Abstract: A circuit and method for providing phase synchronization between an ECL output signal and a TTL or CMOS output signal has been provided. The circuit includes phase locked loops (20, 24) to make the difference of delays through an ECL-TTL/CMOS translation path with that of a straight ECL path irrelevant. As a result, in order to achieve phase synchronization between an ECL signal and a TTL/CMOS signal, one only needs to match the propagation delay of a delay component (22) to that of a TTL/CMOS-ECL translator (26) as opposed to a delay component and an ECL-TTL/CMOS translator.

Abstract: A delay matching circuit has a first node (48), a second node (50), a first loading circuit (54, 56), a second loading circuit (58, 60), a third loading circuit (64) and a buffer circuit (62). The first loading circuit couples a first logic state to the first node responsive to a first state of a control signal. The second loading circuit couples a second logic state to the first node responsive to a second state of the control signal. The buffer circuit electrically couples the first and second nodes. The first loading circuit, second loading circuit and buffer circuit are characterized by a first, a second and a third predetermined electrical impedance, respectively. The third loading circuit is coupled to the second node and is characterized by a fourth predetermined electrical impedance. The disclosed delay matching circuit propagates a clock signal input with a delay equal to the Clock-to-Q delay associated with a flip-flop constructed with similar circuit elements.

Abstract: A circuit for generating precise, phase shifted, CMOS level output signals with respect to an input data signal has been provided. The circuit utilizes a phase-locked loop for generating a precise clock signal. This precise clock signal is then utilized to clock a plurality of serially-coupled flip-flops wherein two-times the input data signal is applied to the data input of the first serially-coupled flip-flop. The outputs of the serially-coupled flip-flops are ECL signals which are then translated to CMOS level signals via ECL-CMOS translators. Finally, the output signals of the translators are respectively used to clock divide-by-two configured flip-flops in order to provide the plurality of precise, phase shifted CMOS output signals. The plurality of precise, phase shifted, CMOS output signals have a 50% duty cycle and represent phase shifted versions of the input data signal wherein the minimum time delay between signals is substantially equal to the period of the precise clock signal.