Patent · US Expired

Low-latency circuit for synchronizing data transfers between clock domains derived from a common clock

US6535946B1 · kind B1 · utility

80Cited by
6References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJan 4, 2000
Grant dateMar 18, 2003
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 4, 2020

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04L7/033
  • WIPO fieldDigital communication
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

There is disclosed, for use in an x86-compatible processor, an interface circuit for synchronizing the transfer of signals between different clock domains derived from a common core clock, where the phase and frequency relationships between the different domain clocks are known. The interface circuit comprises 1) a first latch having a data input for receiving a data signal from the first clock domain, a clock input for receiving the first clock signal, and an output; 2) a second latch having a data input coupled to the first latch output, an enable input for receiving a gating signal, a clock input for receiving the first clock signal, and an output; 3) a third latch having a data input for receiving the data signal, an enable input for receiving a gating signal, a clock input for receiving the first clock signal, and an output; and 4) a multiplexer having a first data input coupled to the second latch output, a second data input coupled to the third latch output, and a selector input for selecting one of the first data input and the second data input for transfer to an output of the multiplexer.

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