Patent ID: 7276945

Claim:
A phase-lock loop structured to generate an output clock signal responsive to an input clock signal, the phase-lock loop comprising: a phase detector comprising an first terminal coupled to receive the input clock signal and a second terminal coupled to receive a feedback clock signal, the phase detector structured to compare the input clock signal and the feedback clock signal and further structured to generate a phase error signal based on the comparison; a ring oscillator coupled to the phase detector, the ring oscillator comprising a plurality of delay elements, the plurality of delay elements coupled to each other and being structured to oscillate at a ring oscillation frequency, the ring oscillator being coupled to receive the input clock signal and the phase error signal and generate a plurality of intermediate output clock signals, each of the plurality of delay elements structured to generate one of the intermediate output clock signals, each of the intermediate output clock signals having a different phase with respect to the input clock signal; and a clock serializer coupled to the ring oscillator, the clock serializer comprising a plurality of input terminals, each of the plurality of input terminals coupled to receive a respective intermediate output clock signal, the clock serializer being structured to generate an output clock signal having a frequency that is a multiple of the ring oscillation frequency, the feedback clock signal based at least in part on the output clock signal.