Phase rotator and data recovery receiver incorporating said phase rotator

A method of controllably effecting a phase shift on an oscilating signal, in which at least one phase of an oscillating signal is received on at least one input channel and is reproduced on at least one output channel with a controlled phase shift, said method comprising:

• weighting the value of the oscillating signal at each input channel by a respective weighting coefficient;
• summing the weighted signal values at each input channel and delivering the summed value as a shifted output phase at said output channel;
• and
• evolving the weighting coefficients thereby to create a phase shift at the one or each output channel, wherein the weighting coefficients evolve controllably for effecting a phase shift in successive phase slices over a phase angle of 2π radians in a cyclic operation, thereby permitting an unlimited phase shift.

A phase rotator device for controllably effecting a phase shift on an oscillating signal, comprising:

• an input device having at least four input channels for receiving at least four phases of said oscillating signal;
• an output device having at least one output channel for delivering at least one phase of said oscillating signal with a controlled phase shift;
• a weighting device for weighting the value of the oscillating signal at each input channel by a respective weighting coefficient;
• a summing device for summing the weighted signal values at each input channel and delivering the summed value as a shifted output phase at said output channel;
• and
• a weighting coefficient supply device responsive to a phase shift control signal for controllably supplying evolving weighting coefficients to said weighting device thereby to create a phase shift at the at least one output channel, wherein said weighting coefficient supply device evolves said weighting coefficients in a series of transition steps, and wherein said series of transition steps effect the phase shift in successive phase slices over a phase angle of 2π radians.

A phase rotator device for controllably effecting a phase shift on an oscillating signal, comprising:

• an input device having at least four input channels for receiving at least four phases of said oscillating signal;
• an output device having at least one output channel for delivering at least one phase of said oscillating signal with a controlled phase shift;
• a weighting device for weighting the value of the oscillating signal at each input channel by a respective weighting coefficient;
• a summing device for summing the weighted signal values at each input channel and delivering the summed value as a shifted output phase at said output channel;
• and
• a weighting coefficient supply device responsive to a phase shift control signal for controllably supplying evolving weighting coefficients to said weighting device thereby to create a phase shift at the at least one output channel, wherein said weighing coefficient supply device evolves said weighting coefficients in a series of transition steps, and wherein each of said weighting coefficients comprises at least one of a plurality of predetermined sub-weights.

A phase rotator device for controllably effecting a phase shift on an oscillating signal, comprising:

• an input device having at least four input channels for receiving at least four phases of said oscillating signal;
• an output device having at least one output channel for delivering at least one phase of said oscillating signal with a controlled phase shift;
• a weighting device for weighting the value of the oscillating signal at each input channel by a respective weighting coefficient;
• a summing device for summing the weighted signal values at each input channel and delivering the summed value as a shifted output phase at said output channel;
• and
• a weighting coefficient supply device responsive to a phase shift control signal for controllably supplying evolving weighting coefficients to said weighting device thereby to create a phase shift at the at least one output channel wherein said weighting coefficient supply device evolves said weighting coefficients in a series of transition steps, and wherein at least one of said series of transition steps provides an asymmetry in said weighting coefficients.

A phase rotator device for controllably effecting a phase shift on an oscillating signal, comprising:

• an input device having at least four input channels for receiving at least four phases of said oscillating signal;
• an output device having at least one output channel for delivering at least one phase of said oscillating signal with a controlled phase shift;
• a weighting device for weighting the value of the oscillating signal at each input channel by a respective weighting coefficient;
• a summing device for summing the weighted signal values at each input channel and delivering the summed value as a shifted output phase at said output channel;
• and
• a weighting coefficient supply device responsive to a phase shift control signal for controllably supplying evolving weighting coefficients to said weighting device thereby to create a phase shift at the at least one output channel, wherein said weighting coefficient supply device evolves said weighting coefficients in a series of transition steps, and wherein the size of at least one of said series of transition steps minimizes a distortion in a duty cycle.

A phase rotator device for controllably effecting a phase shift on an oscillating signal, comprising:

• an input device having at least four input channels for receiving at least four phases of said oscillating signal;
• an output device having at least one output channel for delivering at least one phase of said oscillating signal with a controlled phase shift;
• a weighting device for weighting the value of the oscillating signal at each input channel by a respective weighting coefficient;
• a summing device for summing the weighted signal values at each input channel and delivering the summed value as a shifted output phase at said output channel;
• and
• a weighting coefficient supply device responsive to a phase shift control signal for controllably supplying evolving weighting coefficients to said weighting device thereby to create a phase shift at the at least one output channel, wherein said weighting coefficient supply device evolves said weighting coefficients in a series of transition steps, and wherein the number of the series of transitions to perform said phase shift is equal to one-half of the number of input channels.