Patent ID: 7579891

Claim:
A method for generating an electric output signal (sout) with a specified frequency and an output phase (P) dependent upon a control signal (x), comprising the steps generating, in response to the control signal (x), a first phase interpolation signal (s 12 ) comprising a weighted superposition of a first input signal (s 1 ) and a second input signal (s 2 ), wherein the first and second input signals (s 1 , s 2 ) have the specified frequency, but different input signal phases, generating, in response to the control signal (x), a second phase interpolation signal (s 12 *) comprising a weighted superposition of a third input signal (s 1 *) and a fourth input signal (s 2 *), wherein the first and second input signals (s 1 , s 2 ) have the specified frequency, but different input signal phases, wherein the phase difference between the first input signal (s 1 ) and the second input signal (s 2 ) is substantially equal to the phase difference between the third input signal (s 1 *) and the fourth input signal (s 2 *), and wherein the third and fourth input signals (s 1 *, s 2 *) are phase-shifted by substantially one half of said phase difference between the first and second input signals (s 1 , s 2 ), such that the phase of the first interpolation signal (s 12 ) and the phase of the second interpolation signal (s 12 *) are substantially equal to the output phase (P), and generating the output signal (sout) as a superposition of the first and second interpolation signals (s 12 , s 12 *).