# US 7,073,086 B2 · System for controlling a tunable delay by transferring a signal from a first plurality of points along a first propagating circuit to a second plurality of points along a second propagating circuit > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,073,086 B2 - Document ID: US7073086B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 10/306,721 - Filed: 2002-11-27 - Published: 2003-09-18 - Granted: 2006-07-04 - Earliest claimed: 2001-11-27 - Assignees: Sun Microsystems, Inc. - Inventors: Mark R. Greenstreet - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7073086B2 ## CPC - G06F 9/3869: {Implementation aspects, e.g. pipeline latches; pipeline synchronisation and clocking} - H03K 5/133: using a chain of active delay devices - H03K 2005/00019: {Variable delay} - H03K 2005/00234: {using circuits having two logic levels} - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - H03K: PULSE TECHNIQUE (measuring pulse characteristics G01R; modulating sinusoidal oscillations with pulses H03C; transmission of digital information H04L; discriminator circuits detecting phase difference between two signals by counting or integrating cycles of oscillation H03D3/04; automatic control, starting, synchronisation or stabilisation of generators of electronic oscillations or pulses where the type of generator is irrelevant or unspecified H03L; coding, decoding or code conversion, in general H03M) ## Abstract The clock signal is the dominant source of electromagnetic interference (EMI) for many electronic devices. EMI generated by an electronic device must be suppressed to avoid interference with other electronic devices and to satisfy FCC regulations. EMI emissions are reduced by phase-modulating the clock signal using tunable delay lines. Phase modulation causes a spreading of the energy spectrum of the clock signal thereby reducing EMI emissions. Implementations of the tunable delay lines are provided. In one implementation, a tunable delay line includes a first pipeline, a second pipeline, and a coupling mechanism for coupling the first pipeline to the second pipeline at various transfer points. The forward latency of the second pipeline is longer than that of the first pipeline. Based on external control signals, a clock pulse traveling along the first pipeline can be transferred via the coupling mechanism to the second pipeline thereby allowing the clock pulse to continue to propagate along the second pipeline. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A circuit for controlling signal propagation, comprising: a first signal-propagating pipeline having a first adjustable forward latency; a second signal-propagating pipeline having a second adjustable forward latency; and a plurality of transfer points from a first plurality of points along the first signal-propagating pipeline to a second plurality of points along the second signal-propagating pipeline for allowing a signal propagating along the first signal-propagating pipeline to be transferred to the second signal-propagating pipeline via one of the plurality of transfer points; wherein the first adjustable forward latency is longer than the second adjustable forward latency. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The circuit according to claim 1, wherein the first adjustable forward latency is one clock period longer than the second adjustable forward latency. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The circuit according to claim 1, wherein a signal entering the first signal-propagating pipeline is transferred to the second signal-propagating pipeline via one of the plurality of transfer points so as to generate a delayed version of the signal entering the first signal-propagating pipeline. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The circuit according to claim 3, wherein the signal entering the first signal-propagating pipeline is a clock signal; and wherein generating the delayed version of the signal entering the first signal-propagating pipeline causes electromagnetic interference generated by the clock signal to be reduced. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The circuit according to claim 1, wherein the first and second signal-propagating pipelines both operate in a first-in-first-out manner. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The circuit according to claim 1, wherein the first signal-propagating pipeline comprises a first plurality of identical stages; and wherein the second signal-propagating pipeline comprises a second plurality of identical stages. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The circuit of claim 1, wherein a first transfer point in the plurality of transfer points is from a first point along the along the first signal-propagating pipeline to a second point along the second signal-propagating pipeline and a second point in the plurality of transfer points is from a third point along the along the first signal-propagating pipeline to a fourth point along the second signal-propagating pipeline. ### Claim 8 A signal propagation control circuit, comprising: a first plurality of propagation stages sequentially coupled to one another, the first plurality of propagation stages collectively having a first adjustable forward latency; a second plurality of propagation stages sequentially coupled to one another, the second plurality of propagation stages collectively having a second adjustable forward latency; and a plurality of coupling stages for coupling the first plurality of propagation stages to the second plurality of propagation stages; wherein each stage of the first plurality of propagation stages is coupled to a corresponding stage of the second plurality of propagation stages via a corresponding coupling stage, wherein a first stage of the first plurality of propagation stages is coupled to a corresponding first stage of the second plurality of propagation stages and a second stage of the first plurality of propagation stages is coupled to a corresponding second stage of the second plurality of propagation stages; wherein a signal propagating along the first plurality of propagation stages is capable of being transferred to the second plurality of propagation stages via one of the plurality of coupling stages in response to a control signal, thereby allowing the signal to propagate along the second plurality of propagation stages; and wherein the first adjustable forward latency is longer than the second adjustable forward latency. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The circuit according to claim 8, wherein each stage of the first plurality of propagation stages includes: a first R/S logic function having an input and an output; a signal recorder having an enable input, a data input and an output; and a first AND logic function having an input coupled to the output of the first R/S logic function and an output coupled to the input of the first R/S logic function and the enable input of the signal recorder. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The circuit according to claim 9, wherein the signal recorder comprises a pair of latches. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The circuit according to claim 9, wherein the corresponding coupling stage comprises: a decoder having an output and an input coupled to the output of the signal recorder; and a second AND logic function having a first input coupled to the output of the decoder, a second input coupled to the signal propagating along the first plurality of propagation stages, and an output coupled to the second plurality of propagation stages. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The circuit according to claim 11, wherein the corresponding stage of the second plurality of propagation stages includes: a second R/S logic function having a first input, a second input and an output; an OR logic function having an output coupled to the first input of the second R/S logic function; and a third AND logic function having an input coupled to the output of the second R/S logic function and an output coupled to the second input of the second R/S logic function; and wherein the output of the second AND logic function is coupled to an input of the OR logic function. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The circuit according to claim 8 wherein the control signal comprises an identifier of a particular coupling stage at which a signal is to be transferred from the first plurality of propagation stages to the second plurality of propagation stages. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The circuit according to claim 8 wherein each stage of the first plurality of propagation stages includes: a first R/S logic function having an input and an output; a plurality of signal recorders, each signal recorder having an enable input, a data input and an output; and a first AND logic function having an input coupled to the output of the first R/S logic function and an output coupled to the input of the first R/S logic function and the respective enable inputs of the plurality of signal recorders. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The circuit according to claim 14, wherein the corresponding coupling stage comprises: a plurality of decoders, each decoder having an output and an input coupled to the output of a corresponding signal recorder; an OR logic function having an output and a plurality of inputs respectively coupled to the outputs of the plurality of decoders; and an AND logic function having a first input coupled to the output of the OR logic function, a second input coupled to the signal propagating along the first plurality of propagation stages, and an output coupled to the second plurality of propagation stages. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The circuit according to claim 15, wherein the control signal comprises a plurality of control words, each control word identifying a particular coupling stage at which a signal is to be transferred from the first plurality of propagation stages to the second plurality of propagation stages. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The circuit according to claim 16, wherein the corresponding coupling stage includes: a first data latch having an output and an enable input coupled to the signal propagating along the first plurality of propagation stages; a first AND logic function having a first input coupled to the output of the first data latch, a second input coupled to the retard signal, and an output; a second AND logic function having a first input coupled to an inversion of the advance signal, a second input coupled to an inversion of the retard signal, a third input, and an output; a third AND logic function having a first input coupled to the advance signal, and an output; an OR logic function having three inputs coupled respectively to the outputs of the first AND logic function, the second AND logic function, and the third AND logic function, and an output; a second data latch having an output, an enable input, and a data input coupled to the output of the OR logic function; a third data latch having an enable input and a data input coupled to the output of the second data latch; and a fourth AND gate having a first input coupled to the output of the second data latch, a second input coupled to the signal propagating along the first plurality of propagation stages, and an output coupled to the second plurality of propagation stages; wherein the enable input of the first data latch is coupled to the respective enable inputs of the second and third data latches. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The circuit according to claim 14, wherein the control signal comprises an advance signal and a retard signal; wherein the advance signal and the retard signal are received by the plurality of signal recorders; and wherein the plurality of coupling stages are configured such that: when neither the advance signal nor the retard signal is asserted, transfer of the signal from the first plurality of propagation stages to the second plurality of propagation stages occurs at a selected coupling stage; when the advance signal is asserted, transfer of the signal from the first plurality of propagation stages to the second plurality of propagation stages begins to occur at a coupling stage preceding the selected coupling stage and ceases to occur at the selected coupling stage, so that for subsequent signals propagating along the first plurality of propagation stages, the coupling stage preceding the selected coupling stage becomes the selected coupling stage; and when the retard signal is asserted, transfer of the signal from the first plurality of propagation stages to the second plurality of propagation stages begins to occur at a coupling stage following the selected coupling stage and ceases to occur at the selected stage, so that for subsequent signals propagating along the first plurality of propagation stages, the coupling stage following the selected coupling stage becomes the selected coupling stage. ### Claim 19 A tunable delay line, comprising: a slow signal-propagating circuit; a fast signal-propagating circuit; and a coupling circuit for allowing a signal propagating along the slow signal-propagating circuit to be transferred to the fast signal-propagating circuit, wherein the coupling circuit allows the signal to be transferred from a first plurality of points along the slow signal-propagating circuit to a second plurality of points along the fast signal-propagating circuit; wherein forward latency of the slow signal-propagating circuit is greater than forward latency of the fast signal-propagating circuit. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The tunable delay line according to claim 19, wherein the slow signal-propagating circuit further includes a first plurality of sequentially coupled stages; wherein the first stage of the first plurality of stages is coupled to the last stage of the first plurality of stages; wherein the fast signal-propagating circuit further includes a second plurality of sequentially coupled stages and a third plurality of sequentially coupled stages; wherein the first stage of the second plurality of stages is coupled to the last stage of the third plurality of stages; wherein the first stage of the third plurality of stages is coupled to the last stage of the second plurality of stages; and wherein the first stage of the second plurality of stages and the first stage of the third plurality of stages are coupled to an OR logic function. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The tunable delay line according to claim 20, wherein a phase comparator is coupled between the first and last stages of the first plurality of stages. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The tunable delay line according to claim 21 wherein the phase comparator is used to adjust the forward latency of the fast signal-propagation circuit. ### Claim 23 (depends on 20) The tunable delay line according to claim 20 wherein the fast signal-propagating circuit has twice the number of stages as the slow signal-propagating circuit. ### Claim 24 (depends on 19) The circuit of claim 19, wherein a first transfer point in the plurality of transfer points is from a first point along the along the first signal-propagating pipeline to a second point along the second signal-propagating pipeline and a second transfer point in the plurality of transfer points is from a third point along the along the first signal-propagating pipeline to a fourth point along the second signal-propagating pipeline.