Apparatus and method for reflection delay splitting digital clock distribution
First Claim
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1. A method of distributing a clock signal, the method comprising:
- generating an output clock signal onto a transmission line;
detecting a returned clock signal;
detecting a first phase difference between a reference clock signal and the output clock signal;
detecting a second phase difference between the reference clock signal and the returned clock signal;
controlling the phase of the output clock signal based on an average of the first and second phase differences.
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Abstract
A clock distribution system including a first and second phase detector. The first phase detector outputs a phase lead of an output clock signal. The second phase detector outputs a phase lag of a returned clock signal. Circuitry is included that propagates the output clock signal onto a transmission line based on the average the output of the first phase detector and the second phase detector.
6 Citations
14 Claims
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1. A method of distributing a clock signal, the method comprising:
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generating an output clock signal onto a transmission line;
detecting a returned clock signal;
detecting a first phase difference between a reference clock signal and the output clock signal;
detecting a second phase difference between the reference clock signal and the returned clock signal;
controlling the phase of the output clock signal based on an average of the first and second phase differences. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A clock distribution circuit comprising:
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a first phase detector that outputs a phase lead of an output clock signal;
a second phase detector that outputs a phase lag of a returned clock signal; and
circuitry that propagates the output clock signal onto a transmission line based on the average the output of the first phase detector and the second phase detector. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11)
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12. A clock distribution system comprising:
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a reference clock that output a clock signal;
a first clock distribution circuit comprising;
a first phase detector that outputs a phase lead of a first output clock signal;
a second phase detector that outputs a phase lag of a first returned clock signal; and
first circuitry that propagates the first output clock signal onto a first transmission line based on the average the output of the first phase detector and the second phase detector;
a second clock distribution circuit comprising;
a third phase detector that outputs a phase lead of a second output clock signal;
a fourth phase detector that outputs a phase lag of a second returned clock signal; and
second circuitry that propagates the first output clock signal onto a second transmission line based on the average the output of the third phase detector and the fourth phase detector; and
wherein the first transmission line is a different length than the second transmission line and the first and second output clock signals coincide at the end of the first and second transmission line.
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13. A method of distributing a reference clock signal, the method comprising:
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sensing an output clock signal to be sent over a transmission line;
sensing a reflected clock signal at the beginning of the transmission line; and
adjusting the output clock signal based on an average of a first phase difference between the output clock signal and the reference clock signal and a second phase difference between the reflected clock signal and the reference clock signal.
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14. A method of distributing a reference clock signal, the method comprising:
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sensing an output clock signal to be sent over a transmission line;
sensing a returned clock signal at the end of a signal return line matched to the transmission line; and
adjusting the output clock signal based on an average of a first phase difference between the output clock signal and the reference clock signal and a second phase difference between the returned clock signal and the reference clock signal.
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Specification