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Digital Synchronizer without MetastabilityA proposed design for a digital synchronizing circuit would eliminate metastability that plagues flip-flop circuits in digital input/output interfaces. This metastability is associated with sampling, by use of flip-flops, of an external signal that is asynchronous with a clock signal that drives the flip-flops: it is a temporary flip-flop failure that can occur when a rising or falling edge of an asynchronous signal occurs during the setup and/or hold time of a flip-flop. The proposed design calls for (1) use of a clock frequency greater than the frequency of the asynchronous signal, (2) use of flip-flop asynchronous preset or clear signals for the asynchronous input, (3) use of a clock asynchronous recovery delay with pulse width discriminator, and (4) tying the data inputs to constant logic levels to obtain (5) two half-rate synchronous partial signals - one for the falling and one for the rising edge. Inasmuch as the flip-flop data inputs would be permanently tied to constant logic levels, setup and hold times would not be violated. The half-rate partial signals would be recombined to construct a signal that would replicate the original asynchronous signal at its original rate but would be synchronous with the clock signal.
Document ID
20090032096
Acquisition Source
Johnson Space Center
Document Type
Other - NASA Tech Brief
Authors
Simle, Robert M.
(Lockheed Martin Corp. Houston, TX, United States)
Cavazos, Jose A.
(Lockheed Martin Corp. Houston, TX, United States)
Date Acquired
August 24, 2013
Publication Date
September 1, 2009
Publication Information
Publication: NASA Tech Briefs, September 2009
Subject Category
Technology Utilization And Surface Transportation
Report/Patent Number
MSC-23220-1
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Public Use Permitted.
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