Line rate spread spectrum clock generator for use in line imaging systems

Abstract

A method of generating a spread spectrum clock signal for a line imaging device including receiving a line length value of the line imaging device, receiving a first clock signal indicative of a system timing signal in the line imaging device, generating a spreading waveform having a frequency as a function of the line length value and having a total number of clock cycles matching the line length value, and modulating the first clock signal using said spreading waveform to generate the spread spectrum clock signal where the spread spectrum clock signal is used for driving the imaging, data sampling and digitizing, and data transfer operation of the line imaging device. The spread spectrum clock has the same clock frequency variation for each scan line of the line imaging device.