Methods and apparatus for performing clock and data duty cycle correction in a high-speed link

1. An integrated circuit, comprising:

a serializer circuit configured to receive a clock signal;

transmit data path circuitry configured to receive data signals from the serializer circuit and to generate corresponding output data; and

a duty cycle distortion calibration circuit configured to receive only the output data from the transmit data path circuitry and to generate calibrated settings, wherein the calibrated settings mitigate clock duty cycle distortion in the output data by controlling the clock signal, and wherein the calibrated settings mitigate data duty cycle distortion in the output data by controlling the transmitter data path circuitry.

2. The integrated circuit of claim 1 , further comprising a clock duty cycle distortion correction circuit configured to output the clock signal to the serializer circuit and that is controlled by the duty cycle distortion calibration circuit.

3. The integrated circuit of claim 2 , wherein the duty cycle distortion calibration circuit comprises:

a detector circuit configured to receive only the output data from the transmit data path circuitry; and

a control circuit configured to generate the calibrated settings, wherein the control circuit is further configured to generate a first control signal that controls the serializer circuit and to generate a second control signal that controls the detector circuit.

4. The integrated circuit of claim 3 , wherein the detector circuit comprises:

an input polarity multiplexer;

a low-pass filter configured to receive signals from the input polarity multiplexer; and

a comparator configured to compare signals received from the low-pass filter with a reference signal.

5. The integrated circuit of claim 4 , wherein the low-pass filter comprises a charge pump circuit.

6. The integrated circuit of claim 4 , wherein the second control signal selectively inverts an input polarity of the input polarity multiplexer.

7. The integrated circuit of claim 4 , wherein the first control signal configures the serializer circuit to selectively pass through calibration data bits to the transmit data path circuitry.

8. The integrated circuit of claim 4 , wherein the control circuit is configured to generate the calibrated settings by generating a clock duty cycle correction signal and a data duty cycle correction signal, wherein the clock duty cycle correction signal controls the clock duty cycle distortion correction circuit, and wherein the data duty cycle correction signal controls a pre-driver circuit in the transmit data path circuitry.

9. The integrated circuit of claim 8 , wherein the control circuit is configured to compute first and second codes using an average function.

10. The integrated circuit of claim 9 , wherein the control circuit is further configured to generate the clock duty cycle correction signal by averaging the first and second codes, and wherein the control circuit is further configured to generate the data duty cycle correction signal by computing the difference between the first and second codes.

11. A method of operating an integrated circuit, the method comprising:

with a serializer in the integrated circuit, receiving a clock signal;

with transmit data path circuitry in the integrated circuit, receiving data signals from the serializer and generating corresponding output data;

with a calibration circuit in the integrated circuit, receiving the output data from the transmit data path circuitry;

with the calibration circuit, generating a clock duty cycle correction signal that mitigates clock duty cycle distortion in the output data;

with the calibration circuit, generating a data duty cycle correction signal that mitigates data duty cycle distortion in the output data, wherein the data duty cycle correction signal is different than the clock duty cycle correction signal;

with the calibration circuit, configuring the serializer to send a first test pattern to the transmit data path circuitry; and

while the serializer is sending the first test pattern, sweeping only the clock duty cycle correction signal but not the data duty cycle correction signal until a comparator within the calibration circuit flips to determine a first code.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

with the calibration circuit, inverting an input polarity of the calibration circuit; and

while the serializer is sending the first test pattern and while the input polarity of the calibration circuit is inverted, sweeping only the clock duty cycle correction signal but not the data duty cycle correction signal until the comparator flips to determine a second code.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

with the calibration circuit, configuring the serializer to send a second test pattern to the transmit data path circuitry, wherein the second test pattern is different than the first test pattern;

while the serializer is sending the second test pattern, sweeping only the clock duty cycle correction signal but not the data duty cycle correction signal until the comparator flips to determine a third code;

with the calibration circuit, inverting the input polarity of the calibration circuit; and

while the serializer is sending the second test pattern and while the input polarity of the calibration circuit is inverted, sweeping only the clock duty cycle correction signal but not the data duty cycle correction signal until the comparator flips to determine a fourth code.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:

computing a fifth code by averaging the first and second codes; and

computing a sixth code by averaging the third and fourth codes, wherein:

generating the clock duty cycle correction signal comprises averaging the fifth and sixth codes; and

generating the data duty cycle correction signal comprises subtracting the sixth code from the fifth code and halving the resulting difference.

15. Transmit circuitry, comprising:

a serializer circuit;

a pre-driver circuit configured to receive signals from the serializer circuit;

an output driver configured to receive signals from the pre-driver circuit;

a clock duty cycle correction circuit configured to output a clock signal to the serializer circuit; and

a calibration circuit configured to receive output signals from the output driver and to generate a clock duty cycle correction signal that controls the clock duty cycle correction circuit and a data duty cycle correction signal that controls the pre-driver circuit, wherein the calibration circuit comprises a detector and a control circuit, wherein the detector comprises an input polarity multiplexer, and wherein the control circuit is configured to generate a control signal that selectively inverts a polarity of the input polarity multiplexer.

16. The transmit circuitry of claim 15 , wherein the control circuit is further configured to receive signals from the detector and to generate the clock duty cycle correction signal and the data duty cycle correction signal.

17. The transmit circuitry of claim 16 , wherein the detector further comprises:

a low-pass filter configured to receive signals from the input polarity multiplexer; and

a comparator configured to receive signals from the low-pass filter.

18. The transmit circuitry of claim 16 , wherein the serializer circuit comprises:

a first input multiplexer;

a second input multiplexer; and

an output multiplexer configured to receive signals from the first and second input multiplexers, wherein the output multiplexer is controlled by the clock signal, and wherein the control circuit is further configured to generate an additional control signal that controls the first and second input multiplexers.