Patent Abstract:
A programmable logic device (“PLD”) or the like has a plurality of data transmitter channels. Certain circuitry is shared by the channels. The shared circuitry includes at least one phase-locked loop (“PLL”) circuit for producing a primary clock signal, and global frequency divider circuitry for producing at least one global secondary clock signal based on the primary signal. The primary and global secondary signal(s) are distributed to the channels. Each of the channels includes local frequency divider circuitry for producing at least one local secondary clock signal based on the primary signal. Each channel also includes selection circuitry for selecting either the global or local secondary signal(s) for use by clock utilization circuitry of the channel. The clock utilization circuitry may include serializer circuitry for converting data from parallel to serial form.

Full Description:
This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional patent application 60/705,521, filed Aug. 3, 2005, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to integrated circuits that can be used for multi-channel data communication of various types and that are programmable or configurable in at least some respects to support different communication protocols. For example, the invention can be implemented in a programmable logic device (“PLD”) or field-programmable gate array (“FPGA”). For ease of reference (and not with the intention of limiting the invention in any way), all integrated circuits to which the invention can be applied will sometimes be referred to as PLDs. 
     There are many different data communication protocols that it may be desirable for a PLD to be able to support. One large class of these communication protocols is known as high-speed serial communication. High-speed serial communication protocols use one or more channels of serial data communication between devices in a system. A device involved in such communication typically includes several transmitter channels, each of which can convert parallel data to serial data for transmission off the device. Another device involved in such communication typically includes several receiver channels, each of which can receive a serial data signal and convert that information to parallel data. If multiple channels are used, they may function independently or relatively independently of one another, or a high degree of synchronization may be required among them. 
     It is desirable, for reasons such as economy, to share resources among several communication channels on a device. However, some communication protocols or arrangements may require multiple channels to operate independently of one another to a degree that does not permit as much sharing of resources as is possible for other communication protocols or arrangements. It is therefore desirable to provide a good balance between individual communication channel capability and capability that can be shared among several channels. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with the present invention, several transmitter channels on a PLD share clock management unit (“CMU”) circuitry. The CMU circuitry includes at least one phase-locked loop (“PLL”) circuit for producing a primary clock signal, and so-called “global” frequency divider circuitry for producing one or more secondary clock signals from the primary clock signal. The primary and secondary clock signals are distributed to the several transmitter channels that are associated with the CMU. Each channel includes so-called “local” frequency divider circuitry for producing one or more locally generated secondary clock signals from the primary clock signal. Each channel can use either the globally generated secondary clock signal(s) or its own locally generated clock signal(s). For example, if the communication protocol or arrangement being implemented requires a high degree of synchronization among several channels, that synchronization can be provided by having these channels use the globally generated secondary clock signal(s). On the other hand, if the channels are to be operated more independently of one another, the local frequency dividers can be used, with only PLL resources of the CMU being shared. 
     Further features of the invention, its nature and various advantages, will be more apparent from the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a simplified schematic block diagram of an illustrative embodiment of circuitry constructed in accordance with the invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a simplified schematic block diagram showing an illustrative embodiment of extension of what is shown in  FIG. 1  to include more circuitry in accordance with the invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a simplified block diagram showing an illustrative embodiment of a representative portion of what is shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  in somewhat more detail in accordance with the invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a simplified block diagram showing an illustrative embodiment of another representative portion of what is shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  in somewhat more detail in accordance with the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Technology that can be related to what is shown and described herein is shown and described in Bereza et al. U.S. Pat. No. 7,304,498, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
       FIG. 1  shows four channels  20 - 0  through  20 - 3  of transmitter circuitry on a PLD.  FIG. 1  also shows one instance of clock management circuitry  100  that is shared by the depicted transmitter channels  20 . 
     Each transmitter channel  20  includes serializer circuitry  30  for receiving a certain number of data bits  28  in parallel and for converting that data to a serial data output signal  32 . For example, the ultimate source of data  28  may be the core logic (not shown) of the PLD that includes circuitry  20 / 100 . The serial data signal  32  of each channel is applied to an output driver  40  of that channel. Each output driver  40  may convert the applied serial data signal to a differential signal pair, which is applied to an associated pair of output pins  50  of the PLD. 
     To perform its function, each serializer circuit  30  needs a low frequency clock signal  24  and a high frequency clock signal  26 . For example, the low frequency clock signal  24  is typically a byte-rate clock signal (i.e., a signal having a frequency that corresponds to the rate at which parallel bytes of data  28  are applied to the associated serializer  30 ). (As used herein, a byte is any plural number of bits.) The high frequency clock signal  26  is typically a bit-rate clock signal (i.e., a signal having a frequency that corresponds to the rate at which serial data bits  32  are output by the serializer). If a channel is dealing with ten-bit bytes, this will mean that the frequency of the associated high frequency clock  26  is ten times the frequency of the associated low frequency clock  24 . The ultimate source of clock signals  24  and  26  is CMU circuitry  100 . The following are some examples of high and low frequency clocks that may be used: for the standard known as CEI, a serial bit rate of 6.25 Gbps and a parallel frequency of 390 MHz (a ratio of 16 (nominally)); for the standard known as XAUI, a serial bit rate of 3.125 Gbps and a parallel frequency of 390 MHz (a ratio of 8 (nominally)); and for the standard known as PCI-Express (“PCI-E”), a serial bit rate of 2.5 Gbps and a parallel frequency of 250 MHz (a ratio of 10). 
     In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 , CMU  100  includes input pins  110  for each of two differential reference clock signals. Each differential reference clock signal is applied to a respective one of buffer circuits  120 . The output signal of each buffer circuit  120  is applied to a respective one of PLL circuits  130 . Each PLL circuit  130  uses the applied reference clock signal to enable it to produce a respective one of so-called “primary” clock signals  132 . For example, for CEI the reference clock signal frequency may be 156.25 MHz and the CMU PLL output frequency may be 3.125 GHz. (A half-rate architecture may be used whereby clocking of serial data is on both clock edges, which produces a serial bit rate of 6.25 Gbps.) For XAUI the reference clock signal frequency may again be 156.25 MHz and the CMU PLL output frequency may be 1.5625 GHz. (Again, the half-rate architecture results in a serial bit rate of 3.125 Gbps.) For PCI-E the reference clock signal frequency may be 100 MHz and the CMU PLL output frequency is 1.250 GHz. (Once again, the half-rate architecture results in a serial bit rate of 2.5 Gbps.) 
     Primary clock signals  132 - 0  and  132 - 1  are respectively applied to the two selectable input terminals of multiplexer (“mux”)  140 . Mux  140  is controlled (e.g., by a programmable configuration random access memory (“CRAM”) cell (not shown)) to select one of its two input signals  132  as its output signal  142 . The thus-selected primary clock signal  142  is applied to global programmable divider circuitry  150 . 
     Circuitry  150  uses the applied primary clock signal  142  to produce two global secondary clock signals  152  and  154 . Clock signal  154  typically has a higher frequency than clock signal  152 . For example, circuitry  150  may divide the frequency of primary clock signal  142  by different factors to produce signals  152  and  154 . These factors may be programmable or otherwise selectable, and they may have values ranging from less than one to more than one. To tie this discussion back to something said earlier, signal  152  may be a byte-rate clock signal and signal  154  may be a bit-rate clock signal. 
     Signals  152  and  154  are applied to clock signal distribution conductors  210 . These are conductors that extend from CMU  100  into all of the channels  20  associated with that CMU. In each channel  20  the conductor  210  signal that is from source  152  is applied to one selectable input terminal of mux  80 . Similarly, in each channel  20  the conductor  210  signal that is from source  154  is applied to one selectable input terminal of mux  90 . 
     Returning to CMU  100 , each of primary clock signals  132 - 0  and  132 - 1  is applied to a respective one of further clock signal distribution conductors  220 . Like conductors  210 , conductors  220  extend from CMU  100  into all of the channels  20  associated with that CMU. In each channel  20  the primary clock signals from conductors  220  are applied to respective selectable input terminals of the mux  60  in that channel. Each mux  60  is controllable (in the same general way as mux  140 , but independently of the control of mux  140 ) to select either of its selectable inputs as the source of its output signal  62 . Each of signals  62  is applied to local programmable divider circuitry  70  in the associated channel  20 . 
     Each of circuitries  70  can be similar to above-described circuitry  150 . Accordingly, each of circuitries  70  can use the signal  62  applied to it to produce locally generated high and low frequency secondary clock signals  72  and  74 . The frequency dividing factors employed by each of circuitries  70  can be independent of those used by other circuitries  70  and  150 . These factors can, however, be generally similar in nature to those described above for circuitry  150 , and they can be supplied in the same general way (although, again, independently) as described above for circuitry  150 . 
     In each channel  20 , the associated signal  72  is applied to the second selectable input terminal of mux  80 , and the associated signal  74  is applied to the second selectable input terminal of mux  90 . Each of muxes  80  and  90  is controllable in the same general way as described above for mux  140  (although, again, independently) to select either of its inputs as the source of its output signal. The output signal of the mux  80  in a channel is the above-described low frequency input  24  to the serializer  30  in that channel. The output signal of the mux  90  in a channel is the above-described high frequency input  26  to the serializer  30  in that channel. 
     From the foregoing, it will be seen that each channel  20  can get the low and high frequency clock signals  24  and  26  for its serializer  30  from either global frequency divider circuitry  150  or from its own local frequency divider circuitry  70 . In all cases, all of channels  20  ultimately share the PLL  130  resources of shared CMU  100 . The individual channels do not need and do not have their own PLL circuits, which has a number of advantages, such as reducing the proliferation of relatively noisy, space-consuming, and power-consuming PLL circuits. Channels that must be synchronized with one another can be thus synchronized by using the output signals of global circuitry  150 . Any channel that needs to operate independently can do so by using its own local circuitry  70 . 
     By giving CMU  100  two PLLs  130 , the CMU can work with two different reference clock signals  110 - 0  and  110 - 1 . Some one or more of channels  20  can work with the output signal of PLL  130 - 0 , while other one or more of channels  20  work with the output signal of PLL  130 - 1 . Some channels  20  can work together, sharing circuitry  150 , while other one or more channels  20  work independently using their own circuitry  70 . Different channels  20  can even be implementing different communication protocols. As an example of this last point (and continuing with the illustrative specifics mentioned earlier for CEI and XAUI), if it is desired to use one CMU  100  to drive CEI and XAUI, this can be done by using the above-mentioned CEI configuration with reference clock frequency 156.25 MHz and CMU PLL  130  output frequency 3.125 GHz. This output would feed two (or more) channels  20 , where one channel would not use local bit rate division and hence would have the CEI serial bit rate of 6.25 Gbps, while another channel would use local bit rate division by 2 and hence would have the XAUI serial bit rate of 3.125 Gbps. 
     Either or both of conductor types  210  and  220  can be extended to one or more additional groups of circuitry like the circuit group shown in  FIG. 1 . If that is done, the number of the extended conductors can be increased, and the size of the multiplexers  60 ,  80 , and  90  in each channel  20  can be increased to accommodate more inputs and therefore more options. In this way, more channels  20  can share a given PLL, and/or a channel  20  can have more PLLs to choose from for its clock signal source(s). For example,  FIG. 2  shows two instances of circuitry of the general type shown in  FIG. 1 . Conductors  210  are not extended between the two instances in  FIG. 2 . However, conductors  220  are extended between those instances. The number of conductors  220  is accordingly doubled, and so is the size of each mux  60  in each channel  20 . 
       FIG. 3  brings out the point that the frequency dividing factors employed by any of circuits  70  and/or  150  can be programmable (e.g., from programmable CRAM circuitry  310 ).  FIG. 4  brings out the point that control of any of muxes  60 ,  80 ,  90 , and/or  140  can be programmable (e.g., from programmable CRAM circuitry  320 ). 
     It will be understood that the foregoing is only illustrative of the principles of the invention and that various modifications can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. For example, the association of four channels  20  with each CMU  100  is only illustrative, and any other desired number of channels can be associated with a CMU. As another example, a CMU  100  can include two PLLs  130  as shown in  FIG. 1 , or any other desired number of PLLs, such as one, three, or more.

Technology Classification (CPC): 6