Clock generator circuit providing an output clock signal from phased input clock signals

Claim 2

A clock generator circuit, comprising: a plurality of phased input clock terminals including a first input clock terminal; a clock output terminal; a state machine circuit having an input terminal coupled to the first input clock terminal and a plurality of output terminals; a logical NOR circuit having input terminals coupled to the output terminals of the state machine circuit and further having an output terminal; a multiplexer circuit having data input terminals coupled to the plurality of phased input clock terminals, select input terminals coupled to the output terminals of the state machine circuit, and an output terminal coupled to the clock output terminal; and a pulldown circuit coupled to the clock output terminal, the pulldown circuit having a control terminal coupled to the output terminal of the logical NOR circuit.

Claim 3

The clock generator circuit of claim 1 , further comprising a phase shift circuit coupled between the first input clock terminal and the state machine circuit, and further coupled between the plurality of phased input clock terminals and the data input terminals of the multiplexer circuit.

Claim 4

The clock generator circuit of claim 1 , further comprising: a plurality of user code input terminals; and a decoder circuit having input terminals coupled to the user code input terminals and output terminals coupled to control input terminals of the state machine circuit.

Claim 5

The clock generator circuit of claim 1 , wherein the logical NOR circuit comprises a NOR gate.

Claim 6

The clock generator circuit of claim 1 , wherein the pulldown circuit comprises an N-channel transistor coupled between the clock output terminal and a ground.

Claim 7

The clock generator circuit of claim 1 , wherein: the multiplexer circuit comprises, for each data input terminal, a passgate coupled between the data input terminal and the output terminal of the multiplexer circuit; and each of the passgates has a gate terminal coupled to one of the select input terminals of the multiplexer circuit.

Claim 8

The clock generator circuit of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of phased input clock terminals includes exactly four phased input clock terminals.

Claim 9

A clock generator circuit, comprising: a plurality of phased input clock terminals including a first input clock terminal; a clock output terminal; first and second nodes; a first state machine circuit having an input terminal coupled to the first input clock terminal and further having a plurality of output terminals; a first logical NOR circuit having input terminals coupled to the output terminals of the first state machine circuit and further having an output terminal; a first multiplexer circuit having data input terminals coupled to the plurality of phased input clock terminals, select input terminals coupled to the output terminals of the first state machine circuit, and an output terminal coupled to the first node; a first pulldown circuit coupled to the first node, the pulldown circuit having a control terminal coupled to the output terminal of the first logical NOR circuit; a second state machine circuit having an input terminal coupled to the first input clock terminal and further having a plurality of output terminals; a second logical NOR circuit having input terminals coupled to the output terminals of the second state machine circuit and further having an output terminal; a second multiplexer circuit having data input terminals coupled to the plurality of phased input clock terminals, select input terminals coupled to the output terminals of the second state machine circuit, and an output terminal coupled to the second node; a second pulldown circuit coupled to the second node, the pulldown circuit having a control terminal coupled to the output terminal of the second logical NOR circuit; a pullup circuit coupled to the clock output terminal and having a control terminal coupled to the first node; a third pulldown circuit coupled to the clock output terminal and having a control terminal coupled to the second node; and a keeper circuit having first and second input terminals coupled to the first and second nodes, respectively, and an output terminal coupled to the clock output terminal.

Claim 10

A clock generator circuit, comprising: a plurality of phased input clock terminals including a first input clock terminal; a clock output terminal; first and second nodes; a first state machine circuit having an input terminal coupled to the first input clock terminal and further having a plurality of output terminals; a first logical NOR circuit having input terminals coupled to the output terminals of the first state machine circuit and further having an output terminal; a first multiplexer circuit having data input terminals coupled to the plurality of phased input clock terminals, select input terminals coupled to the output terminals of the first state machine circuit, and an output terminal coupled to the first node; a first pulldown circuit coupled to the first node, the pulldown circuit having a control terminal coupled to the output terminal of the first logical NOR circuit; a second state machine circuit having an input terminal coupled to the first input clock terminal and further having a plurality of output terminals; a second logical NOR circuit having input terminals coupled to the output terminals of the second state machine circuit and further having an output terminal; a second multiplexer circuit having data input terminals coupled to the plurality of phased input clock terminals, select input terminals coupled to the output terminals of the second state machine circuit, and an output terminal coupled to the second node; a second pulldown circuit coupled to the second node, the pulldown circuit having a control terminal coupled to the output terminal of the second logical NOR circuit; a pullup circuit coupled to the clock output terminal and having a control terminal coupled to the first node; a third pulldown circuit coupled to the clock output terminal and having a control terminal coupled to the second node; and a keeper circuit having first and second input terminals coupled to the first and second nodes, respectively, and an output terminal coupled to the clock output terminal.

Claim 11

The clock generator circuit of claim 8 , wherein the pullup circuit comprises: a P-channel transistor coupled between the clock output terminal and a power high and having a gate terminal; and an inverter having an input terminal coupled to the first node and an output terminal coupled to the gate terminal of the P-channel transistor.

Claim 12

The clock generator circuit of claim 8 , wherein the third pulldown circuit comprises: an N-channel transistor coupled between the clock output terminal and a ground and having a gate terminal coupled to the second node.

Claim 13

The clock generator circuit of claim 8 , wherein the keeper circuit comprises a latch having a set terminal coupled to the first node and a reset terminal coupled to the second node.

Claim 14

The clock generator circuit of claim 8 , further comprising a phase shift circuit coupled between the first input clock terminal and the first and second state machine circuits, and further coupled between the plurality of phased input clock terminals and the data input terminals of the first and second multiplexer circuits.

Claim 15

The clock generator circuit of claim 8 , further comprising: a plurality of user code input terminals; a first decoder circuit having input terminals coupled to the user code input terminals and output terminals coupled to control input terminals of the first state machine circuit; and a second decoder circuit having input terminals coupled to the user code input terminals and output terminals coupled to control input terminals of the second state machine circuit.

Claim 16

The clock generator circuit of claim 8 , further comprising: a duty cycle enable terminal coupled to the second state machine circuit; a first multiplexer coupled between the first node and the pullup circuit, the first multiplexer having a data input terminal coupled to at least one of the plurality of phased input clock terminals and a select terminal coupled to the duty cycle enable terminal; and a second multiplexer coupled between the second node and the third pulldown circuit, the second multiplexer having a data input terminal coupled to at least another one of the plurality of phased input clock terminals and a select terminal coupled to the duty cycle enable terminal.

Claim 17

The clock generator circuit of claim 8 , wherein the logical NOR circuit comprises a NOR gate.

Claim 18

The clock generator circuit of claim 8 , wherein the third pulldown circuit comprises an N-channel transistor coupled between the clock output terminal and a ground.

Claim 19

The clock generator circuit of claim 8 , wherein: the first and second multiplexer circuits each comprise, for each data input terminal, a passgate coupled between the data input terminal and the output terminal of the corresponding multiplexer circuit; and each of the passgates in each multiplexer circuit has a gate terminal coupled to one of the select input terminals of the corresponding multiplexer circuit.

Claim 20

The clock generator circuit of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of phased input clock terminals includes exactly four phased input clock terminals.

Claim 21

The clock generator circuit of claim 8 , wherein the first and second state machine circuits comprise a single state machine.

Claim 22

The clock generator circuit of claim 13 , wherein the first and second decoder circuits comprise a single decoder.

Claim 23

An electronic system, comprising: a delay-lock loop (DLL) having a clock input terminal, a feedback input terminal, and a plurality of phased output terminals; a clock network having an output terminal coupled to the feedback input terminal of the DLL and further having an input terminal; and a clock generator circuit, comprising: a plurality of phased input clock terminals coupled to the phased output terminals of the DLL, the plurality of phased input clock terminals including a first input clock terminal; a clock output terminal coupled to the input terminal of the clock network; a state machine circuit having an input terminal coupled to the first input clock terminal and a plurality of output terminals; a logical NOR circuit having input terminals coupled to the output terminals of the state machine circuit and further having an output terminal; a multiplexer circuit having data input terminals coupled to the plurality of phased input clock terminals, select input terminals coupled to the output terminals of the state machine circuit, and an output terminal coupled to the clock output terminal; and a pulldown circuit coupled to the clock output terminal, the pulldown circuit having a control terminal coupled to the output terminal of the logical NOR circuit.

Claim 24

An electronic system, comprising: a delay-lock loop (DLL) having a clock input terminal, a feedback input terminal, and a plurality of phased output terminals; a clock network having an output terminal coupled to the feedback input terminal of the DLL and further having an input terminal; and a clock generator circuit, comprising: a plurality of phased input clock terminals coupled to the phased output terminals of the DLL, the plurality of phased input clock terminals including a first input clock terminal; a clock output terminal coupled to the input terminal of the clock network; a state machine circuit having an input terminal coupled to the first input clock terminal and a plurality of output terminals; a logical NOR circuit having input terminals coupled to the output terminals of the state machine circuit and further having an output terminal; a multiplexer circuit having data input terminals coupled to the plurality of phased input clock terminals, select input terminals coupled to the output terminals of the state machine circuit, and an output terminal coupled to the clock output terminal; and a pulldown circuit coupled to the clock output terminal, the pulldown circuit having a control terminal coupled to the output terminal of the logical NOR circuit.

Claim 25

The electronic system of claim 21 , wherein the clock generator circuit further comprises a phase shift circuit coupled between the first input clock terminal and the state machine circuit, and further coupled between the plurality of phased input clock terminals and the data input terminals of the multiplexer circuit.

Claim 26

The electronic system of claim 21 , wherein the clock generator circuit further comprises: a plurality of user code input terminals; and a decoder circuit having input terminals coupled to the user code input terminals and output terminals coupled to control input terminals of the state machine circuit.

Claim 27

The electronic system of claim 23 , wherein the system comprises at least a portion of a programmable logic device (PLD), and the user code input terminals are coupled to receive configuration data for the PLD.

Claim 28

An electronic system, comprising: a delay-lock loop (DLL) having a clock input terminal, a feedback input terminal, and a plurality of phased output terminals; a clock network having an output terminal coupled to the feedback input terminal of the DLL and further having an input terminal; and a clock generator circuit, comprising: a plurality of phased input clock terminals coupled to the phased output terminals of the DLL, the plurality of phased input clock terminals including a first input clock terminal; a clock output terminal coupled to the input terminal of the clock network; first and second nodes; a first state machine circuit having an input terminal coupled to the first input clock terminal and further having a plurality of output terminals; a first logical NOR circuit having input terminals coupled to the output terminals of the first state machine circuit and further having an output terminal; a first multiplexer circuit having data input terminals coupled to the plurality of phased input clock terminals, select input terminals coupled to the output terminals of the first state machine circuit, and an output terminal coupled to the first node; a first pulldown circuit coupled to the first node, the pulldown circuit having a control terminal coupled to the output terminal of the first logical NOR circuit; a second state machine circuit having an input terminal coupled to the first input clock terminal and further having a plurality of output terminals; a second logical NOR circuit having input terminals coupled to the output terminals of the second state machine circuit and further having an output terminal; a second multiplexer circuit having data input terminals coupled to the plurality of phased input clock terminals, select input terminals coupled to the output terminals of the second state machine circuit, and an output terminal coupled to the second node; a second pulldown circuit coupled to the second node, the pulldown circuit having a control terminal coupled to the output terminal of the second logical NOR circuit; a pullup circuit coupled to the clock output terminal and having a control terminal coupled to the first node; a third pulldown circuit coupled to the clock output terminal and having a control terminal coupled to the second node; and a keeper circuit having first and second input terminals coupled to the first and second nodes, respectively, and an output terminal coupled to the clock output terminal.

Claim 29

An electronic system, comprising: a delay-lock loop (DLL) having a clock input terminal, a feedback input terminal, and a plurality of phased output terminals; a clock network having an output terminal coupled to the feedback input terminal of the DLL and further having an input terminal; and a clock generator circuit, comprising: a plurality of phased input clock terminals coupled to the phased output terminals of the DLL, the plurality of phased input clock terminals including a first input clock terminal; a clock output terminal coupled to the input terminal of the clock network; first and second nodes; a first state machine circuit having an input terminal coupled to the first input clock terminal and further having a plurality of output terminals; a first logical NOR circuit having input terminals coupled to the output terminals of the first state machine circuit and further having an output terminal; a first multiplexer circuit having data input terminals coupled to the plurality of phased input clock terminals, select input terminals coupled to the output terminals of the first state machine circuit, and an output terminal coupled to the first node; a first pulldown circuit coupled to the first node, the pulldown circuit having a control terminal coupled to the output terminal of the first logical NOR circuit; a second state machine circuit having an input terminal coupled to the first input clock terminal and further having a plurality of output terminals; a second logical NOR circuit having input terminals coupled to the output terminals of the second state machine circuit and further having an output terminal; a second multiplexer circuit having data input terminals coupled to the plurality of phased input clock terminals, select input terminals coupled to the output terminals of the second state machine circuit, and an output terminal coupled to the second node; a second pulldown circuit coupled to the second node, the pulldown circuit having a control terminal coupled to the output terminal of the second logical NOR circuit; a pullup circuit coupled to the clock output terminal and having a control terminal coupled to the first node; a third pulldown circuit coupled to the clock output terminal and having a control terminal coupled to the second node; and a keeper circuit having first and second input terminals coupled to the first and second nodes, respectively, and an output terminal coupled to the clock output terminal.

Claim 30

The electronic system of claim 25 , wherein the clock generator circuit further comprises a phase shift circuit coupled between the first input clock terminal and the first and second state machine circuits, and further coupled between the plurality of phased input clock terminals and the data input terminals of the first and second multiplexer circuits.

Claim 31

The electronic system of claim 25 , wherein the clock generator circuit further comprises: a plurality of user code input terminals; a first decoder circuit having input terminals coupled to the user code input terminals and output terminals coupled to control input terminals of the first state machine circuit; and a second decoder circuit having input terminals coupled to the user code input terminals and output terminals coupled to control input terminals of the second state machine circuit.

Claim 32

The electronic system of claim 27 , wherein the system comprises at least a portion of a programmable logic device (PLD), and the user code input terminals are coupled to receive configuration data for the PLD.

Claim 33

The electronic system of claim 25 , wherein the clock generator circuit further comprises: a duty cycle enable terminal coupled to the second state machine circuit; a first multiplexer coupled between the first node and the pullup circuit, the first multiplexer having a data input terminal coupled to at least one of the plurality of phased input clock terminals and a select terminal coupled to the duty cycle enable terminal; and a second multiplexer coupled between the second node and the third pulldown circuit, the second multiplexer having a data input terminal coupled to at least another one of the plurality of phased input clock terminals and a select terminal coupled to the duty cycle enable terminal.