Patent ID: 8891717

Claim:
A method performed by at least one device for comparing at least first and second digital values, wherein one bit is a smallest increment of binary measurement in the first and second digital values, the method comprising: converting the first digital value into a first analog signal; converting the second digital value into a second analog signal; augmenting the first analog signal by a first amount that equates to less than the smallest increment of binary measurement, so that the augmented first analog signal by definition does not equal the second analog signal; augmenting the second analog signal by a second amount that equates to less than the smallest increment of binary measurement, so that the augmented second analog signal by definition does not equal the first analog signal; comparing the augmented first analog signal to the second analog signal, and outputting a first signal in response thereto; comparing the augmented second analog signal to the first analog signal, and outputting a second signal in response thereto; and determining, in response to the first and second signals, whether the first digital value is greater than the second digital value, whether the first digital value is less than the second digital value, and whether the first digital value is equal to the second digital value; wherein the first digital value represents a number of times that a clock is early within a particular number of consecutive bit times, and wherein the second digital value represents a number of times that the clock is late within the particular number of consecutive bit times.