CMOS pseudo-NMOS programmable capacitance time vernier and method of calibration
US5214680A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 1, 1991 |
| Grant date | May 25, 1993 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 1, 2011 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH03M1/747
- WIPO fieldBasic communication processes
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
The present invention is a time vernier providing fine timing control of an input signal having coarse timing edges. The time vernier comprises a receiving means for receiving a value representing a desired time delay to be added to the coarse timing edge input. The desired time delay may have both fine and coarse delay aspects. The time vernier also comprises a first decoding means for decoding the fine delay aspect and generating fine delay control signals, as well as a second decoding means for decoding a coarse delay aspect and generating coarse delay control signals. A delay line is also included in the time vernier which has inputs to receive the input signal having coarse timing edges, the fine and coarse delay control signals, and a control voltage which automatically adjusts with temperature and power supply variations, so as to provide for temperature and power supply compensation. The delay line combines the fine and coarse delay signals to provide an output signal with fine timing edges. Furthermore, the architecture of the present invention enables an automated method of calibration in order to adjust fine and coarse delay elements for fabrication process variations an…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.