# Patent

## Title
Phase interpolation clock generator and phase interpolation clock generating method

## Abstract

A phase interpolation clock generator includes: a phase detector configured to detect a phase difference between an input signal and a clock; a phase control signal generator configured to generate a phase control signal that is inverted for a certain phase difference and changes between a high level and a low level based on the phase difference; a controller configured to generate a combining control signal for combining a plurality of phase clocks and performing phase interpolation based on the phase control signal; an overshoot detector configured to detect overshoot in which the phase control signal rises above the high level; an overshoot canceller configured to lower the phase control signal which rises above the high level at an occurrence of the overshoot; and a phase interpolator configured to generate the clock by combining the plurality of phase clocks in accordance with the combining control signal.

## Background
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority of the prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2014-011641, filed on Jan. 24, 2014, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
FIELD
Embodiment discussed herein is related to a phase interpolation clock generator and a phase interpolation clock generating method.
BACKGROUND
Rainer Kreienkamp, et al., “A 10-Gb/s CMOS Clock and Data Recovery Circuit with an Analog Phase Interpolator”, IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits, Vol. 40, No. 3, pp. 736-743, March 2005, discusses related art.
SUMMARY
According to an aspect of the embodiments, a phase interpolation clock generator includes: a phase detector configured to detect a phase difference between an input signal and a clock; a phase control signal generator configured to generate a phase control signal that is inverted for a certain phase difference and changes between a high level and a low level based on the phase difference; a controller configured to generate a combining control signal for combining a plurality of phase clocks and performing phase interpolation based on the phase control signal; an overshoot detector configured to detect overshoot in which the phase control signal rises above the high level; an overshoot canceller configured to lower the phase control signal which rises above the high level at an occurrence of the overshoot; and a phase interpolator configured to generate the clock by combining the plurality of phase clocks in accordance with the combining control signal.
The object and advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by means of the elements and combinations particularly pointed out in the claims.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are not restrictive of the invention, as claimed.



BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a phase interpolation clock generator;
FIG. 2 illustrates an example of a phase interpolation clock generator;
FIG. 3 illustrates an example of a charge pump and an example of a phase interpolation controller;
FIG. 4 illustrates an example of a control method;
FIG. 5 illustrates an example of a phase interpolation clock generator;
FIG. 6 illustrates an example of operation of a phase interpolation clock generator;
FIG. 7 illustrates an example of combining weights for phase interpolation control;
FIG. 8 illustrates an example of a phase interpolator;
FIG. 9 illustrates an example of a charge pump and an example of a loop filter;
FIG. 10 illustrates an example of a controller;
FIG. 11 illustrates an example of a phase interpolation bias generator;
FIG. 12 illustrates an example of a quadrant and overshoot detector;
FIG. 13 illustrates an example of a bias controller; and
FIG. 14 illustrates an example of an overshoot canceller.



DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENT
A plurality of architectures for implementing a CDR circuit include one in which the phase of a reference clock is made to track the phase of input data to be received and one in which a phase difference between a recovered clock and incoming data is detected, and a reference clock is phase-shifted by an amount corresponding to the detected phase difference to use the phase-shifted reference clock as a recovered clock. For example, a phase interpolation clock generator detects a phase difference between a recovered clock and incoming data and phase-shifts a reference clock by an amount corresponding to the detected phase difference to generate a recovered clock.
In the phase interpolation clock generator, phase interpolation that weights and combines a plurality of reference clocks having different phases under interpolated phase control to generate a recovered clock having an interpolated phase is performed. For phase interpolation for every phase, four phase clocks having phases which are shifted by 90 degrees with one another are used in interpolated phase control. A phase difference quadrant is determined from a detected phase difference between a recovered clock and incoming data, and a weight for each of a plurality of phase clocks to be combined is determined depending on the phase difference.
Interpolated phase control for determination of quadrant and weight and the like is performed through digital processing. Digital processing, with freely set control values, easily responds to a change in quadrant but may produce a rounding error (quantization error). The error causes phase fluctuation due to code fluctuation at the time of phase tracking. To reduce a quantization error or phase fluctuation due to such an error, the number of bits of digital data is increased, circuit scale is enlarged and digital processing time is lengthened, which results in a reduction in response speed.
If interpolated phase control is performed through analog processing, loop latency from detection of phase difference to phase shifting is short. For this reason, a phase interpolation clock generator which performs interpolated phase control through analog processing is proposed. In a phase interpolation clock generator, phase clocks having different phases are input to a plurality of differential pairs, respectively, and phase shifting is performed by changing the ratio among currents fed to the differential pairs.
For example, in a phase interpolation clock generator having four differential pairs, a phase detector detects a phase difference, and a charge pump performs charging or discharging depending on the phase difference. The charge pump alternates between charging and discharging every certain phase difference to generate a phase control signal which changes between high level and low level. A phase difference quadrant is determined based on a plurality of phase interpolation bias signals which are generated from a phase control signal and are out of phase with one another, and switching between charging and discharging each time quadrant is switched leads to generation of a phase control signal. For example, a phase control signal may be generated which alternates between high level and low level by switching between charging and discharging by a switch arranged upstream of the charge pump when a phase of the phase interpolation bias signals crosses 180 degrees or, for example, when the quadrant switches.
For example, in control of the phase interpolation clock generator, a desired operation may not be conducted under a specific condition, and deterioration of characteristics may occur or the phase interpolation clock generator may become inoperative. Examples of the specific condition include a case where a phase difference output by the phase detector changes between down and up around a point when the quadrant changes. In this case, one of the phase interpolation bias signals may rise excessively, another of the phase interpolation bias signals may be fixed, and a phase shifting function may stop. In a case where quadrant determination and interpolated phase control are performed through analog processing based on a phase control signal which changes between high level and low level, the above-described situation may occur.
In a receiver, transmitted data is subjected to decision with appropriate timing, and data and a clock are recovered (clock and data recovery (CDR) is performed). In a CDR circuit, a phase interpolation clock generator detects a phase difference between input data and a sampling clock, performs phase adjustment of the sampling clock based on the detected phase difference, and generates a recovered clock.
FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a phase interpolation clock generator. The phase interpolation clock generator illustrated in FIG. 1 may be used in a receiver. The phase interpolation clock generator includes a decision circuit (decision) 11, a phase detector (PFD) 12, a charge pump (CP) 13, a loop filter (LPF) 14, a controller 15, and a phase interpolator (PI) 16.
The decision circuit 11 decides at the timing of a recovered sampling clock CKsa whether input data Din is 0 or 1 and outputs a decision result as outgoing data Dout. The phase detector 12 detects a phase difference between the input data Din and the sampling clock CKsa and outputs an updown signal UPDN including an up signal for phase advancement and a down signal for phase delay. The charge pump 13 controls current addition and subtraction in the loop filter 14 in accordance with the updown signal UPDN. The loop filter 14 outputs a control voltage VLPF as a current addition and subtraction result. The controller 15 outputs a signal PIctrl which controls an interpolated phase in the phase interpolator 16 depending on the control voltage VLPF and detects a quadrant (0, 90, 180, or 270 degrees) of a clock phase to be interpolated. Reference character m indicates that phase clocks used for phase interpolation are four phases. The number m may be an arbitrary number. Whether the signal PIctrl is a voltage or a current is determined based on a circuit configuration. To generate the signal PIctrl, a signal CPinv which reverses the polarity of the charge pump 13 depending on quadrant information of the clock phase may be used. The signal CPinv is used in FIG. 1. The phase interpolator 16 interpolates an input clock CKin depending on the signal PIctrl and phase-shifts the input clock CKin to output the sampling clock CKsa. With this configuration, input data and a sampling clock synchronize with each other, and data decision is performed with right timing.
Analog interpolated phase control that is advantageous in that loop latency from detection of phase difference to phase shifting is short is performed in a phase interpolation clock generator. FIG. 2 illustrates an example of a phase interpolation clock generator. FIG. 3 illustrates an example of a charge pump and an example of a phase interpolation controller. The charge pump and phase interpolation controller (CP+PIC: charge pump+PI-controller) illustrated in FIG. 3 may be included in the phase interpolation clock generator illustrated in FIG. 2.
Clocks having different phases are input to four differential pairs of a phase interpolator (PI: phase interpolator core), respectively, and an interpolated phase of a recovered clock to be combined changes by varying the ratio among currents flowing through the four differential pairs.
As illustrated in FIG. 3, in the CP+PIC, a switch switches between an up signal and a down signal from a phase detector in response to a control signal B2 from a PI-controller (PIC). A charge pump (CP) outputs a current for charging or discharging a capacitance of a loop filter in response to the up signal or the down signal from the switch. The current may be supplied to the capacitance together with a signal for smooth switching from a switched charge generator (SCG). A voltage Vctl of the capacitance is converted into differential current signals I1 and I2 by a voltage-current converter (VI-converter), and the differential current signals I1 and I2 are supplied to the PIC. If an interpolated phase crosses 180 degrees, the PIC generates the control signal B2 and switches a signal to be fed to the CP using the switch. The PIC generates, from the current signals I1 and I2, current signals I3 and I4 out of phase with the current signals I1 and I2 by 90 degrees. The current signals I3 and I4 may be set such that I3+I4=I0 holds. The current signals I3 and I4 may be further generated based on the current signals I1 and I2 such that I1+I3, I1+I4, I2+I3, and I2+I4 each have a virtually steady value for each of quadrants (0, 90, 180, and 270 degrees) for the interpolated phase. Detection of switching from one quadrant to another of the interpolated phase may be performed by switching a control signal B1 and the control signal B2 based on comparison between the current signals I1 and I2 and comparison between the current signals I3 and I4.
In the above-described control, under a specific condition, an expected operation is not performed and, therefore, characteristics may deteriorate or an inoperative state may occur. FIG. 4 illustrates an example of a control method. For example, if the phase detector continues to detect a down with a current interpolated phase between 90 degrees and 180 degrees, the current signals I1 and I3 decrease while the current signals I2 and I4 increase. When I3<I4 is detected, the control signal B2 is inverted, and the switch upstream of the charge pump is flipped. No problem occurs if the phase detector continues further to detect a down. However, if the phase detector starts continuously detecting an up at this timing, a current value of the current signal I2 that is to decrease afterward may continue to increase, and a current value of the current signal I1 that is to increase afterward may continue to decrease or stay at 0. The remaining current signals I3 and I4 are generated based on the current signals I1 and I2. Therefore, since the current signals I3 and I4 stay at 0.5I0 when the current signals I1 and I2 are below and above assumed values, respectively, a switch of a quadrant of the interpolated phase may not be detected. In this case, the phase interpolator may output a clock having a specific phase, for example, may output only a clock having a specific phase, and may not perform a phase shifting function. To return from this state, a down signal is input until the current value of the current signal I2 returns to fall within an assumed range. For this reason, the phase interpolator may not respond until a return. Such a situation may occur in the case of switching between any quadrants.
The above-described situation may occur in analog processing, in which a phase control signal changing between high level and low level depending on a phase difference is generated, and quadrant determination and interpolated phase control are performed based on the phase control signal.
FIG. 5 illustrates an example of a phase interpolation clock generator. The phase interpolation clock generator illustrated in FIG. 5 includes a decision circuit (decision) 21, a phase detector (PFD) 22, a charge pump (CP) 23, and a loop filter (LPF) 24. The phase interpolation clock generator further includes a controller 25, a phase interpolator (PI) 26, an overshoot detector 27, and an overshoot canceller 28. For example, the decision circuit 21, the phase detector 22, the charge pump 23, the loop filter 24, the controller 25, and the phase interpolator 26 may be virtually the same as or similar to the components of the phase interpolation clock generator illustrated in FIG. 1. For example, the phase interpolation clock generator illustrated in FIG. 5 is obtained by adding the overshoot detector 27 and the overshoot canceller 28 to the phase interpolation clock generator illustrated in FIG. 1.
As illustrated in FIG. 5, the overshoot detector 27 may be added to the controller 25. The overshoot canceller 28 may be provided at an output part of the loop filter 24. The overshoot detector 27 detects overshoot of a phase control signal VLPF output by the loop filter 24 at the time of quadrant switching and outputs an overshoot signal OS during only a period when the overshoot is occurring. The overshoot canceller 28 injects current in a direction lowering an intra-differential-pair voltage of the phase control signal VLPF while the overshoot signal OS is input. For this reason, the phase control signal VLPF may be adjusted to a level which allows quadrant detection of the phase control signal VLPF regardless of an input from the phase detector 22 at the time of the quadrant switching. Thus, a situation in which the phase interpolator 26 stops responding may not occur.
FIG. 6 illustrates an example of operation of a phase interpolation clock generator. The operation illustrated in FIG. 6 may be conducted by the phase interpolation clock generator illustrated in FIG. 5. Referring to FIG. 6, for example, the phase interpolation clock generator illustrated in FIG. 5 may generate current signals I1, I2, I3, and I4 illustrated in FIG. 6. For example, a phase control signal may correspond to the current signals I1, I2, I3, and I4.
FIG. 6 illustrates a case where I3<I4 is detected when a phase detector is continuing to detect a down, the current signals I1 and I3 are decreasing, and the current signals I2 and I4 are increasing, with an interpolated phase between 90 degrees and 180 degrees. At this time, a switch switches between charging and discharging. If the phase changes in a decreasing direction in this state conversely, the phase detector stops detecting a down and starts detecting an up. For this reason, a current value of the current signal I2 to decrease continues to increase, a current value of the current signal I1 to increase decreases or stays at 0, and the current signals I3 and I4 stay at 0.5I0. In the phase interpolation clock generator illustrated in FIG. 5, the overshoot detector 27 detects overshoot of the current signal I2, and the overshoot canceller 28 injects current in a direction lowering the current signal I2. Thus, the current signals I1 to I4 may each change in a desired manner, a controller of the phase interpolator 26 may become less likely to fail to respond, and normal operation may be performed.
For example, a case where a phase interpolator is controlled using the four independent control currents I1 to I4 corresponding to a phase control signal may be inefficient in terms of power. Control of a phase interpolator may be performed using two phase control signals. In a phase interpolation clock generator, control of a phase interpolator may be performed using two phase control signals.
FIG. 7 illustrates an example of combining weights for phase interpolation control. For example, combining weights (ratio) for phase interpolation control, in which phase clocks of four phases are combined in the phase interpolator 26 of the phase interpolation clock generator illustrated in FIG. 5, are illustrated in FIG. 7. As illustrated in FIG. 7, reference character I000 may denote a signal which changes to 0 at 270 degrees, to IPI at 360 degrees (0 degree), and to 0 at 90 degrees, and the signal may be 0 between 90 degrees and 270 degrees. Similarly, reference character I090 may denote a signal which changes to 0 at 0 degree, to IPI at 90 degrees, and to 0 at 180 degrees, and the signal may be 0 between 180 degrees and 360 degrees (0 degree). Reference character I180 may denote a signal which changes to 0 at 90 degrees, to IPI at 180 degrees, and to 0 at 270 degrees, and the signal may be 0 between 270 degrees and 90 degrees. Similarly, reference character I270 may denote a signal which changes to 0 at 180 degrees, to IPI at 270 degrees, and to 0 at 360 degrees (0 degree), and the signal may be 0 between 0 degree and 180 degrees.
In phase interpolation processing, a phase clock CK000 for 0 degree and a phase clock CK090 for 90 degrees are weighted and combined in a first quadrant from 0 degree to 90 degrees. Weights for the phase clocks CK000 and CK090 may be values of the signals I000 and I090 in the first quadrant of FIG. 7. For example, I000=I090=0.5IPI holds at 45 degrees, and I000=0.25IPI and I090=0.751PI hold at 67.5 degrees. Thus, combining control signals PIctrl1 and PIctrl2 may be controlled such that values of the signals I000 and I090 are obtained depending on phase in the first quadrant. Similarly, the combining control signal PIctrl2 and a combining control signal PIctrl3 may be controlled such that values of the signals I090 and I180 are obtained in a second quadrant. The combining control signal PIctrl3 and a combining control signal PIctrl4 may be controlled such that values of the signals I180 and I270 are obtained in a third quadrant. The combining control signal PIctrl4 and the combining control signal PIctrl1 may be controlled such that values of the signals I270 and I000 are obtained in a fourth quadrant.
The charge pump 23 and the loop filter 24 generate the control voltage signal VLPF. The controller 25 generates a timing signal CPinv associated with generation of the control voltage signal VLPF, the combining control signals PIctrl1, PIctrl2, PIctrl3, and PIctrl4, and quadrant information associated with generation of the combining control signals PIctrl1, PIctrl2, PIctrl3, and PIctrl4. The combining control signals PIctrl1, PIctrl2, PIctrl3, and PIctrl4 are used as bias signals and may be referred to as bias signals.
FIG. 8 illustrates an example of a phase interpolator. The phase interpolator illustrated in FIG. 8 may be included in, for example, the phase interpolation clock generator illustrated in FIG. 5. The phase interpolator 26 has differential pairs which include loads (resistors) RA and RB coupled to a high-voltage power source VDD and four transistor pairs coupled to the loads RA and RB. Differential recovered clocks out and outx are output from coupling nodes of the loads RA and RB and the four transistor pairs. The phase clocks CK000 and CK180, CK090 and CK270, CK180 and CK000, and CK270 and CK090 of four phases used for combining are applied to n-type transistors of the four transistor pairs, respectively. The amounts of current fed from a current source for the four differential pairs are controlled by the combining control (bias) signals PIctrl1, PIctrl2, PIctrl3, and PIctrl4.
FIG. 9 illustrates an example of a charge pump and an example of a loop filter. The charge pump 23 and the loop filter 24 illustrated in FIG. 9 may be included in, for example, the phase interpolation clock generator illustrated in FIG. 5. For example, the circuit part illustrated in FIG. 9 may be referred to as a phase control signal generator. The charge pump 23 includes a pump circuit 31 and an inverting switch circuit 32. The pump circuit 31 includes current sources 41 to 44 and switches SW1 to SW4. The inverting switch circuit 32 includes gates 46 and 47, passage states of which are switchable, and an inverter 48. The loop filter 24 includes a capacitance C coupled between an output terminal of the inverting switch circuit 32 and GND. The control voltage signal VLPF is output from a coupling node of the output terminal of the inverting switch circuit 32 and a first terminal of the capacitance C. Although the control voltage signal VLPF is illustrated as a single-phase signal in FIG. 9 for ease of illustration, a differential signal may be generated.
An up signal is input from the phase detector 22 when the phase of a recovered clock is behind that of an input data signal Data, and a down signal is input from the phase detector 22 when the phase of the recovered clock clock is ahead. When the up signal is on, the down signal is off, the switches SW1 and SW4 are in conduction, and the switches SW2 and SW3 are out of conduction. In the first or third quadrant, the signal CPinv output by the controller 25 is at low (L) level, the gate 46 is in conduction, and the gate 47 is out of conduction. Thus, a current flows from the current source 41 to the capacitance C via the switch SW1 and the gate 46, and a potential VLPF of the first terminal of the capacitance C rises at a steady rate.
Since the controller 25 changes the signal CPinv to output to high (H) level when the potential VLPF reaches an upper limit, the gate 46 is brought out of conduction, and the gate 47 is brought into conduction. For this reason, a current is drawn by the current source 44 from the first terminal of the capacitance C via the gate 47 and the switch SW4, and the potential VLPF of the first terminal of the capacitance C drops at a virtually steady rate. When the potential VLPF reaches 0, the signal CPinv changes to low level. With repetition of the above-described operation, the signal VLPF that is a voltage signal similar to the current signal I1 or I2 illustrated in FIG. 6 and changes in an up direction is output.
When the up signal is off, the down signal is on, the switches SW1 and SW4 are out of conduction, the switches SW2 and SW3 are in conduction, and the signal VLPF that changes in a down direction is output.
FIG. 10 illustrates an example of a controller. The controller 25 illustrated in FIG. 10 may be included in, for example, the phase interpolation clock generator illustrated in FIG. 5. The controller 25 includes a phase interpolation (PI) bias generator 51, a quadrant and overshoot detector 52, and a bias controller 53. The PI bias generator 51 generates two bias signals PIbias for controlling phase interpolation (PI) from the differential signal VLPF output by the phase control signal generator and outputs the two bias signals PIbias. The bias controller 53 switches a coupling destination of the bias signals PIbias depending on quadrant information PIquad and outputs a PI bias voltage PIctrl. The quadrant and overshoot detector 52 detects a switch of a quadrant of the interpolated phase and outputs the quadrant information PIquad and the polarity reversing signal CPinv for the charge pump. When the quadrant and overshoot detector 52 detects that the differential signal VLPF has exceeded an upper limit value, for example, that a current generated using the differential signal VLPF and flowing to the phase interpolator 26 has exceeded a desired value (overshoot), the quadrant and overshoot detector 52 outputs the signal OS. The quadrant and overshoot detector 52 may correspond to the overshoot detector 27 in FIG. 5.
FIG. 11 illustrates an example of a PI bias generator. The PI bias generator 51 illustrated in FIG. 11 may be the PI bias generator illustrated in FIG. 10. The PI bias generator 51 includes a differential pair to which differential signals VLPF and VLPFx from the phase control signal generator are applied and two diode-coupled NMOS transistors which are provided at an output part. The NMOS transistors together with transistors, to which the bias signals PIctrl1 to PIctrl4 are input, of the phase interpolator 26 illustrated in FIG. 8 form current mirror circuits. By making the size of the transistors, to which the bias signals PIctrl1 to PIctrl4 are input, of the phase interpolator 26 illustrated in FIG. 8 a fixed number of times the size of the NMOS transistors, a fixed multiple of a current flowing through the NMOS transistors flows through the differential pairs of the phase interpolator 26. A capacitance may be added to reduce fluctuation in voltage at an output node. A current of 2IPI is supplied from a power source, and a current of IPI is drawn from the differential pair. For example, control may be performed such that a current of IPI in total flows through the NMOS transistor part.
FIG. 12 illustrates an example of a quadrant and overshoot detector. The quadrant and overshoot detector 52 illustrated in FIG. 12 may be the quadrant and overshoot detector illustrated in FIG. 10. The left-hand part in FIG. 12 is similar in configuration to the PI bias generator 51 in FIG. 11. However, a current of IPI is supplied from a power source on one side, and a current slightly smaller than 2IPI is supplied on the other side. In a lower differential pair, the differential signals VLPF and VLPFx are input in a mirror-reversed manner with respect to an upper differential pair in FIG. 12. Outputs from the differential pairs are input to comparators 61 and 62, respectively. The comparators 61 and 62 perform voltage comparison and output overshoot detection signals OS1 and OS2. For example, if the differential signal VLPF becomes sufficiently large, and the magnitude of voltages input to the comparator 61 is reversed, the overshoot detection signal OS1 becomes high (H). On the other hand, when the differential signal VLPFx becomes sufficiently large, and the magnitude of voltages input to the comparator 62 is reversed, the overshoot detection signal OS2 becomes H. A current supplied to the other of each differential pair may be a current slightly smaller than 2IPI. How much the current is smaller may be appropriately set. A flip-flop (FF) 63 and an inverter reverse the polarity of a signal PIquad1 every time the overshoot detection signal OS1 rises up. Similarly, a flip-flop (FF) 64 and an inverter reverse the polarity of a signal PIquad2 every time the overshoot detection signal OS2 rises up. The polarity reversing signal CPinv of the charge pump is the exclusive OR (XOR) of the signals PIquad1 and PIquad2.
FIG. 13 illustrates an example of a bias controller. The bias controller 53 illustrated in FIG. 13 may be the bias controller illustrated in FIG. 10. The bias controller 53 includes inverters 70 and 75 and eight switches 71 to 74 and 76 to 79 which are transfer gates. Outputs from the switches 71 to 74 and 76 to 79 are switched by the polarity switching signals PIquad1 and PIquad2. A signal PIpre is input to the switches 71, 74, 76, and 79. A signal PIbias1 is input to the switches 72 and 73, and a signal PIbias2 is input to the switches 77 and 78. The signal PIpre may be set to a value slightly lower than a threshold value for the transistors, to which current is fed, of the phase interpolator such that current switching is smooth at the time of switch flipping.
In the first quadrant and the fourth quadrant, the signal PIquad1 is at L, the switches 71 and 73 are in conduction, and the switches 72 and 74 are out of conduction. For this reason, the signal PIbias1 is output as the signal PIctrl1, the signal PIpre is output as the signal PIctrl3, the signal PIctrl1 is a voltage signal similar to the signal I000 in FIG. 7, and the signal PIctrl3 is a fixed voltage slightly lower than the threshold value for the transistors. In the second quadrant and the third quadrant, the signal PIquad1 is at H, the switches 72 and 74 are in conduction, and the switches 71 and 73 are out of conduction. For this reason, the signal PIpre is output as the signal PIctrl1, the signal PIbias1 is output as the signal PIctrl3, the signal PIctrl1 is a fixed voltage slightly lower than the threshold value for the transistors, and the signal PIctrl3 is a voltage signal similar to the signal I180 in FIG. 7.
Similarly, in the first quadrant and the second quadrant, the signal PIquad2 is at L, the switches 76 and 78 are in conduction, and the switches 77 and 79 are out of conduction. For this reason, the signal PIbias2 is output as the signal PIctrl2, the signal PIpre is output as the signal PIctrl4, the signal PIctrl2 is a voltage signal similar to the signal I090 in FIG. 7, and the signal PIctrl4 is a fixed voltage slightly lower than the threshold value for the transistors. In the third quadrant and the fourth quadrant, the signal PIquad2 is at H, the switches 77 and 79 are in conduction, and the switches 76 and 78 are out of conduction. For this reason, the signal PIpre is output as the signal PIctrl2, the signal PIbias2 is output as the signal PIctrl4, the signal PIctrl2 is a fixed voltage slightly lower than the threshold value for the transistors, and the signal PIctrl4 is a voltage signal similar to the signal I270 in FIG. 7.
The generated signals PIctrl1, PIctrl2, PIctrl3, and PIctrl4 are applied as the bias signals for the current sources in FIG. 8. With this application, the currents I000, I090, I180, and I270 as illustrated in FIG. 7 flow.
FIG. 14 illustrates an example of an overshoot canceller. The overshoot canceller 28 is coupled to a signal line for the signal VLPF. When either one of the overshoot detection signals OS1 and OS2 becomes H, a current is injected into the signal line for the signal VLPF or a current is drawn from the signal line. For example, if the overshoot detection signal OS1 becomes H, a p-type transistor 82 is turned on to cause a current to be injected into the signal line for the signal VLPF, and an n-type transistor 86 is turned on to cause the current to be drawn from a signal line for the signal VLPFx. If the overshoot detection signal OS2 becomes H, a p-type transistor 85 is turned on to cause a current to be injected into the signal line for the signal VLPFx, and an n-type transistor 83 is turned on to cause the current to be drawn from the signal line for the signal VLPF. If overshoot occurs, the overshoot canceller 28 operates to reduce an intra-differential-pair voltage difference between the signals VLPF and VLPFx.
All examples and conditional language recited herein are intended for pedagogical purposes to aid the reader in understanding the invention and the concepts contributed by the inventor to furthering the art, and are to be construed as being without limitation to such specifically recited examples and conditions, nor does the organization of such examples in the specification relate to a showing of the superiority and inferiority of the invention. Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail, it should be understood that the various changes, substitutions, and alterations could be made hereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

## Claims

1. A phase interpolation clock generator comprising:
a phase detector configured to detect a phase difference between an input signal and a clock;
a phase control signal generator configured to generate a phase control signal that is inverted for a certain phase difference and changes between a high level and a low level based on the phase difference;
a controller configured to generate a combining control signal for combining a plurality of phase clocks and performing phase interpolation based on the phase control signal;
an overshoot detector configured to detect overshoot in which the phase control signal rises above the high level;
an overshoot canceller configured to lower the phase control signal which rises above the high level at an occurrence of the overshoot; and
a phase interpolator configured to generate the clock by combining the plurality of phase clocks in accordance with the combining control signal.

2. The phase interpolation clock generator according to claim 1, further comprising:
a quadrant information generator configured to detect a timing to invert the phase control signal and output quadrant information of the phase control signal and an inversion timing signal.

3. The phase interpolation clock generator according to claim 2, further comprising:
a phase interpolation bias signal generator configured to generate two phase interpolation bias signals from the phase control signal.

4. The phase interpolation clock generator according to claim 3, further comprising:
a bias controller configured to generate the combining control signal based on the two phase interpolation bias signals and the quadrant information.

5. The phase interpolation clock generator according to claim 2,
wherein the phase control signal generator generates the phase control signal based on the inversion timing signal.

6. The phase interpolation clock generator according to claim 1,
wherein the phase control signal is a differential signal.

7. A phase interpolation clock generating method comprising:
detecting a phase difference between an input signal and a clock using a phase detector;
generating a phase control signal that is inverted for a certain phase difference and changes between high level and low level based on the phase difference;
generating a combining control signal for combining a plurality of phase clocks and performing phase interpolation from the phase control signal;
detecting overshoot in which the phase control signal rises above the high level;
lowering the phase control signal which rises above the high level at an occurrence of the overshoot; and
combining the plurality of phase clocks in accordance with the combining control signal.

8. The phase interpolation clock generating method according to claim 7, further comprising:
detecting a timing to invert the phase control signal; and
outputting quadrant information of the phase control signal and an inversion timing signal.

9. The phase interpolation clock generating method according to claim 8, further comprising:
generating two phase interpolation bias signals from the phase control signal.

10. The phase interpolation clock generating method according to claim 9, further comprising:
generating the combining control signal based on the two phase interpolation bias signals and the quadrant information.

11. The phase interpolation clock generating method according to claim 8, wherein the phase control signal is generated based on the inversion timing signal.

12. The phase interpolation clock generating method according to claim 7, wherein the phase control signal is a differential signal.