Method and apparatus for generating an oversampling clock signal

Abstract

A timing estimation mechanism operative to generate an oversampling clock signal for a large range of reference clock frequencies without requiring use of a PLL. The oversampling timing mechanism generates appropriate timing instances, typically for the purpose of sampling a received data signal in a digital communications system, without requiring a specific external clock source but rather by utilizing a clock source having any arbitrary frequency. The mechanism of the present invention is especially suited for use in applications where a specific external clock source (e.g., integer multiple of the data rate) is not available and wherein the implications of the use of a PLL cannot be tolerated. The oversampling clock estimation mechanism generates a clock signal which may be unevenly distributed over the symbol period, but whereby on average, the correct number of samples is produced over a specific time duration.