Device for generating transmission clock of sink and transmission method using generated transmission clock

• US 10,164,767 B2
• Filed: 08/26/2014
• Issued: 12/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Doestek
• Original Assignee: Doestek
• Inventors: Kim, Tae Jin, Shin, Dae Jung
• Primary Examiner(s): Deppe, Betsy
• Application Number:
  US15/028,601
• Publication Number:
  US 20160308668A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,582 Days
• Field of Search: 375219
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/04 Generating or distributing clock signals or signals derived directly therefrom
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/40 Circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 7/0087 Preprocessing of received signal for synchronisation, e.g. by code conversion, pulse generation or edge detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 7/02 Speed or phase control by the received code signals, the signals containing no special synchronisation information H04L7/0075 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 7/033 using the transitions of the received signal to control the phase of the synchronising-signal-generating means, e.g. using a phase-locked loop
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 7/04 Speed or phase control by synchronisation signals H04L7/0075 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 7/041 using special codes as synchronising signal

Abstract

A semiconductor device for generating a transmission clock in a sink without a reference clock and a method of transmitting data from the sink to a source by use of the generated transmission clock are provided. The sink may include: a receiver configured to generate a digital control oscillator code by using a phase difference between a reception clock of a data signal received from a source and a recovered clock and configured to recover data from the data signal by using the recovered clock recovered by the generated digital control oscillator code; and a transmitter configured to generate a transmission clock by the digital control oscillator code having the recovered clock locked to the reception clock and configured to transmit return data to the source by using the transmission clock when a return data request identifier is received from the source.

Claims

1. A sink, comprising:

a receiver configured to;

detect, without a reference clock, a phase difference between a reception clock of a data signal received from a source and a recovered clock;

generate a digital control oscillator code representative of the phase difference; and

recover data from the data signal by using the recovered clock; and

a transmitter configured to;

generate, without a reference clock, a transmission clock from the digital control oscillator code having the recovered clock locked to the reception clock; and

transmit return data to the source by using the transmission clock when a return data request identifier is received from the source,

wherein the sink is further configured to store the digital control oscillator code.

2. The sink according to claim 1, wherein the receiver comprises:

a digital phase detector configured to detect the phase difference between the reception clock of the data signal received from the source and the recovered clock;

a time-to-digital converter configured to generate the digital control oscillator code by using the phase difference detected by the digital phase detector; and

a first digital control oscillator configured to output the recovered clock by using the digital control oscillator code.

3. The sink according to claim 2, wherein the transmitter comprises:

a second digital control oscillator configured to output the transmission clock by using the digital control oscillator code; and

a serializer configured to serialize the return data by using the transmission clock.

4. The sink according to claim 2, further comprising a lock detector configured to compare the reception clock with the recovered clock and output a locking detection signal indicating whether the first digital control oscillator is locked.

5. The sink according to claim 1, wherein the receiver comprises:

a linear phase detector configured to detect the phase difference between the reception clock of the data signal received from the source and the recovered clock;

a charge pump configured to convert the phase difference detected by the linear phase detector into a control voltage;

an analog-to-digital converter configured to convert the control voltage into the digital control oscillator code; and

a first digital control oscillator configured to output the recovered clock by using the digital control oscillator code.

6. The sink according to claim 5, wherein the transmitter comprises:

a second digital control oscillator configured to output the transmission clock by using the digital control oscillator code; and

a serializer configured to serialize the return data by using the transmission clock.

7. The sink according to claim 5, further comprising a lock detector configured to compare the reception clock with the recovered clock and output a locking detection signal indicating whether the first digital control oscillator is locked.

8. The sink according to claim 1, wherein the return data comprises a header and option data.

9. The sink according to claim 8, wherein the return data further comprises a mini training pattern.

10. The sink according to claim 1, wherein the return data is a no return data identifier.

11. The sink according to claim 1, wherein the data signal received from the source and the return data are transmitted through a same channel.

12. The sink according to claim 1, wherein the digital control oscillator code is an n-bit digital signal.

13. A method of transmitting data between a source and a sink, the method comprising:

generating, without a reference clock, a transmission clock, wherein generating the transmission clock comprises;

detecting a phase difference between a reception clock of a data signal received from the source and a recovered clock;

generating a digital control oscillator code representative of the phase difference; and

storing the digital control oscillator code;

generating, without the reference clock, the transmission clock with a digital control oscillator included in a transmitter of the sink, wherein the digital control oscillator generates, without the reference clock, the transmission clock using the digital control oscillator code; and

changing a direction of data transmission between the source and the sink and transmitting return data to the source by using the transmission clock when a return data request identifier is received from the source.

14. The method according to claim 13, further comprising:

outputting the recovered clock by using the digital control oscillator code, wherein recovered clock is outputted by a digital control oscillator included in a receiver of the sink;

comparing the reception clock with the recovered clock and determining whether the digital control oscillator included in the receiver of the sink is locked; and

providing the digital control oscillator code to the digital control oscillator included in the transmitter of the sink when the digital control oscillator included in the receiver of the sink is locked.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein a section in which no data is transmitted by the source is started by a source end.

16. The method according to claim 13, wherein the return data comprises a header and option data.

17. The method according to claim 13, wherein the return data is a no return data identifier.

18. The method according to claim 13, wherein the return data request identifier comprises a transmission completion identifier.

19. The method according to claim 13, wherein the return data has a variable size.

20. The method according to claim 13, further comprising, after the changing of the direction of data transmission between the source and the sink and transmitting the return data to the source by using the transmission clock when a return data request identifier is received from the source, transmitting a transmission completion identifier to the source when the transmission of the return is completed.