the first transistor (N2) so that said equivalent resistance divided by the resistance value of the first resistor (R2) equals the potential difference between said second supply potential (GND) and said first electrode of said capacitor (C′) divided by the potential difference (VC′) between said first supply potential (V+) and said first electrode of said capacitor (C′),
an intermediate point between said first resistor (R2) and said first transistor (N2) being connected to a current output of said second charge pump (CP2) and connected to the control voltage input of the voltage controlled oscillator and the output current of the first charge pump (CP1) for a given level of the error signal being less than the output current of the second charge pump (CP2).

2. The PLL circuit of claim 1, wherein the control circuit comprises a second resistor (R1) and a second transistor (N1) connected in series between said first and second supply potentials and an operational amplifier (OA) having an output connected to control electrodes of said first and second transistors (N1, N2), a non-inverting input connected to an intermediate point between said second resistor (R1) and said second transistor (N1), and an inverting input connected to the current output of the first charge pump (CP1).

3. The PLL circuit of claim 2, wherein said first and second resistors (R1 R2) are identical in resistance and said first and second transistors (N1, N2) have identical values of ON resistance.

4. In a PLL circuit, a control loop for an input to a VCO comprising:
first and second charge pumps each having an output coupled to the input of the VCO;
an RC network having a first resistance and a capacitance and being coupled to the output of the first charge pump;
a second resistance coupled between the output of the first charge pump and the input to the VCO, wherein the value of the capacitance C is reduced by a factor X, where





  
    V
    VCO
  
  =
  
    
      
        x
        
          C
          ′
        
      
      ⁢
      
        I
        
          CP
          ⁢
          
            
          
          ⁢
          2
        
      
      ⁢
      t
    
    +
    
      
        I
        
          CP
          ⁢
          
            
          
          ⁢
          2
        
      
      ⁢
      R
      ⁢
      
        
      
      ⁢
      2
    
  




and
VVCO=VCO input voltage
Icp2 is the current output by the second charge pump
R2=second resistance
C′=new capacitance value=C*X
C=original capacitance value.

5. In a PLL circuit, a control loop for an input to a (VCO) comprising:
first and second charge pumps each having an output coupled to the input of the (VCO);
an RC network having a first resistance and a capacitance and being coupled to the output of the first charge pump;
a second resistance coupled between the output of the first charge pump and the input to the (VCO), wherein the value of the capacitance C is reduced by a factor x, where





  
    V
    VCO
  
  =
  
    
      
        1
        
          C
          ′
        
      
      ⁢
      
        I
        
          CP
          ⁢
          
            
          
          ⁢
          1
        
      
      ⁢
      t
    
    +
    
      
        I
        
          CP
          ⁢
          
            
          
          ⁢
          2
        
      
      ⁢
      R
    
  




and
Icp1=x=is the current output by the first charge pump
Icp2=0<x<1=current output of second charge pump
VVCO=VCO input voltage
C′=new capacitance value=C*X
C=original capacitance value.