Patent · US Expired

Circuit and method for reducing delay line length in delay-locked loops

US6069507A · kind A · utility

52Cited by
5References
16Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMay 22, 1998
Grant dateMay 30, 2000
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 22, 2018

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH03L7/0816
  • WIPO fieldBasic communication processes
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A digital delay lock loop (DLL) circuit for clock signals with reduced delay line length includes a first phase difference detector for detecting a first phase difference, and a second phase difference detector for detecting a second phase difference. The circuit further includes an inverter for inverting an input clock signal, and a switch controlled by the second phase difference detector for switching between the input clock signal and the inverted input clock signal in accordance with the second phase difference to provide a clock signal to the first phase difference detector. In a method aspect, a method for reducing delay line length in a digital delay locked loop (DLL) includes determining a phase difference between an input clock signal and a feedback clock signal, and maintaining the phase difference between the input clock signal and the feedback clock signal within approximately 180.degree.. The method also includes delaying the input clock signal to compensate for the phase difference, wherein a number of delay cells utilized is reduced by approximately one-half.

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