IP Library › Granted Patent US 9,270,256
Granted Patent B2
US 9,270,256 · App. 14/302,080 · Granted Feb 23, 2016

Duty cycle correction circuit

Inventor: Hyun-Bae Lee (Gyeonggi-do, KR)
Assignee: SK Hynix Inc.
H03K3/017H03K5/1565
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,270,256
App. No.
14/302,080
Granted
Feb 23, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

A duty cycle correction circuit may include an error booster suitable for amplifying an input clock duty error, a driver suitable for driving an output clock based on the input clock, and a duty corrector suitable for correcting the output clock duty based on the duty error amplified by the error booster.

Claims (42)

1. A duty cycle correction circuit comprising:

an error booster suitable for amplifying a duty error of an input clock;

a driver suitable for driving an output clock based on the input clock; and

a duty corrector suitable for correcting a duty of the output clock based on the duty error amplified by the error booster,

wherein the input clock includes an input clock signal and a complementary input clock signal, the amplified duty error includes an amplified duty error signal and a complementary amplified duty error signal, and the output clock includes an output clock signal and a complementary output clock signal, and

wherein the driver comprises:

a first differential comparison unit suitable for comparing the input clock signal with the complementary input clock signal, driving the output clock signal to a high level when a level of the input clock signal is higher than a level of the complementary input clock signal, and driving the output clock signal to a low level when the level of the complementary input clock signal is higher than the level of the input clock signal; and

a second differential comparison unit suitable for comparing the input clock signal with the complementary input clock signal, driving the complementary output clock signal to a low level when the level of the input clock signal is higher than the level of the complementary input clock signal, and driving the complementary output clock signal to a high level when the level of the complementary input clock signal is higher than the level of the input clock signal.

2. The duty cycle correction circuit of claim 1 , wherein the duty corrector inverts the amplified duty error and drives the inverted duty error as the output clock.

3. The duty cycle correction circuit of claim 1 , wherein the driving strength of the duty corrector is lower than driving strength of the driver.

4. The duty cycle correction circuit of claim 1 , wherein the duty corrector comprises:

a third differential comparison unit suitable for comparing the amplified duty error signal and the complementary amplified duty error signal, driving the output clock signal to a high level when a level of the complementary amplified duty error signal is higher than a level of the amplified duty error signal, and driving the output clock signal to a low level when the level of the amplified duty error signal is higher than the level of the complementary amplified duty error signal; and

a fourth differential comparison unit suitable for comparing the amplified duty error signal and the complementary amplified duty error signal, driving the complementary output clock signal to a low level when the level of the complementary amplified duty error signal is higher than the level of the amplified duty error signal, and driving the complementary output clock signal to a high level when the level of the amplified duty error signal is higher than the level of the complementary amplified duty error signal.

5. A duty cycle correction circuit comprising:

a receiver suitable for receiving a clock and outputting an input clock;

an error booster suitable for amplifying a duty error of the input clock; and

an adjustable driver suitable for driving an output clock based on the input clock and the amplified duty error,

wherein the input clock includes an input clock signal and a complementary input clock signal, the amplified duty error includes an amplified duty error signal and a complementary amplified duty error signal, and the output clock includes an output clock signal and a complementary output clock signal, and

wherein the adjustable driver comprises:

a fifth differential comparison unit suitable for comparing the input clock signal and the complementary amplified error signal with the complementary input clock signal and the amplified duty error signal, and outputting a comparison result as the output clock signal; and

a sixth differential comparison unit suitable for comparing the input clock signal and the complementary amplified duty error signal with the complementary input clock signal and the amplified duty error signal, and outputting a comparison result as the complementary output clock signal.

6. A duty cycle correction circuit comprising:

an error booster suitable for amplifying a duty error of an input clock;

a driver suitable for driving an output clock based on the input clock; and

a duty corrector suitable for correcting a duty of the output clock based on the duty error amplified by the error booster,

wherein the input clock includes an input clock signal and a complementary input clock signal, the amplified duty error includes an amplified duty error signal and a complementary amplified duty error signal, and the output clock includes an output clock signal and a complementary output clock signal, and

wherein the error booster comprises:

a differential amplifier suitable for receiving the input clock signal through an input terminal thereof, receiving the complementary input clock signal through a complementary input terminal thereof, outputting the amplified duty error signal through an output terminal thereof, and outputting the complementary amplified duty error signal through a complementary output terminal thereof;

a first capacitor electrically coupled between the output terminal and a ground; and

a second capacitor electrically coupled between the complementary output terminal and the ground.

7. The duty cycle correction circuit of claim 6 , wherein the duty corrector comprises:

a third differential comparison unit suitable for comparing the amplified duty error signal and the complementary amplified duty error signal, driving the output clock signal to a high level when a level of the complementary amplified duty error signal is higher than a level of the amplified duty error signal, and driving the output clock signal to a low level when the level of the amplified duty error signal is higher than the level of the complementary amplified duty error signal; and

a fourth differential comparison unit suitable for comparing the amplified duty error signal and the complementary amplified duty error signal, driving the complementary output clock signal to a low level when the level of the complementary amplified duty error signal is higher than the level of the amplified duty error signal, and driving the complementary output clock signal to a high level when the level of the amplified duty error signal is higher than the level of the complementary amplified duty error signal.

8. A duty cycle correction circuit comprising:

a receiver suitable for receiving a clock and outputting an input clock;

an error booster suitable for amplifying a duty error of the input clock; and

an adjustable driver suitable for driving an output clock based on the input clock and the amplified duty error,

wherein the input clock includes an input clock signal and a complementary input clock signal, the amplified duty error includes an amplified duty error signal and a complementary amplified duty error signal, and the output clock includes an output clock signal and a complementary output clock signal, and

wherein the error booster comprises:

a differential amplifier suitable for receiving the input clock signal through an input terminal thereof, receiving the complementary input clock signal through a complementary input terminal thereof, outputting the amplified duty error signal through an output terminal thereof, and outputting the complementary amplified duty error signal through a complementary output terminal thereof;

a first capacitor electrically coupled between the output terminal and a ground; and

a second capacitor electrically coupled between the complementary output terminal and the ground.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 11, 2014
From: LEE, HYUN-BAE
To: SK HYNIX INC.
Reel/Frame 033080/0900 →
Priority Claims (1)
KR 10-2013-0154718 · Dec 12, 2013 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20150171836A1 · Jun 18, 2015