Method and apparatus for compensating for timing variances in digital data transmission channels

1. A high speed digital circuit for use with an N bit digital data signal, where N is an integer, comprising:

a. a source device for receiving said N bit digital data signal;

b. a sink device coupled to said source device and receiving said N bit digital data signal from said source device, said N bit digital data signal having a skew when received by said sink device;

c. a skew detection circuit in said sink device for detecting said skew in said N bit digital data signal and generating a skew detection signal; said skew detection circuit including a circuit for detecting the skew of each of N bits in said N bit digital data signal, generating N phase detection signals in response thereto, and multiplexing said N phase detection signals as said skew detection signal;

d. a compensation circuit in said source device for receiving said skew detection signal and compensating for said skew in said N bit digital data signal in response thereto; and

said source device outputs a reference signal to said sink device, said reference signal having timing information for phase and delay detection of said skew in said N bit digital data signal.

2. A high speed digital circuit for use with an N bit digital signal, where N is an integer, comprising:

a. a source device for receiving said N bit digital data signal;

b. a sink device coupled to said source device and receiving said N bit digital data signal from said source device, said N bit digital data signal having a skew when received by said sink device;

c. a skew detection circuit in said sink device for detecting said skew in said N bit digital data signal and generating a skew detection signal; and

d. a compensation circuit in said source device for receiving said skew detection signal and compensating for said skew in said N bit digital data signal in response thereto;

said source device outputs a reference signal to said sink device, said reference signal having timing information for phase and delay detection of said skew in said N bit digital data signal,

said source device includes N variable delay units for outputting said N bits, each of said variable delay units associated with and individually controlled by a respective one bit of a phase comparison signal.

3. The circuit of claim 2 , wherein said source device includes a counter circuit for supplying said reference signal to said sink device.

4. The circuit of claim 3 , wherein said source device includes a delay control circuit for supplying said phase comparison signal as a control signal to said N variable delay units.

5. The circuit of claim 4 , wherein said source device includes N low pass filters, each of said low pass filters coupled to one of said N variable delay units, said N low pass filters being disposed between said delay control circuit and said N variable delay units.

6. The circuit of claim 5 , wherein said sink device includes N phase detectors for outputting a phase comparison in response to a respective one of said N bits and said reference signal.

7. The circuit of claim 6 , wherein said sink device includes a counter circuit for receiving said reference signal from said source device.

8. The circuit of claim 7 , wherein said sink device includes a skew signal circuit coupled to said counter circuit and said N phase detectors for supplying said skew detection signal to said source device.

9. The circuit of claim 8 , wherein said sink device includes N analog to digital converters coupled to said N phase detectors and said skew signal circuit.

10. The circuit of claim 9 , and further comprising a line for supplying said synchronization signal between said counter circuits in said source device and said sink device.

11. The circuit of claim 10 , wherein said sink device includes N low pass filters, each of said low pass filters connected between one of said N phase detectors and one of said N analog to digital converters.

12. A high speed digital circuit for use with an N bit digital data signal, where N is an integer, comprising:

a. a source device for receiving said N bit digital data signal;

b. a sink device coupled to said source device and receiving said N bit digital data signal from said source device, said N bit digital data signal having a skew when received by said sink device;

c. a skew detection circuit in said sink device for detecting said skew in said N bit digital data signal and generating a skew detection signal;

d. a compensation circuit in said source device for receiving said skew detection signal and compensating for said skew in said N bit digital data signal in response thereto,

said high speed digital circuit operating in an initialization condition in which a digital initialization signal having bits of a first predefined unit length initializes said high speed digital circuit, and in an operating condition in which N bits of said N bit digital data signal have a second predefined unit length, wherein said source device includes N AND gates for receiving said N bit digital data signal and said digital initialization signal to produce a gated N bit digital data signal, and variable delay units for receiving said gated N bit digital data signal and outputting an N bit data signal in response thereto, and wherein said first predefined unit length is greater than said second predefined unit length.

13. A high speed digital circuit for use with an N bit digital data signal, where N is an integer, comprising:

a. a source device for receiving said N bit digital data signal;

b. a sink device coupled to said source device and receiving said N bit digital data signal from said source device, said N bit digital data signal having a skew when received by said sink device;

c. a skew detection circuit in said sink device for detecting said skew in said N bit digital data signal and generating a skew detection signal;

d. a compensation circuit in said source device for receiving said skew detection signal and compensating for said skew in said N bit digital data signal in response thereto; and

e. a line for supplying a reference signal from said source device to said sink device, said reference signal having timing information for phase and delay detection of said skew in said N bit digital data signal, and wherein said sink device includes N correlator units for detecting the delay between each of the N bits of said N bit digital data signal and said reference signal and outputting a phase detection signal.

14. A method of correcting the skew in an N bit digital data signal, N being an integer, transmitted between a source device and a sink device of an interface, comprising the steps of:

a. measuring said skew in said N bit digital data signal in said sink device;

b. generating a skew detection signal in said sink device;

c. transmitting said skew detection signal from said sink device to said source device;

d. compensating for said skew in said N bit digital data signal in said source device in response to said skew detection signal;

e. supplying a reference signal from said source device to said sink device, said reference signal having timing information for phase and delay detection of said skew in said N bit digital data signal; and

f. supplying a synchronization signal between said source device and said sink device; and

said interface operating in an initialization condition and in an operating condition, and further comprising the steps of:

g. transmitting, in said operating condition, said N bit digital data signal with bits having a first predefined unit length; and

h. transmitting, in said initialization condition, a digital data signal with bits having a second predefined unit length, said second predefined unit length greater than said first predefined unit length.

15. A high speed digital interface circuit for use with an N bit digital data signal, where N is an integer, comprising:

a. an N bit bus connecting a source device and a sink device, said N bit digital data signal being received at said sink device with a skew;

b. said source device comprising;

i. N variable delay units, each associated with one of N bits, and each of said variable delay units individually controlled for each of said N bits;

ii. a compensation circuit for compensating for said skew, said compensation circuit including:

1. a counter circuit for supplying a reference signal to said sink device;

2. an AND gate coupled to said counter circuit; and

3. N low pass filters, each associated with one of said N bits, and each of said low pass filters coupled to one of said N variable delay units and to said AND gate;

c. said sink device comprising:

i. N phase detectors, each associated with one of said N bits, and each of said phase detectors individually controlled for each of said N bits by said reference signal;

ii. N analog to digital converters, each associated with one of said N bits, coupled to said N phase detectors;

iii. a skew detection circuit for detecting said skew in said N bit digital data signal and generating a skew detection signal, said skew detection circuit including:

1. a counter circuit for receiving said reference signal from said source device; and

2. an AND gate coupled to said counter circuit;

d. a line supplying said skew detection signal from said sink device to said source device; and

e. a line supplying said reference signal from said source device to said sink device.

16. The circuit of claim 15 , and further comprising a line for supplying a synchronization signal between said counter circuits in said source device and said sink device.

17. The circuit of claim 15 , wherein said skew detection circuit detects the skew of each of said N bits in said N bit digital data signal, generates N phase detection signals, each associated with one of said N bits in response thereto, and multiplexes said N phase detection signals as said skew detection signal.

18. The circuit of claim 15 , wherein said source device is a high complexity integrated circuit, and said sink device is a low complexity integrated circuit.

19. The circuit of claim 15 , wherein said high speed digital interface circuit operates in an initialization condition in which a digital initialization signal having bits of a first predefined unit length initializes said high speed digital interface circuit, and in an operating condition in which said N bits of said N bit digital data signal have a second predefined unit length, wherein said source device includes N AND gates, each associated with one of said N bits, for receiving said N bit digital data signal and said digital initialization signal, and wherein said first predefined unit length is greater than said second predefined unit length.

20. The circuit of claim 15 , wherein said phase detectors in said sink device are correlator units for detecting the delay between each of the N bits of said N bit digital data signal and said reference signal.

21. The circuit of claim 15 , wherein said sink device inserts a synchronization signal in said skew detection signal supplied to said source device, and wherein said source device includes a sync circuit for receiving said synchronization signal and synchronizing said counters in said source device and said sink device.