Digital PLL circuit operable in short burst interval

• US 6,856,658 B1
• Filed: 04/26/2000
• Issued: 02/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Sato, Masaki, Baba, Mitsuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Ha, Dac V.
• Application Number:
  US09/558,422
• Time in Patent Office: 1,756 Days
• Field of Search: 375/354, 375/355, 375/360, 375/371, 375/373, 375/375, 375/376, 327/141, 327/144, 327/146, 327/150, 327/152, 327/155, 327/156, 327/159, 327/163, 370/503, 370/516
• US Class Current: 375/355
• CPC Class Codes: H03L 7/0807 concerning mainly a recovery circuit for the reference signal
• CPC Class Codes: H03L 7/091 the phase or frequency detector using a sampling device H03L7/087 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03L 7/187 using means for coarse tuning the voltage controlled oscillator of the loop H03L7/191 - H03L7/195 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 7/0083 taking measures against momentary loss of synchronisation, e.g. inhibiting the synchronisation, using idle words or using redundant clocks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 7/0338 the correction of the phase error being performed by a feed forward loop

Abstract

A digital PLL (phase locked loop) circuit includes a sampling circuit, a plurality of internal circuits and an output switching circuit. The sampling circuit samples a burst data signal in response to a multi-phase clock signal to produce N (N is a positive integer larger than one) sampled data signals. The multi-phase clock signal includes N clock signals, each of which has substantially the same frequency as the data signal and which have phases different by a predetermined component from one after another. Each of the plurality of internal circuits is selected in response to a first selection signal, and outputs a set of a selected one of the N clock signals and an identified data signal from the N sampled data signals, which corresponds to the selected clock signal, in response to the selected clock signal, when the internal circuit is selected. The output switching circuit selects the set corresponding to the selected internal circuit from among the sets from the plurality of internal circuits based on a second selection signal.

Claims

1. A digital PLL (phase locked loop) circuit comprising:

a sampling circuit sampling a burst data signal in response to a multi-phase clock signal to produce N (N is a positive integer larger than one) sampled data signals, said multi-phase clock signal including N clock signals, each of which has substantially the same frequency as said data signal and which have phases different by a predetermined component from one after another;

a plurality of internal circuits, each of which is selected in response to a first selection signal, and outputting a set of a selected one of said N clock signals and an identified data signal from said N sampled data signals, which corresponds to said selected one of said N clock signals, in response to said selected one of said N clock signals, when said internal circuit is selected; and

an output switching circuit selecting said set corresponding to said selected internal circuit from among said set from said plurality of internal circuits based on a second selection signal.

2. A digital PLL circuit according to claim 1, wherein said digital PLL circuit includes two internal circuits, and said first selection signal is supplied to said two internal circuits such that said two internal circuits operate alternately for every said data signal.

3. A digital PLL circuit according to claim 2, wherein said output switching circuit outputs said set of said selected one of said N clock signals and said identified data signal from said two internal circuits alternately for every said data signal.

4. A digital PLL circuit according to claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of internal circuits comprises:

a clock signal selecting circuit selecting said selected one of said N clock signals based on an average falling edge phase data, and outputting said selected one of said N clock signals to said output switching circuit;

a switching circuit passing said N sampled data signals in response to said first selection signal;

a phase comparing circuit comparing said selected one of said N clock signals and each of said N sampled data signals in phase to output post-comparison data signals;

an average falling edge phase determining section determining an average falling edge phase from said N sampled data signals to output said average falling edge phase data to said clock signal selecting circuit;

an average rising edge phase determining section determining an average rising edge phase from said N sampled data signals to output an average rising edge phase data;

a duty detecting circuit detecting a duty of each of said N sampled data signals to produce duty data;

an identifying circuit determining a data selection phase based on said average rising edge phase data and said duty data for said N sampled data signals, selecting one of said post-comparison data signals which has a phase near to said data selection phase, and outputting said selected post-comparison data signal as a selection data signal; and

a re-timing circuit carrying out a re-timing operation to said selection data signal based on said selected one of said N clock signals to output to said output switching circuit.

5. A digital PLL circuit according to claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of internal circuits comprises:

a clock signal selecting circuit selecting said selected one of said N clock signals based on a first average falling edge phase data, and outputting said selected one of said N clock signals to said output switching circuit;

a switching circuit passing said N sampled data signals in response to said first selection signal;

a phase comparing circuit comparing said selected one of said N clock signals and each of said N sampled data signals in phase to output post-comparison data signals;

an average falling edge phase determining section determining an average falling edge phase from said N sampled data signals to generate said first average falling edge phase data and a second average falling edge phase data, and outputting said first average falling edge phase data to said clock signal selecting circuit;

an average rising edge phase determining section determining an average rising edge phase from said N sampled data signals and said second average falling edge phase data to output an average rising edge phase data;

a duty detecting circuit detecting a duty of each of said N sampled data signals to produce duty data;

an identifying circuit determining a data selection phase based on said average rising edge phase data and said duty data for said N sampled data signals, selecting one of said post-comparison data signals which has a phase near to said data selection phase, and outputting said selected post-comparison data signal as a selection data signal; and

a re-timing circuit carrying out a re-timing operation to said selection data signal based on said selected one of said N clock signals to output to said output switching circuit.

6. A digital PLL circuit according to claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of internal circuits comprises:

a clock signal selecting circuit selecting said selected one of said N clock signals based on a first average falling edge phase data, and outputting said selected one of said N clock signals to said output switching circuit;

a switching circuit passing said N sampled data signals in response to said first selection signal;

a phase comparing circuit comparing said selected one of said N clock signals and each of said N sampled data signals in phase to output post-comparison data signals;

an average rising edge phase determining section determining an average rising edge phase from said N sampled data signals to generate said first average rising edge phase data and a second average rising edge phase data, and outputting said first average rising edge phase data to said clock signal selecting circuit;

an average falling edge phase determining section determining an average falling edge phase from said N sampled data signals and said second average rising edge phase data to output said first average falling edge phase data;

a duty detecting circuit detecting a duty of each of said N sampled data signals to produce duty data;

an identifying circuit determining a data selection phase based on said average falling edge phase data and said duty data for said N sampled data signals, selecting one of said post-comparison data signals which has a phase near to said data selection phase, and outputting said selected post-comparison data signal as a selection data signal; and

a re-timing circuit carrying out a re-timing operation to said selection data signal based on said selected one of said N clock signals to output to said output switching circuit.

7. A digital PLL circuit according to claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of internal circuits comprises:

a clock signal selecting circuit selecting said selected one of said N clock signals based on a first average falling edge phase data, and outputting said selected one of said N clock signals to said output switching circuit;

a switching circuit passing said N sampled data signals in response to said first selection signal;

a phase comparing circuit comparing said selected one of said N clock signals and each of said N sampled data signals in phase to output post-comparison data signals;

an average falling edge phase determining section determining an average falling edge phase from said N sampled data signals to generate said first average falling edge phase data and a second average falling edge phase data, and outputting said first average falling edge phase data to said clock signal selecting circuit;

an average rising edge phase determining section determining an average rising edge phase from said N sampled data signals and said second average falling edge phase data to output an average rising edge phase data;

an identifying circuit determining a data selection phase based on said average rising edge phase data, selecting one from said post-comparison data signals which has a phase near to said data selection phase, and outputting said selected post-comparison data signal as a selection data signal; and

a re-timing circuit carrying out a re-timing operation to said selection data signal based on said selected one of said N clock signals to output to said output switching circuit.

8. A method of reducing a time interval between burst data signals in a digital PLL (phase locked loop) circuit, comprising:

(a) sampling a burst data signal in response to a multi-phase clock signal to produce N (N is a positive integer larger than one) sampled data signals, said multi-phase clock signal including N clock signals, each of which has substantially the same frequency as said data signal and which have phases different by a predetermined component from one after another;

(b) selecting one of a plurality of internal circuits other than a currently used internal circuit in response to a first selection signal;

(c) producing a set of a selected one of said N clock signals and an identified data signal from said N sampled data signals in response to said selected one of said N clock signals in said selected internal circuit; and

(d) selecting one of said set from said plurality of internal circuits based on a second selection signal.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein said digital PLL circuit includes two internal circuits, and said (b) selecting includes:

supplying said first selection signals to said two internal circuits such that said two internal circuits operate alternately for every said data signal.

10. A method according to claim 9, wherein said (d) selecting includes:

supplying said second selection signal such that said set of said selected one of said N clock signals and said identified data signal are selected from said two internal circuits alternately for every said data signal.

11. A method according to claim 8, wherein said (c) producing includes:

selecting said selected one of said N clock signals based on an average falling edge phase data;

passing said N sampled data signals in response to said first selection signal;

comparing said selected one of said N clock signals and each of said N sampled data signals in phase to produce post-comparison data signals;

determining an average falling edge phase from said N sampled data signals;

determining an average rising edge phase from said N sampled data signals;

detecting a duty of each of said N sampled data signals to produce duty data;

determining a data selection phase based on an average rising edge phase data and said duty data for said N sampled data signals;

selecting one from said post-comparison data signals which has a phase near to said data selection phase, to output said selected post-comparison data signal as a selection data signal; and

carrying out a re-timing operation to said selection data signal based on said said selected one of said N clock signals.

12. A method according to claim 8, wherein said (c) producing includes:

selecting said selected one of said N clock signals based on a first average falling edge phase data;

passing said N sampled data signals in response to said first selection signal;

comparing said selected one of said N clock signals and each of said N sampled data signals in phase to produce post-comparison data signals;

determining an average falling edge phase from said N sampled data signals to generate said first average falling edge phase data and a second average falling edge phase data;

determining an average rising edge phase from said N sampled data signals and said second average falling edge phase data;

detecting a duty of each of said N sampled data signals to produce duty data;

determining a data selection phase based on an average rising edge phase data and said duty data for said N sampled data signals;

selecting one from said post-comparison data signals which has a phase near to said data selection phase, to output said selected post-comparison data signal as a selection data signal; and

carrying out a re-timing operation to said selection data signal based on said selected one of said N clock signals to output to said output switching circuit.

13. A method according to claim 8, wherein said (c) producing includes:

selecting said selected one of said N clock signals based on a first average falling edge phase data;

passing said N sampled data signals in response to said first selection signal;

comparing said selected one of said N clock signals and each of said N sampled data signals in phase to produce post-comparison data signals;

determining an average rising edge phase from said N sampled data signals to generate a first average rising edge phase data and a second average rising edge phase data;

determining an average falling edge phase from said N sampled data signals and said second average rising edge phase data;

detecting a duty of each of said N sampled data signals to produce duty data;

determining a data selection phase based on an average falling edge phase data and said duty data for said N sampled data signals;

selecting one from said post-comparison data signals which has a phase near to said data selection phase, to output said selected post-comparison data signal as a selection data signal; and

carrying out a re-timing operation to said selection data signal based on said selected one of said N clock signals.

14. A method according to claim 8, wherein said (c) producing includes:

selecting said selected one of said N clock signals based on a first average falling edge phase data;

passing said N sampled data signals in response to said first selection signal;

comparing said selected one of said N clock signals and each of said N sampled data signals in phase to produce post-comparison data signals;

determining an average falling edge phase from said N sampled data signals to generate said first average falling edge phase data and a second average falling edge phase data;

determining an average rising edge phase from said N sampled data signals and said second average falling edge phase data;

determining a data selection phase based on an average rising edge phase data;

selecting one from said post-comparison data signals which has a phase near to said data selection phase, to output said selected post-comparison data signal as a selection data signal; and

carrying out a re-timing operation to said selection data signal based on said selected one of said N clock signals.

15. A digital PLL (phase locked loop) circuit comprising:

a plurality of internal circuits, each of which is selected in response to a first selection signal, and outputting a set of a selected one of N clock signals and an identified data signal from N sampled data signals, which corresponds to said selected one of said N clock signals, in response to said selected one of said N clock signals, when said internal circuit is selected; and

an output switching circuit selecting said set corresponding to said selected internal circuit from among said set from said plurality of internal circuits based on a second selection signal.

16. The digital PLL (phase locked loop) circuit according to claim 15, further comprising a sampling circuit sampling a burst data signal in response to a multi-phase clock signal to produce said N (N is a positive integer larger than one) sampled data signals,

said multi-phase clock signal including said N clock signals, each of which has substantially the same frequency as said data signal.

17. A method of reducing a time interval between burst data signals in a digital PLL (phase locked loop) circuit, comprising:

(a) selecting one of a plurality of internal circuits other than a currently used internal circuit in response to a first selection signal;

(b) producing a set of a selected one of N clock signals and an identified data signal from N sampled data signals in response to said selected one of said N clock signals in said selected internal circuit; and

(c) selecting one of said set from said plurality of internal circuits based on a second selection signal.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising sampling a burst data signal in response to a multi-phase clock signal to produce said N (N is a positive integer larger than one) sampled data signals,

said multi-phase clock signal including said N clock signals, each of which has substantially the same frequency as said data signal.