Replicated Clock Path Delay for Low-Complexity Phase Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
High-speed electronic systems face substantial phase shifts in clock signals as they travel between blocks, leading to data loss and errors, and existing solutions like clock trees and delay-lock loops require significant power and hardware, making them difficult to implement.
Innovation Solution
A circuit that replicates the delay of a clock signal path to synchronize clock signals between a master and slave block, using a phase detector to select a clock signal with a phase shift that compensates for the delay, thereby reducing phase errors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If clock trees and delay-lock loops are used to synchronize clock signals, then clock signal synchronization is achieved, but power consumption and hardware requirements increase substantially
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a simplified copy of the clock path delay using a delay element that replicates the propagation delay characteristics. Instead of implementing a full clock tree or delay-lock loop, the invention uses a delayed version of the reference clock signal that mimics the actual clock path delay, thereby achieving synchronization with minimal hardware and power consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts only the essential function of clock synchronization by separating the delay compensation function from the complex clock tree/DLL structure. By using a simple delay element to replicate only the necessary delay characteristic, the invention removes unnecessary hardware components while maintaining the core synchronization functionality.
2Reliability
If clock trees and delay-lock loops are used to synchronize clock signals, then clock signal synchronization is achieved, but device complexity and implementation difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a simplified copy of the clock path delay using a delay element that replicates the propagation delay characteristics. Instead of implementing a full clock tree or delay-lock loop, the invention uses a delayed version of the reference clock signal that mimics the actual clock path delay, thereby achieving synchronization with minimal hardware and power consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts only the essential function of clock synchronization by separating the delay compensation function from the complex clock tree/DLL structure. By using a simple delay element to replicate only the necessary delay characteristic, the invention removes unnecessary hardware components while maintaining the core synchronization functionality.
3Reliability
If traditional clock synchronization methods are used, then clock signals can be synchronized, but substantial hardware resources are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a simplified copy of the clock path delay using a delay element that replicates the propagation delay characteristics. Instead of implementing a full clock tree or delay-lock loop, the invention uses a delayed version of the reference clock signal that mimics the actual clock path delay, thereby achieving synchronization with minimal hardware and power consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts only the essential function of clock synchronization by separating the delay compensation function from the complex clock tree/DLL structure. By using a simple delay element to replicate only the necessary delay characteristic, the invention removes unnecessary hardware components while maintaining the core synchronization functionality.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of synchronizing clock signals may include generating a replicated delay associated with a delay of a clock signal path. The clock signal path may be associated with communication of a slave clock signal by a master block of a circuit to a slave block of the circuit. The method may further include selecting the slave clock signal from one of multiple clock signals based on the replicated delay. Each of the multiple clock signals may have a same frequency and a different phase.