Frequency detector

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11114979-B2
Application number	US-201916687708-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 19, 2019
Priority date	Dec 11, 2018
Publication date	Sep 7, 2021
Grant date	Sep 7, 2021

Abstract

A frequency detector is used for detecting a frequency difference of a signal to be tested from a first time point to a second time point. The frequency detector includes: an alternating current coupled capacitor configured to receive the signal to be tested; a rectifying circuit electrically connected to the alternating current coupled capacitor; an analog-to-digital converter electrically connected to the rectifying circuit; a control unit electrically connected to the analog-to-digital converter; and a counter electrically connected to the rectifying circuit and the control unit, wherein the control unit is configured to calculate the frequency difference of the signal to be tested from the first time point to the second time point according to outputs of the analog-to-digital converter and outputs of the counter.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A frequency detector, used for detecting a frequency difference of a signal to be tested from a first time point to a second time point, the frequency detector comprising:
an alternating current coupled capacitor configured to receive the signal to be tested;
a rectifying circuit electrically connected to the alternating current coupled capacitor;
an analog-to-digital converter electrically connected to the rectifying circuit;
a control unit electrically connected to the analog-to-digital converter; and
a counter electrically connected to the rectifying circuit and the control unit,
wherein the control unit is configured to calculate the frequency difference of the signal to be tested from the first time point to the second time point according to outputs of the analog-to-digital converter and outputs of the counter.

2. The frequency detector according to claim 1 , wherein the alternating current coupled capacitor is configured to filter the signal to be tested at the first time point and output a first filtered signal, the rectifying circuit is configured to rectify the first filtered signal and output a first rectified signal, and the analog-to-digital converter is configured to convert the first rectified signal and output a first digital signal,
the alternating current coupled capacitor is configured to filter the signal to be tested at the second time point and output a second filtered signal, the rectifying circuit is configured to rectify the second filtered signal and output a second rectified signal, and the analog-to-digital converter is configured to convert the second rectified signal and output a second digital signal.

3. The frequency detector according to claim 2 , wherein the control unit is configured to acquire a time at which the first rectified signal corresponding to the first digital signal reaches a voltage, and the counter is configured to count a counter value at which the first rectified signal corresponding to the first digital signal reaches the voltage,
the control unit is configured to acquire a time at which the second rectified signal corresponding to the second digital signal reaches the voltage, and the counter is configured to count a counter value at which the second rectified signal corresponding to the second digital signal reaches the voltage,
the control unit is configured to calculate the frequency difference of the signal to be tested from the first time point to the second time point according to a time difference between the time at which the first rectified signal reaches the voltage and the time at which the second rectified signal reaches the voltage, the counter value at which the first rectified signal corresponding to the first digital signal reaches the voltage, the counter value at which the second rectified signal corresponding to the second digital signal reaches the voltage, and a count frequency of the counter.

4. The frequency detector according to claim 2 , wherein the alternating current coupled capacitor is configured to filter a low-frequency component of the signal to be tested at the first time point, and the alternating current coupled capacitor is configured to filter a low-frequency component of the signal to be tested at the second time point.

5. The frequency detector according to claim 1 , wherein the rectifying circuit comprises:
a first Schottky diode comprising a first anode and a first cathode, the first anode electrically connected to a ground terminal, and the first cathode electrically connected to the alternating current coupled capacitor;
a second Schottky diode comprising a second anode and a second cathode, the second anode electrically connected to the alternating current coupled capacitor, and the second cathode electrically connected to the analog-to-digital converter; and
a first capacitor electrically connected between the analog-to-digital converter and the ground terminal.

6. A frequency detector, used for detecting a frequency difference of a signal to be tested from a first time point to a second time point, the frequency detector comprising:
an alternating current coupled capacitor configured to receive the signal to be tested;
a rectifying circuit electrically connected to the alternating current coupled capacitor;
a time-to-digital converter electrically connected to the rectifying circuit;
a control unit electrically connected to the time-to-digital converter; and
a counter electrically connected to the rectifying circuit and the control unit,
wherein the control unit is configured to calculate the frequency difference of the signal to be tested from the first time point to the second time point according to outputs of the time-to-digital converter and outputs of the counter.

7. The frequency detector according to claim 6 , wherein the alternating current coupled capacitor is configured to filter the signal to be tested at the first time point and output a first filtered signal, the rectifying circuit is configured to rectify the first filtered signal and output a first rectified signal, and the time-to-digital converter is configured to convert the first rectified signal and output a first digital signal,
the alternating current coupled capacitor is configured to filter the signal to be tested at the second time point and output a second filtered signal, the rectifying circuit is configured to rectify the second filtered signal and output a second rectified signal, and the time-to-digital converter is configured to convert the second rectified signal and output a second digital signal.

8. The frequency detector according to claim 7 , wherein the control unit is configured to acquire a time at which the first rectified signal corresponding to the first digital signal reaches a voltage, and the counter is configured to count a counter value at which the first rectified signal corresponding to the first digital signal reaches the voltage,
the control unit is configured to acquire a time at which the second rectified signal corresponding to the second digital signal reaches the voltage, and the counter is configured to count a counter value at which the second rectified signal corresponding to the second digital signal reaches the voltage,
the control unit is configured to calculate the frequency difference of the signal to be tested from the first time point to the second time point according to a time difference between the time at which the first rectified signal reaches the voltage and the time at which the second rectified signal reaches the voltage, the counter value at which the first rectified signal corresponding to the first digital signal reaches the voltage, the counter value at which the second rectified signal corresponding to the second digital signal reaches the voltage, and a count frequency of the counter.

9. The frequency detector according to claim 7 , wherein the alternating current coupled capacitor is configured to filter a low-frequency component of the signal to be tested at the first time point, and the alternating current coupled capacitor is configured to filter a low-frequency component of the signal to be tested at the second time point.

10. The frequency detector according to claim 6 , wherein the rectifying circuit comprises:
a first Schottky diode comprising a first anode and a first cathode, the first anode electrically connected to a ground terminal, and the first cathode electrically connected to the alternating current coupled capacitor;
a second Schottky diode comprising a second anode and a second cathode, the second anode electrically connected to the alternating current coupled capacitor, and the second cathode electrically connected to the time-to

Assignees

• Silicon Integrated Systems Corp

Inventors

• Lin Wen-Chi
• Chen Keng-Nan

Classifications

• H10D8/60

  Schottky-barrier diodes · CPC title

• G04F10/005

  Time-to-digital converters [TDC] (analog-to-digital converters with intermediate conversion to time or phase H03M1/50, H03M1/60) · CPC title

• H03L7/093

  using special filtering or amplification characteristics in the loop (H03L7/087 - H03L7/091 take precedence) · CPC title

• H03D13/001 Primary

  in which a pulse counter is used followed by a conversion into an analog signal · CPC title

• H01L29/872

  Electricity · mapped topic