Internal clock jitter detector

US6208169A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Intel Corporation · US

Inventors

• Keng L. Wong · Portland, US
• Gregory F. Taylor · Portland, US
• Ravishankar Kuppuswamy · Hillsboro, US
• Douglas R. Parker · Forest Grove, US
• Hung-Piao Ma · Portland, US
• Kent R. Callahan · Hillsboro, US
• Xia Dai · San Jose, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jun 28, 1999
• Grant date: Mar 27, 2001
• Expiry date: Jun 28, 2019

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H03L7/0816
• WIPO field: Basic communication processes
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

An apparatus and method for detecting and measuring internal clock jitter is disclosed. In one embodiment, a reference clock generator generates a reference clock signal based on an instantaneous clock signal. The reference clock signal includes the instantaneous clock signal delayed for an average duration. A phase comparing element receives both the instantaneous clock signal and the reference clock signal such that the phase comparing element measures a phase difference between the instantaneous clock signal and the reference clock signal. The magnitude and direction of the phase difference is indicated by one of a number of distinct phase difference bins in the phase comparing element.