Abstract: An edge detector has a digital phase locking loop in which one of the signals (e.g., the data signal) is coupled to a delay chain that develops a series of incrementally phase delayed versions of the input. Adjacent phase delayed pairs are selected, one pair at a time, and are compared to the other signal (e.g., the clock signal) to determine if an edge of the clock falls between the edges of the data signal in the selected phase pair, or falls outside the edges of the selected phase pair, on one side or the other thereof. If the clock edge falls outside the selected pair, a control signal selects another pair for comparison and the process is repeated until, for example, the data edges are aligned with the positive going edge of the clock. With a clock frequency equal to twice data frequency, the data can then be sampled on the falling edge of the clock.

Abstract: A process independent digital clock signal timing network is described for generating a chip clock substantially in phase with and offset by one cycle from an input clock signal. The timing network determines the delay experienced by a clock signal passing through a predetermined internal clock circuit on the chip and pregates the internal clock circuit by an amount equivalent to the determined delay such that the chip clock signal output from the internal clock circuitry lags the external clock signal input to the semiconductor chip by one cycle. Various timing network embodiments are described and claimed.

Abstract: A compact, wide range inductor capable of being trimmed to a desired frequency value, comprising at least two individually tunable inductive elements of different resolution, disposed upon an insulative support. The inductor is usually placed within a hybrid circuit and trimmed after component population.

Abstract: A digital data link performance monitor technique for communication systems and information and data processing systems is disclosed. The technique is based on the integration and analysis of a plurality of sorted data edge transitions of a serial data stream received over the digital data link. The number of data edge sorts to each of n time intervals definitive of the edge histogram is compared with a predetermined threshold level and a monitor signal is generated with each comparison. The combination of monitor signals is then analyzed to determine the amount of data timing jitter, and therefore the quality of the link. Corresponding methods and circuits are described.

Abstract: Data edge phase sorting circuits for communication systems and information and data processing systems employing digital phase locked logic circuits. The sorting circuits phase sort edge transitions of a serial data stream relative to a local clock signal. The local clock signal is coupled to a delay line having a plurality of serially connected delay elements, each of which outputs a delay clock of different phase. The sorting circuit includes an extraction circuit coupled to receive the serial data stream for detecting edge transitions in the serial stream and outputting a pulse of predefined duration in response to each detected transition. Coupled to the extraction circuit output is a non-sequential logic circuit, which is also coupled to the local clock through the delay line. The non-sequential logic circuit combines the outputted extraction circuit pulse and the plurality of delay clocks for sorting the pulse relative to the delay clocks.

Abstract: A digital integrating clock extraction technique for communication systems and information and data processing systems having high jitter and/or noise is disclosed. The technique is based on the integration and periodic analysis of a plurality of sorted data edge transitions of a received serial data stream. A retiming clock phase is selected from a plurality of locally generated clock signals of different phase. The retiming clock selection is preferably reevaluated after N data edge transition sorts. The resultant data edge histogram can be cumulative of all sorted transitions or merely cumulative of the last N sorted transitions. Corresponding methods and apparatus are described.

Abstract: A circuit for converting a multi-bit data signal from a first format to a second format. The circuit includes an input for receiving the multi-bit data signal in a first format, an output for providing the multi-bit data signal in a second format, and a ring counter having a number of stages for providing, in sequential order, stage output signals. A format conversion device connected between the input and the output has a number of latches with each latch being connected to the input for simultaneously receiving data bits of the multi-bit data signal in the first format. A control circuit is provided for controlling the latching of selected data bits in each of the latches, and a transmission circuit is provided between the latches and the output for transmitting the bits latched in the latches to the output responsive to the stage output signals of the ring counter, thereby placing the multi-bit data signal in the second format.