There was a thread about the Tight PLL method on the Time-Nuts mailing list. One useful outcome was this post by Tom Van Baak:
Here are a couple of really good articles that describe many methods of phase/frequency measurement, including TPLL.
You'll see some nice “advantage/disadvantage” lists in several of these documents, which is why I'm posting the links.
Warren & Bruce, please look at the first five documents at least. John too. Lots of TPLL info. This is all worth reading. I don't know why I didn't find some of these papers six months ago.
System Phase Noise Calculation and Measurement Techniques
http://www.mpdigest.com/issue/Articles/2009/sept/spectrum/Default.asp
– short article, nice summary.
PN9000 Automated Phase Noise Measurement System Application Note #1
http://www.aeroflex.com/ats/products/prodfiles/appnotes/12/app1.pdf
– see section 2; TPLL is section 2.2.
Oscillator Phase Noise Measurements using the Phase Lock Method
http://ravoltek.net/dippa/dippa_rajala_olli.pdf
– TPLL, equations, graphs, error analysis, photos, schematics, parts list.
An investigation into the phase noise of quartz crystal oscillators
http://etd.sun.ac.za/bitstream/10019/337/1/BentleyB.pdf
– see chapter 4 or at least section 4.3; TPLL is 4.3.3.2.
PN9000 Automated Phase Noise Measurement System Application Note #2
http://smartdata.usbid.com/datasheets/usbid/2000/2000-q4/app2.pdf
http://www.datasheetarchive.com/pdf/Datasheet-010/DSA00173368.pdf
– theory of operation, TPLL
A General Theory of Phase Noise in Electrical Oscillators
http://www.chic.caltech.edu/Publications/general_full.PDF
– too deep for me.
Phase Noise Measurement. Using the Phase Lock Technique
http://www.chem.duke.edu/~boris/datasheets/AN1639_phase_noise.pdf
http://www.lansdale.com/Articles/an1639.pdf
– might be applicable.
Correlation-based phase noise measurements
http://www.femto-st.fr/~rubiola/pdf-others/correl-report.pdf
– for John Miles
Practical Problems Involving Phase Noise Measurements
http://tycho.usno.navy.mil/ptti/ptti2001/paper42.pdf
– also for John.
/tvb