Sliding-window based signal monitoring

Abstract

The invention is generally directed towards monitoring of a signal (M), such as a clock signal or a data signal, by sampling the signal to obtain a discrete sample representation of the signal and analyzing the sample representation. The idea according to the invention is to slide a sample window (SW) over the sampled signal and determine whether the samples currently within the window include a valid transition sequence. In the general case, the existence of a valide signal is confirmed as long as a valid transition sequence is present in at least one of a predetermined number of consecutive sample windows. In order to reduce the need for oversampling in high-frequency applications, the invention furthermore proposes a multi-phase sampling technique according to which a number of phase-shifted sample clocks (S 1 to S N ) are generated for the purpose of sampling the signal to be monitored. Higher-frequency oversampling is thus replace by a higher resolution in the time domain.

1 . A method of monitoring a sampled signal,  
     characterized in that said method comprises the steps of: 
 sliding a window of M samples, where M is an integer equal to or greater than 3, over said sampled signal;  
 determining whether the samples currently in said window include a valid transition sequence; and  
 confining the validity of said signal as long as said valid transition sequence is present in at least one of a predetermined number of consecutive windows.  
 
   
   
       2 . The monitoring method according to  claim 1 ,  
     characterized in that each one of said predetermined number of consecutive windows is associated with an individual sub monitoring mechanism for determining whether the samples within the current window include a valid transition sequence, said sub monitoring mechanisms being arranged for parallel as well pipelined operation.  
   
   
       3 . The monitoring method according to  claim 1 ,  
     characterized in that said valid transition sequence includes a first transition, and a later reverse transition in a position consistent with the expected pulse/pause width of said signal.  
   
   
       4 . The monitoring method according to  claim 1 ,  
     characterized in that said predetermined number of consecutive windows generally corresponds to the number M of samples forming said window.  
   
   
       5 . The monitoring method according to  claim 3 ,  
     characterized in that said determining step includes the steps of: 
 searching for said first transition as a first change of logical levels between samples of said window; and  
 searching for said complementary reverse transition as a reverse change of logical levels between later samples of said window that reside within a subwindow of samples that is consistent with the expected pulse/pause width of said signal.  
 
   
   
       6 . The monitoring method according to  claim 5 ,  
     characterized in that said subwindow of samples is wide enough to accommodate frequency and duty cycle deviations to a predetermined degree.  
   
   
       7 . The monitoring method according to  claim 3 ,  
     characterized in that the distance between consecutive samples in said window is smaller than the shortest of the pulse width and the pause width of said signal, and said window of M samples is longer than the pulse width or pause width of said signal.  
   
   
       8 . The monitoring method according to  claim 1 ,  
     characterized in that said valid transition sequence includes at least two transitions and said determining step includes the step of searching for each transition as a change of logical levels between samples of said window.  
   
   
       9 . The monitoring method according to  claim 8 ,  
     characterized in that said step of searching for each transition as a change of logical levels between samples of said window includes comparison of adjacent samples as well as comparison of samples separated by one or more other samples, whereby improved error correction capability is obtained.  
   
   
       10 . The monitoring method according to  claim 1 ,  
     characterized in that said sampled signal is obtained by sampling a signal by means of N phase-shifted sample clocks of the same frequency, where N is an integer equal to or greater than M so that said window fits within a single sample clock cycle.  
   
   
       11 . The monitoring method according to  claim 1 ,  
     characterized in that said method further comprises the steps of: 
 indicating a valid transition sequence if such a sequence is found within the current window; and  
 indicating signal failure if no valid transition sequence is indicated during said predetermined number of consecutive windows.  
 
   
   
       12 . The monitoring method according to  claim 1 ,  
     characterized in that said sliding window is partitioned into a series of subwindows, and said step of determining whether the samples currently in said window include a valid transition sequence includes the steps of: 
 determining, for each of said partitioned subwindows, whether the subwindow includes a valid transition or sub transition sequence, and  
 concluding that the samples currently in said window include a valid transition sequence provided that at least one subwindow includes its corresponding valid transition or sub transition sequence.  
 
   
   
       13 . The monitoring method according to  claim 1 ,  
     characterized in that said monitored signal is a clock signal or a data signal, said data signal having a given bit width and a predetermined limit for the longest sequence of data bits of the same polarity.  
   
   
       14 . The monitoring method according to  claim 1 ,  
     characterized in that the validity of said signal is confirmed as long as said valid transition sequence is present in each consecutive window.  
   
   
       15 . The monitoring method according to  claim 1 ,  
     characterized in that one of said M samples in said window is an implicit sample.  
   
   
       16 . A method of monitoring a clock signal,  
     characterized in that said method comprises the steps of: 
 sampling said clock signal by a set of delayed clock signals formed from the monitored clock signal itself, each sample cycle being initiated by a transition, of a given polarity, of the monitored clock signal, and all delay and phase relations being referenced to a zero time and phase plane associated with said initial transition;  
 sliding a window of samples over said sampled signal;  
 determining whether the samples currently in said window together with an implicit sample extracted from the initial transition of the current sample cycle include a valid transition sequence; and  
 conforming the validity of said signal as long as the samples of said window together with said implicit sample include said valid transition sequence.  
 
   
   
       17 . A device for monitoring a sampled signal,  
     characterized in that said device comprises: 
 means for sliding a window of M samples, where M is an integer equal to or greater than 3, over said sampled signal;  
 means for determining whether the samples currently in said window include a valid transition sequence; and  
 means for confirming the validity of said signal as long as said valid transition sequence is present in at least one of a predetermined number of consecutive windows.  
 
   
   
       18 . The monitoring device according to  claim 17 ,  
     characterized in that each one of said consecutive windows is associated with an individual sub monitoring mechanism for determining whether the samples within the current window include a valid transition sequence, said sub monitoring mechanisms being arranged for parallel as well as pipelined operation.  
   
   
       19 . The monitoring device according to  claim 17 ,  
     characterized in that said determining means operates on the basis that said valid transition sequence includes a fast transition, and a later reverse transition in a position consistent with the expected pulse/pause width of said signal.  
   
   
       20 . The monitoring device according to  claim 17 ,  
     characterized in that said predetermined number of consecutive windows generally corresponds to the number M of samples forming said window.  
   
   
       21 . The monitoring device according to  claim 19 ,  
     characterized in that said determining means includes: 
 means for searching for said first transition as a first change of logical levels between samples of said window; and  
 means for searching for said complementary reverse transition as a reverse change of logical levels between later samples of said window that reside within a subwindow of samples that is consistent with the expected pulse/pause width of said signal.  
 
   
   
       22 . The monitoring device according to  claim 21 ,  
     characterized in that said subwindow of samples is wide enough to accommodate frequency and duty cycle deviations to a predetermined degree.  
   
   
       23 . The monitoring device according to  claim 19 ,  
     characterized in that said sliding window means operates on the basis that the distance between consecutive samples in said window is smaller than the shortest of the pulse width and the pause width of said signal and that said window of M samples is longer than the pulse width or pause width of said signal.  
   
   
       24 . The monitoring device according to  claim 17 ,  
     characterized in that said valid transition sequence includes at least two transitions and said determining means includes means for searching for each transition as a change of logical levels between samples of said window.  
   
   
       25 . The monitoring device according to  claim 24 ,  
     characterized in that said means for searching for each transition as a change of logical levels between samples of said window includes comparison of adjacent samples as well as comparison of samples separated by one or more other samples for detection of said change of logical levels, whereby improved error correction capability is obtained.  
   
   
       26 . The monitoring device according to  claim 17 ,  
     characterized in that said sampled signal is obtained by circuitry for sampling a signal by N phase-shifted sample clocks of the same frequency, where N is equal to or greater than M so that said window fits within a single sample clock period.  
   
   
       27 . The monitoring device according to  claim 26 ,  
     characterized in that said sliding window means and said determining means are realized as a parallel monitoring structure comprising, for each individual sample clock, a sub monitor for determining whether the samples within a window associated with the individual sample clock includes a valid transition sequence and for selectively indicating a valid transition sequence during a predetermined ime period.  
   
   
       28 . The monitoring device according to  claim 17 ,  
     characterized in that said device further comprises: 
 means for indicating a valid transition sequence if such a sequence is found within the current window; and  
 means for indicating signal failure if no valid transition sequence has been indicated during said predetermined number of consecutive windows.  
 
   
   
       29 . The monitoring device according to  claim 17 ,  
     characterized in that said sliding window is partitioned into a series of subwindows, and said means for determining whether the samples currently in said window include a valid transition sequence includes: 
 means for determining, for each of said partitioned subwindows, whether the subwindow includes a valid transition or sub transition sequence; and  
 means for concluding that the samples currently in said window include a valid transition sequence provided that at least one subwindow includes its corresponding valid transition or sub transition sequence.  
 
   
   
       30 . The monitoring device according to  claim 17 ,  
     characterized in that said monitored signal is a clock signal or a data signal, said data signal having a given bit width and a predetermined limit for the longest sequence of data bits of the same polarity.  
   
   
       31 . A device for monitoring a sampled signal,  
     characterized in that said device comprises: 
 a parallelized monitoring structure for sliding a predetermined window over said sampled signal, said monitoring structure including a number of sub monitors, one for each of a predetermined number of consecutive windows formed by sliding said window over the sampled signal, each sub monitor having: 
 means for determining whether the samples in the corresponding window include a valid transition sequence; and  
 means for indicating a valid transition sequence during a predetermined time period provided such a sequence is found within the window; and  
 
 means for confirming the existence of a valid signal as long as at least one of said sub monitors indicates a valid transition sequence.  
 
   
   
       32 . The monitoring device according to  claim 31 ,  
     characterized in that said device further comprises means for generating a plurality of phase-shifted sample clocks of the same frequency, said sampled signal being obtained by sampling a signal with said phase-shifted sample clocks; 
 wherein the number of sub monitors corresponds to the number of consecutive windows formed by sliding said predetermined window over the sampled sign during a sample clock period.  
 
   
   
       33 . A device for monitoring a clock signal,  
     characterized by: 
 means for sampling said clock signal by a set of delayed clock signals formed from the monitored clock signal itself, each sample cycle being initiated by a transition, of a given polarity, of the monitored clock signal, and all delay and phase relations being referenced to a zero time and phase plane associated with said initial transition;  
 means for sliding a window of samples over said sampled signal;  
 means for determining whether the samples currently in said window together with an implicit sample extracted from the initial transition of the current sample cycle include a valid transition sequence; and  
 means for confirming the validity of said signal as long as the samples of said window together with said implicit sample include said valid transition sequence.