Communication unit and method for clock distribution and synchronization

A method for clock distribution and synchronization in a communication unit having at least one master device and at least one slave device configured in a master-slave arrangement, wherein the method comprises, at a master device:

• generating a system clock signal;
• generating a frame start signal;
• wherein the method is characterized by, at the master device:
• modulating the system clock signal with the frame start signal to produce a modulated master-slave clock signal;
• and
• transmitting the modulated master-slave clock signal to at least one slave device;
• and at the at least one slave device, the method further comprises:
• receiving and demodulating the modulated master-slave clock signal;
• and
• re-creating therefrom the system clock signal and the frame start signal.

An electronic unit comprising:

• a transmission line;
• a master device that includes a modulator circuit configured to
• receive a system clock signal and a frame start signal,
• modulate the system clock signal with the frame start signal to produce a modulated master-slave clock signal, and
• transmit the modulated master-slave clock signal over the transmission line to a slave device of the electronic unit;
• and
• the slave device, which includes a demodulator circuit configured to
• receive and demodulate the modulated master-slave clock signal to re-create, in the slave device, the system clock signal and the frame start signal.