A novel apparatus for and method of
delay alignment between amplitude and phase /
frequency modulation paths in a digital
polar transmitter. The invention provides a fully digital
delay alignment mechanism where better than
nanosecond alignment is achieved by accounting for
processing delays in the digital circuit modules of the
transmitter and by the use of programmable
delay elements spread across several
clock domains. Tapped delay lines compensate for propagation and
settling delays in analog elements such as the DCO, dividers, quad switch, buffers, level shifters and digital pre-power
amplifier (DPA). A
signal correlative mechanism is provided whereby data from the amplitude and phase /
frequency modulation paths to be matched is first interpolated and then cross-correlated to achieve accuracy better than the
clock domain of comparison. Within the ADPLL portion of the
transmitter, precise alignment of reference and direct point injection points in the ADPLL is provded using multiple
clock domains, tapped delay lines and clock adjustment circuits.