PMA RX in coarse loop for high speed sampling

• US 7,224,951 B1
• Filed: 09/11/2003
• Issued: 05/29/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xilinx, Inc. (Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Xilinx, Inc. (Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.)
• Inventors: Black, William C., Irwin, Scott A., Chuang, Jerry
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Pablo N.
• Application Number:
  US10/659,966
• Time in Patent Office: 1,356 Days
• Field of Search: 455/552.1, 455/297, 455/298, 455/180.2, 455207-209, 455/219, 455313-318, 455323-324, 455255-260, 455/265, 4551791-1831, 4551891-1923, 455/327, 455/84, 375/316, 375/355, 375/347, 348/731, 348/735, 348725-726
• US Class Current: 455/260
• CPC Class Codes: H03L 7/087 using at least two phase detectors or a frequency and phase detector in the loop
• CPC Class Codes: H03L 7/113 using frequency discriminator
• CPC Class Codes: H03L 7/14 for assuring constant frequency when supply or correction voltages fail or are interrupted
• CPC Class Codes: H03L 7/18 using a frequency divider or counter in the loop H03L7/20, H03L7/22 take 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

Abstract

A device and a method for processing high data rate serial data includes circuitry for recovering a clock based on the high data rate input data stream. A transceiver includes a coarse loop of a phase-locked loop that selectively provides a clock having accuracy that is within a specified amount. In a sample mode of operation, only the coarse loop PLL is coupled to provide an error signal from which an oscillation signal and clock may be derived. In a second mode (lock) of operation, the transceiver may lock to the received serial data stream by coupling the fine loop PLL to provide an adjusted error signal. In a third mode of operation, (automatic) the transceiver initially performs coarse loop calibration by de-coupling the fine loop PLL and coupling the coarse loop PLL until a steady state has been reached.

Claims

1. A transceiver for processing high data rate serial data, comprising:

phase-locked loop circuitry further including selectable coarse loop PLL and selectable fine loop PLL circuits, the selectable coarse loop PLL for producing a coarse loop synchronized oscillation signal based on a reference clock, the coarse loop synchronized oscillation signal having a specified degree of accuracy relative to a received serial data rate and the selectable fine loop PLL for adjusting the coarse loop synchronized oscillation signal in phase coherence with the received high data rate serial data; and

mode determination logic coupled to produce mode switching signals to selectively switch the selectable coarse loop PLL and selectable fine loop PLL into and out of coupling according to defined operational logic within the mode determination logic.

2. The transceiver of claim 1 wherein the mode determination logic produces the mode switching signals responsive to one of an automatic mode, a sample mode, and a receive mode of operation.

3. The transceiver of claim 2 wherein the mode determination logic, when in the automatic mode of operation, further operates according to an initial (coarse) calibration mode of operation and a final (fine) calibration mode of operation.

4. The transceiver of claim 3 wherein the mode determination logic, when in the initial calibration mode, selectively de-couples the selectable fine loop PLL and couples the selectable coarse loop PLL.

5. The transceiver of claim 4 wherein the mode determination logic selectively couples the selectable fine loop PLL after a specified period.

6. The transceiver of claim 5 wherein the mode determination logic selectively de-couples the selectable coarse loop PLL.

7. The transceiver of claim 4 wherein the mode determination logic selectively couples the selectable fine loop PLL after determining that a received clock derived from an oscillation corresponding to a coarse error signal is within the specified degree of accuracy relative to the received serial data rate.

8. The transceiver of claim 7 wherein the mode determination logic selectively de-couples the selectable coarse loop PLL.

9. The transceiver of claim 3 wherein the automatic mode of operation is a default mode of operation.

10. The transceiver of claim 9 wherein the mode determination logic operates according to the automatic mode of operation responsive to a mode selection signal received from an external source.

11. The transceiver of claim 1 wherein the mode determination logic, when in the sample mode of operation, selectively de-couples the selectable fine loop PLL and couples the selectable coarse loop PLL as long as the transceiver is in the sample mode of operation.

12. The transceiver of claim 3 wherein the mode determination logic prompts the phase-locked loop circuitry to lock to a local reference for data sampling operations responsive to the mode selection signal received from the external source.

13. The transceiver of claim 3 wherein the mode determination logic prompts the phase-locked loop circuitry to lock to the received serial data rate responsive to the mode selection signal received from the external source.