High precision delay measurement circuit
AssigneeBroadcom Corporation
InventorsMorteza Cyrus Afghahi, Esin Terzioglu
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A high-precision delay measurement circuit delivers exceptionally accurate time measurement, for example, a half-gate delay. The high-precision delay measurement circuit has a multi-stage ring oscillator coupled with multiple oscillation signal detectors, which can be counters and signal edge detection circuits, which respectively count the number of oscillations by the circuit, and determine the extent to which a particular oscillation signal propagated within the oscillator. Some oscillation counters, particularly those disposed between the stages of the oscillator are dual-edge detection counters. The high precision delay measurement circuit can have a control signal output which can constrain a limited voltage swing signal.
Claims10
A high-precision delay measurement circuit, comprising:
- a. a ring oscillator having a plurality of oscillator stages, and executing oscillation cycles by circulating an oscillation signal therein in response to a first signal and by stopping the circulating of the oscillation signal in response to a second signal, each of the oscillation cycles being executed in a predefined oscillation period;
- b. a controller coupled to the ring oscillator to generate the first signal and the second signal;
- and
- c. oscillation signal detectors responsive to a plurality of the oscillator stages, the oscillation signal detectors detecting and storing the point during an oscillation period at which the oscillation signal was stopped in response to the second signal.
A method of measuring delay using a ring oscillator comprising a plurality of oscillator stages, said method comprising:
- a. executing oscillation cycles by circulating an oscillation signal in the ring oscillator in response to a first signal and by stopping the circulating of the oscillation signal in response to a second signal, each of the oscillation cycles being executed in a predefined oscillation period;
- and
- b. detecting and storing the paint during an oscillation period at which the oscillation signal was stopped in response to the second signal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.