US Patent 9306730 Fractional-N PLL-based CDR with a low-frequency reference

An apparatus relates generally to clock and data recovery. A fractional-N phase-locked loop is for receiving a reference signal, and for providing a proportional signal and an integral signal. A ring oscillator of the fractional-N phase-locked loop is for receiving the proportional signal and the integral signal, and for providing an oscillation signal at a clock frequency substantially greater than a reference frequency of the reference signal. A data-to-frequency control word converter is for receiving data input and the oscillation signal, and for providing a frequency control word. A fractional-N divider of the fractional-N phase-locked loop is for receiving the frequency control word and the oscillation signal, and for providing a feedback clock signal to a phase-frequency detector of the fractional-N phase-locked loop. The phase-frequency detector is for receiving the reference signal and the feedback clock signal, and for adjusting a phase and frequency of the oscillation signal.