Importance

Loading Importance Indicators...

Abstract

Circuit and method for generating a signal for use in locking a second signal on a first signal. The first and second signals have an associated frequency. A first beat note signal and a second beat note signal are generated from the first and second signals, respectively, when the frequencies of the first and second signals are not equal. The circuit includes a first and second flip-flop and detector circuitry. The first flip-flop is configured to receive the first and second beat note signals for generating a first state signal. The first flip-flop generates the first state signal by sampling the second beat note signal at a first periodic interval of the first beat note signal. The second flip-flop is configured to receive the first and second beat note signals for generating a second state signal. The second flip-flop generates the second state signal by sampling the second beat note signal at a second periodic interval of the first beat note signal. The detector circuitry is coupled to receive the first and second state signals from the first and second flip-flops for detecting a polarity of the frequency difference between the first and second signals. The polarity of the frequency difference is defined in a tri-state having a positive state, a negative state, and a zero state.

Loading the Abstract Image...

First Claim