Phase detection circuit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9774319-B2
Application number	US-201615157564-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 18, 2016
Priority date	Dec 17, 2015
Publication date	Sep 26, 2017
Grant date	Sep 26, 2017

Abstract

A phase detection circuit includes a sampling signal generation circuit configured to generate a plurality of sampling signals in response to a plurality of phase change clocks having different phases and data; a charging voltage generation circuit configured to compare the plurality of sampling signals, and change a voltage level of one charging voltage between a first charging voltage and a second charging voltage; and a comparison circuit configured to compare voltage levels of the first and second charging voltages, and generate a result signal.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A phase detection circuit comprising:
a sampling signal generation circuit configured to generate a plurality of sampling signals in response to a plurality of phase change clocks having different phases and data;
a charging voltage generation circuit configured to include capacitors and compare the plurality of sampling signals, and change a voltage level of one charging voltage between a first charging voltage and a second charging voltage; and
a comparison circuit configured to compare voltage levels of the first and second charging voltages, and generate a result signal,
wherein the comparison circuit compares the voltage levels of the first and second charging voltages and generates the result signal, each time an update signal is enabled, and wherein the update signal is enabled with a predetermined cycle.

2. The phase detection circuit according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a multiphase clock generation circuit configured to be inputted with a clock, and generate the plurality of phase change clocks.

3. The phase detection circuit according to claim 2 , wherein a phase difference between a first phase change clock and a second phase change clock is one fourth of a cycle, and a difference between a second phase change clock and a third phase change clock is one fourth of a cycle.

4. The phase detection circuit according to claim 1 ,
wherein the sampling signal generation circuit comprises a plurality of sampling circuits which are respectively inputted with the plurality of phase change clocks and are inputted in common with the data, and
wherein the sampling circuits generate the plurality of sampling signals, respectively.

5. The phase detection circuit according to claim 1 ,
wherein the plurality of sampling signals comprise a first sampling signal, a second sampling signal and a third sampling signal, and
wherein the charging voltage generation circuit comprises:
a first comparison charging circuit configured to compare the first and second sampling signals, and generate the first charging voltage, and
a second comparison charging circuit configured to compare the second and third sampling signals, and generate the second charging voltage.

6. The phase detection circuit according to claim 5 , wherein each of the first and second comparison charging circuits comprises:
a charging pulse generating circuit configured to generate a charging pulse when two sampling signals have different levels; and
a charging circuit configured to charge a voltage in one of the capacitors during an enable period of the charging pulse,
wherein a voltage charged in the capacitor is outputted as a charging voltage.

7. The phase detection circuit according to claim 6 , wherein the charging circuit comprises a reset circuit which discharges the capacitor when a reset signal is enabled.

8. The phase detection circuit according to claim 1 ,
wherein the comparison circuit enables the result signal when the voltage level of the first charging voltage is higher than the second charging voltage.

9. The phase detection circuit according to claim 1 ,
wherein the comparison circuit disables the result signal when the voltage level of the second charging voltage is higher than the first charging voltage.

10. A phase detection circuit comprising:
a first sampling circuit configured to sample data at a first sampling time, and output a first sampling signal;
a second sampling circuit configured to sample the data at a second sampling time, and output a second sampling signal;
a third sampling circuit configured to sample the data at a third sampling time, and output a third sampling signal;
a charging voltage generation circuit configured to include capacitors and raise a voltage level of a first charging voltage according to whether the first and second sampling signals are the same or raise a voltage level of a second charging voltage according to whether the second and third sampling signals are the same; and
a comparison circuit configured to compare the voltage levels of the first and second charging voltages, and generate a result signal,
wherein the comparison circuit compares the voltage levels of the first and second charging voltages and generates the result signal, each time an update signal is enabled, and wherein the update signal is enabled with a predetermined cycle.

11. The phase detection circuit according to claim 10 , wherein the charging voltage generation circuit comprises:
a first comparison charging circuit configured to determine whether the first and second sampling signals are the same, and generate the first charging voltage, and
a second comparison charging circuit configured to determine whether the second and third sampling signals are the same, and generate the second charging voltage.

12. The phase detection circuit according to claim 11 , wherein the first comparison charging circuit comprises:
a charging pulse generating circuit configured to generate a charging pulse when the first and second sampling signals have different levels; and
a charging circuit configured to apply a voltage in a capacitor during an enable period of the charging pulse, and thereby charge the capacitor,
wherein a voltage charged in the capacitor is the first charging voltage.

13. The phase detection circuit according to claim 12 , wherein the charging pulse generating circuit comprises:
a sample comparison circuit configured to enable a comparison signal when the first and second sampling signals have different levels; and
a pulse generation circuit configured to generate the charging pulse when the comparison signal is enabled.

14. The phase detection circuit according to claim 11 , wherein the second comparison charging circuit comprises:
a charging pulse generating circuit configured to generate a charging pulse when the second and third sampling signals have different levels; and
a charging circuit configured to apply a voltage in a capacitor during an enable period of the charging pulse, and thereby charge the capacitor,
wherein a voltage charged in the capacitor is the second charging voltage.

15. The phase detection circuit according to claim 14 , wherein the charging pulse generating circuit comprises:
a sample comparison circuit configured to enable a comparison signal when the second and third sampling signals have different levels; and
a pulse generation circuit configured to generate the charging pulse when the comparison signal is enabled.

16. The phase detection circuit according to claim 1 , wherein the first sampling circuit samples the data in response to a first change clock, the second sampling circuit samples the data in response to a second phase change clock, and the third sampling circuit samples the data in response to a third phase change clock.

17. The phase detection circuit according to claim 1 , wherein the comparison circuit is configured to generate the result signal based on whether one of the first and second charging voltages is greater.

18. The phase detection circuit according to claim 1 , wherein the capacitors are discharged in response to a reset signal.

19. The phase detection circuit according to claim 10 , wherein the capacitors are discharged in response to a reset signal.

Assignees

• Sk Hynix Inc

Inventors

• Park Myeong Jae
• Kim Kyung Hoon
• Kim Kyu Young
• Shin Woo Yeol

Classifications

• H03K19/21

  EXCLUSIVE-OR circuits, i.e. giving output if input signal exists at only one input; COINCIDENCE circuits, i.e. giving output only if all input signals are identical · CPC title

• H03K5/1506 Primary

  with parallel driven output stages; with synchronously driven series connected output stages · CPC title

• H02M3/07

  using capacitors charged and discharged alternately by semiconductor devices with control electrode {, e.g. charge pumps} · CPC title

• H03K5/24

  the characteristic being amplitude · CPC title

• G01R25/08

  by counting of standard pulses · CPC title