Patent ID: 7643580

Claim:
A signal generator circuit, comprising: an oscillator operative to generate at least a first signal having a first frequency associated therewith; and a phase stepper circuit coupled to the oscillator, the phase stepper circuit being configured to receive a plurality of phase signals indicative of respective phases of the first signal, and to generate a second signal as a function of the plurality of phase signals, the second signal having a second frequency associated therewith that is one of a fractional multiple and a fractional division of the first frequency, the second signal having a phase associated therewith which changes with periods of the second signal; wherein the second frequency is substantially equal to one of n + 1 n ⁢ ⁢ and ⁢ ⁢ n n - 1 times the first frequency, where n is an integer indicative of a number of delay stages in the oscillator.