Patent · US Expired

Metastable-free digital synchronizer with low phase error

US5034967A · kind A · utility

54Cited by
51References
57Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateDec 16, 1988
Grant dateJul 23, 1991
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 16, 2008

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04L25/4919
  • WIPO fieldDigital communication
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

An output clock signal is synchronized with predetermined phase accuracy relative to an internal stable frequency reference clock signal upon the application of a transition of an asynchronous event signal. A plurality of phase shifted versions of the reference clock signal are derived. Upon the occurrence of the asynchronous signal, the states of the phase shifted versions are sampled, and that information is utilized as a code to select one of the phase shifted versions from which the output clock signal is derived. Synchronization occurs rapidly within the metastable settling time of the flip-flops of a register which sample or decode the states of the phase shifted versions, or by logical gating arrangements which avoid the necessity for considering the metastable signal. Synchronization is typically obtainable in less than the period of one reference clock signal.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.