Abstract:
Frequency divider techniques are disclosed which can be used to address two problems: when an incorrect division occurs if the modulus control changes before the divide cycle is complete, and when an incorrect division occurs due to a boundary crossing (e.g., power-of-2 boundary crossing in a fractional-N PLL application). In one embodiment, a frequency divider is provided comprising a plurality of flip-flops operatively coupled to carry out division of an input frequency, and configured to generate a modulus output and receive a divided clock signal of a previous cell. An additional flip-flop is selectively clocked off one of the modulus output or the divided clock of the previous stage, depending at least in part on a Skip control signal applied to a data input of the additional flip-flop, and is further configured to selectively reset the plurality of flip-flops to a state that will result in a correct divide ratio.
Abstract:
Techniques are disclosed for managing the timing between two asynchronous clocks. The techniques are particularly well-suited for synchronizing the reference clock with the divided clock in a phase coherent DSM PLL application, but can be more broadly applied to any application that includes a need for synchronizing a data bus across a clock boundary. In one example embodiment, the techniques are implemented in a retime word circuit operatively coupled between a DSM and the divide-by-N integer divider of a PLL application. The retime word circuit receives the divide word from the DSM and generates a retimed divide word that can be applied to the divider. The retime word circuit maintains the reference clock frequency throughput, and forces the divide word seen by the divider to change only at end of a given divide cycle.