Patent ID: 8718217

Claim:
A circuit comprising: a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) configured to generate k first clock signals that each have a first phase based on a charge-pump control voltage signal, the first phases of the k first clock signals being different from each other, k being greater than or equal to 2; a phase interpolator (PI) block configured to: receive the k first clock signals; generate m second clock signals that each have a second phase based on the k first clock signals, the second phases of the m second clock signals being different from each other, m not being equal to k; a first phase detector PD configured to generate one or more control signals based on the m second clock signals; and a charge pump configured to output the charge-pump control voltage signal based on the one or more control signals, and wherein the PI block comprises: one or more PIs configured to: receive the k first clock signals and one or more feedback control signals; and generate the m second clock signals based on the k first clock signals and the one or more feedback control signals; and a second PD configured to: receive the m second clock signals; and generate the one or more feedback control signals based on the m second clock signals.