CDR Correlator Feedback for 1010 Pattern Frequency Lock

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Solution Overview

Problem

In high-speed serial links, the 1010 pattern in pseudorandom binary sequences causes issues for baud rate timing recovery as the clock data recovery (CDR) system lacks information to determine whether to increase or decrease frequency, leading to drift and loss of lock due to the CDR system being stuck in a wrong direction.

Innovation Solution

A CDR system with a correlator using a single delay element detects the 1010 pattern and corrects it by supplying a running average through a leaky integrator, resetting the Kf register with a previous value to maintain frequency accuracy.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If a regular pseudorandom binary sequence (PRBS) is transmitted, then continuous information extraction is enabled, but a 1010 pattern may appear causing the CDR system to lose frequency direction information

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontinuous information extractionVSAvoidfrequency direction determination
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The correlator performs preliminary detection of the 1010 pattern before the CDR system can drift. By detecting the harmful pattern in advance and generating a correction signal, the system prevents the accumulator from becoming stuck, thereby maintaining reliable frequency direction information throughout continuous data transmission.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Measurement precision

If the CDR system continuously tracks frequency changes, then timing recovery is maintained, but the system gets stuck in a wrong direction when encountering a 1010 pattern

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetiming recovery accuracyVSAvoidfrequency tracking stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The correlator provides feedback to detect when the data pattern becomes a harmful 1010 sequence. When detected, the system generates a correction signal that feeds back to reset or adjust the accumulator, preventing it from becoming stuck and ensuring the frequency tracking remains stable and accurate.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system converts the harmful 1010 pattern, which causes the CDR to lose frequency direction, into a detectable condition. By using the correlator to specifically identify this pattern and generate a correction signal, the previously harmful repetitive pattern becomes a trigger for maintaining system accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

3Ease of operation

If the CDR system uses phase detection logic to determine frequency direction, then frequency adjustment is enabled, but no information is provided when a 1010 pattern occurs

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefrequency adjustment capabilityVSAvoidfrequency direction information
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The correlator acts as an intermediary between the data pattern and the CDR frequency adjustment mechanism. It monitors the data pattern independently and provides supplemental frequency direction information through a correction signal, ensuring the CDR system always has the information needed for proper frequency adjustment even when phase detection logic fails.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP4213437B1Clock and data recovery system and operating method thereof
Publication Date: 2025.08.06 SAMSUNG DISPLAY CO LTD
  • EP4213437B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4213437B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4213437B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A clock and data recovery (CDR) system includes a correlator configured to receive data, determine a first value of the received data, and output a second value corresponding to the received data, an accumulator configured to generate an accumulation value by accumulating the second value output from the correlator and output the accumulation value, and a state machine configured to determine whether a repeating pattern is present in the CDR system based on the accumulation value.