PHY-Controller Clock Multiplication and Phase Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing communication protocol solutions face challenges in doubling performance by requiring redesign of physical layers and protocol controllers, which is costly and complex, especially when physical layers lack sufficient channels to support increased performance, necessitating alternative methods for clock and phase alignment.
Innovation Solution
An integrated circuit with a clock multiplier and phase alignment circuit that multiplies the clock frequency and aligns phases between physical layers and communication protocol controllers, allowing for synchronization without redesigning the physical layer or increasing complexity in the protocol controller.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the physical layer is redesigned to support higher clock frequencies and more channels, then performance can be doubled, but the cost and complexity of redesign increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
A clock multiplier circuit is introduced as an intermediary component between the physical layer and the communication protocol controller. This mediator multiplies the clock frequency from the physical layer to generate the higher frequency clock signal required by the controller, enabling performance doubling without modifying the physical layer itself. The clock multiplier acts as a buffer that resolves the frequency mismatch while keeping the physical layer design unchanged.
Solution Approach 2:
The clock frequency parameter is changed through multiplication rather than through physical layer redesign. The clock multiplier takes the base clock frequency from the physical layer and transforms it into a higher frequency signal (e.g., 2x, 4x, or 8x multiplication) that matches the requirements of the communication protocol controller, thereby achieving performance improvement through parameter transformation instead of structural redesign.
2Quantity of substance
If two physical layers are used to achieve the total number of channels needed, then channel capacity increases, but synchronization complexity across channels increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple physical layers are merged into a unified interface through the clock multiplier and phase alignment circuitry. Instead of managing separate synchronization for each physical layer, the clock multiplier provides a unified multiplied clock signal that synchronizes all channels, and the phase alignment circuit ensures coherent timing across all channels, thereby reducing the overall synchronization complexity compared to managing independent physical layers.
3Productivity
If the clock frequency of the data path is doubled to match the increased channel capacity, then performance increases, but an alternate clock source is needed for synchronization
Solution Approach 1:
The clock multiplier serves as an intermediary clock source that generates the doubled frequency signal needed for high-performance data transmission. It takes the base clock from the physical layer and produces the required high-frequency clock signal, eliminating the need for separate alternate clock sources while maintaining synchronization between the physical layer and the communication protocol controller.
4Productivity
If the communications protocol controller doubles the clock frequency without physically modifying the physical layer, then performance increases, but phase alignment between clock signals becomes critical
Solution Approach 1:
The phase alignment circuit acts as a precision intermediary that ensures accurate phase relationship between the physical layer clock signal and the multiplied clock signal. It receives both clock signals and adjusts their phase relationship to maintain precise synchronization, thereby enabling frequency doubling while maintaining the required phase alignment precision without modifying the physical layer.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution enables cost-effective doubling of performance by maintaining compliance with communication protocols, reducing latency, and unifying phase synchronization across channels, thus addressing the limitations of existing solutions.
Implementation Method 1
a clock multiplier configured to multiply a frequency of a clock signal from a plurality of physical (PHY) layers to match a frequency of a clock signal of a communications controller
Implementation Method 2
a phase alignment circuit configured align phases of one or more data signals based on a phase of the clock signal from the PHY layers and a phase of the multiplied clock signal
Data Source
AI summary
An integrated circuit (IC) for clock and phase aligning and synchronization between physical (PHY) layers and a communications controller is provided. The IC includes a clock multiplier configured to multiply a frequency of the clock signal from a plurality of PHY layers to match a frequency of a clock signal of the controller, wherein the clock signal from the plurality of PHY layers is less than the frequency of the clock signal of the controller. IC support circuitry is configured to provide the multiplied clock signal to the controller. The IC includes a first clock divider configured to divide the frequency of the multiplied clock signal and to output the divided clock signal to the controller. The IC includes a phase alignment circuit configured to align phases of one or more data signals based on a phase of the clock signal and a phase of the multiplied clock signal.