Lock detect circuit for detecting a lock condition in a phase locked loop and method therefor

摘要

A lock detect circuit (18) determines when a reference frequency and a feedback frequency are frequency locked using a reference counter (32) and a feedback counter (36). The reference counter (32) and the feedback counter (36) are clocked by the reference frequency and the feedback frequency, respectively. After a first period of time, the outputs of the counters are compared. The outputs of the counters are also compared at the end of a second period of time. To be frequency locked, the two count values must be equal at both the end of the first and the second periods of time. A count window is generated from the reference frequency signal to indicate a range of frequencies for which the feedback frequency is locked. Once lock is achieved, the count window is widened such that the feedback frequency is still within a lock range when some aliasing occurs.