Pll clock signal regenerator using a phase correlator

Abstract

A circuit for the regeneration of the clock signal within a message containing a preamble and random data. No assumption as to the message structure is required for the operation of such a circuit. The circuit operates on an autocorrelation principle which allows a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) which is used to reconstruct the clock signal to operate free of the data format. The device is essentially formed as a phase correlator connected to a feedback loop which contains in series a filter, an amplifier and a voltage controlled oscillator. The correlator is formed by a delay line feeding a delayed data signal to two multipliers. The data is also fed to a shift register, the output of which is also fed to the multipliers. The multiplier outputs are fed to a differentiating element which outputs an error signal which acts as a clock correction signal feeding the VCO which, when necessary, adjusts the VCO output so as to match the clocking within the circuit with the clock timing of the message received.