Shared path phase detector having phase indicator

Abstract

A shared path phase detector and phase indicator circuit provide a phase locked loop circuit for which loading and wiring dependencies are greatly reduced. The phase detector circuit is provided for receiving a reference clock and a second clock. The phase detector circuit provides a separate and unique signal for indicating the magnitude of the difference between the phase of the reference clock and the second clock, regardless of whether the second clock is leading or lagging the first clock. The phase indicator circuit detects whether the second clock is leading or lagging the first clock, and routes the pulses on a first internal signal path to generate either increment or decrement pulses depending on whether the second clock is lagging or leading, respectively. The generation of the increment and decrement pulses is also routed on the first internal signal path, which provides a phase locked loop circuit that does not require matched loading and custom wiring on the internal increment and the decrement paths as required in the prior art.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.