IP Library Granted Patent US 12681525
Granted Patent B2
US 12681525 · App. 18/746,983 · Granted Jul 14, 2026

Clock-to-data synchronization

Inventors: Ofek Abadi (Nahariya, IL); Omer Wolkovitz (Kfar Saba, IL)
Assignee: NVIDIA Corporation
G06F1/12G06F13/1689G06F1/10G06F13/4217G06F13/423G06F13/4243G06F13/4291
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12681525
App. No.
18/746,983
Granted
Jul 14, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Technology related to calibrating synchronization of a data signal to a forwarded clock signal is described. A circuit includes a receiver circuit and a clock-to-data synchronization circuit. The receiver circuit receives a data signal and includes two inverters and two resistors. The clock-to-data synchronization circuit receives the data signal and the clock signal and determines an indication of synchronization between the data and clock signals. The clock-to-data synchronization circuit adjusts, using the indication, a parameter of the receiver circuit to synchronize the data signal and the clock signal.

Claims (41)

1 . A circuit comprising:

a receiver circuit configured to receive a data signal, the receiver circuit comprising a first inverter, a second inverter coupled in series to the first inverter, a first feedback resistor coupled between an input of the first inverter and an output of the second inverter, and a second feedback resistor coupled between the input of the first inverter and an input of the second inverter; and

a clock-to-data synchronization circuit configured to receive the data signal and a clock signal, wherein the clock-to-data synchronization circuit is configured to determine an indication of synchronization between the data signal and the clock signal and adjust, using the indication, a parameter of the receiver circuit to synchronize the data signal and the clock signal.

2 . The circuit of claim 1 , wherein the clock-to-data synchronization circuit comprises a controller configured to adjust, using the indication, the parameter of the receiver circuit to converge a first peak-to-peak amplitude of the data signal toward a second peak-to-peak amplitude of the clock signal.

3 . The circuit of claim 1 , wherein the clock-to-data synchronization circuit further comprises:

peak detection logic configured to receive the clock signal and output one or more peak voltage levels of the clock signal; and

a comparator comprising a first input coupled to the input of the first inverter and a second input coupled to the peak detection logic, the comparator configured to output the indication of synchronization between the data signal and the clock signal.

4 . The circuit of claim 3 , wherein the clock-to-data synchronization circuit further comprises a multiplexer coupled between the peak detection logic and the comparator, wherein the multiplexer comprises a first input coupled to the peak detection logic configured to receive a minimum peak voltage level of the clock signal, a second input coupled to the peak detection logic configured to receive a maximum peak voltage level of the clock signal, and an output coupled to the second input of the comparator.

5 . The circuit of claim 3 , wherein the clock-to-data synchronization circuit comprises a multiplexer coupled between the input of the first inverter and the comparator, wherein the multiplexer comprises a first input coupled to the input of the first inverter, a second input coupled to a second receiver circuit, and an output coupled to the first input of the comparator.

6 . The circuit of claim 1 , wherein to adjust the parameter of the receiver circuit, the clock-to-data synchronization circuit is configured to adjust an on-resistance of at least one of the first or second inverters.

7 . The circuit of claim 6 , wherein adjusting the on-resistance of at least one of the first or second inverters comprises enabling or disabling a transistor, and wherein one of the first or second inverters comprises the transistor.

8 . The circuit of claim 1 , wherein to adjust the parameter of the receiver circuit, the clock-to-data synchronization circuit is configured to adjust a resistance of at least one of the first or second feedback resistors.

9 . A communication device comprising:

a receiver comprising:

a first inverter comprising an input to receive a data signal; and

a first resistor coupled in parallel to the first inverter;

peak detection logic configured to receive a clock signal;

a comparator comprising a first input coupled to the input of the first inverter and a second input coupled to the peak detection logic;

memory; and

a controller operatively coupled to the memory, wherein upon executing instructions stored within the memory, the controller is configured to:

receive a first indication from the comparator based on a first voltage level received at the first input of the comparator and a second voltage level received at the second input of the comparator; and

cause, based on the first indication, at least one of a first resistance of the first resistor or a first on-resistance of the first inverter to be adjusted.

10 . The communication device of claim 9 , wherein the controller is further configured to receive, after causing at least one of the first resistance or the first on-resistance to be adjusted, a second indication from the comparator based on a third voltage level received at the first input and the second voltage level, wherein the first and third voltage levels are different, and wherein a first difference between the first and second voltage levels is greater than a second difference between the second and third voltage levels.

11 . The communication device of claim 9 , wherein the receiver further comprises a second inverter coupled in series with the first inverter, wherein at least one of the first on-resistance or a second on-resistance of the second inverter is adjustable, and wherein causing at least one of the first or second on-resistances to be adjusted modifies a peak-to-peak amplitude of the data signal.

12 . The communication device of claim 11 , wherein to cause at least one of the first or second on-resistances to be adjusted, the controller is configured to enable or disable a transistor, wherein one of the first or second inverters comprises the transistor.

13 . The communication device of claim 9 , wherein the receiver further comprises:

a second inverter coupled in series with the first inverter; and

a second resistor coupled in parallel with the first and second inverters, wherein at least one of the first resistance or a second resistance of the second resistor is adjustable, and wherein causing at least one of the first or second resistances to be adjusted modifies a peak-to-peak amplitude of the data signal.

14 . The communication device of claim 9 , wherein the first voltage level is a maximum or minimum peak voltage level of the data signal, and wherein the second voltage level is a maximum or minimum peak voltage level of the clock signal.

15 . The communication device of claim 9 , wherein the communication device further comprises a multiplexer coupled between the input of the first inverter and the comparator, and a second receiver coupled to the comparator by the multiplexer, wherein the controller is further configured to:

receive, after causing the first resistance or the first on-resistance to be adjusted, a second indication from the comparator based on a third voltage level received at the first input from the second receiver and the second voltage level; and

cause a second resistance of a second resistor or a second on-resistance of a second inverter of the second receiver to be adjusted.

16 . A method comprising:

receiving, by a receiver circuit, a first peak voltage corresponding to a data signal, wherein the receiver circuit comprises a first inverter, a second inverter coupled in series to the first inverter, a first feedback resistor coupled between an input of the first inverter and an output of the second inverter, and a second feedback resistor coupled between the input of the first inverter and an input of the second inverter;

determining, by peak detection logic, a second peak voltage corresponding to a clock signal;

receiving, by a comparator, the first and second peak voltages, wherein the comparator is configured to output an indication of synchronization between the data signal and the clock signal; and

adjusting, using the indication, a parameter of the receiver circuit to synchronize the data signal and the clock signal.

17 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising iteratively adjusting the parameter of the receiver circuit to converge a first peak-to-peak amplitude of the data signal toward a second peak-to-peak amplitude of the clock signal.

18 . The method of claim 16 , wherein adjusting the parameter of the receiver circuit comprises adjusting an on-resistance of at least one of the first or second inverters.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein adjusting the on-resistance of at least one of the first or second inverters comprises enabling or disabling a transistor, and wherein one of the first or second inverters comprises the transistor.

20 . The method of claim 16 , wherein adjusting the parameter of the receiver circuit comprises adjusting a resistance of at least one of the first or second feedback resistors.