Reference voltage generator for logic elements providing stable and predefined gate propagation time

摘要

A reference voltage generator employs a ring oscillator having a plurality of logic stages and a phase/frequency detector, for generating a first feedback signal on the basis of a phase/frequency difference between the phase/frequency of a reference clock and the phase/frequency of the ring oscillator; and to generate a second feedback signal on the basis of a voltage swing of the oscillator circuit; both feedback signals to be applied to said plurality of logic stages of the ring oscillator; whereby a constant delay is created through each logic stage of the logic device. In another aspects of the invention, a method of generating a reference voltage for a logic device by using the reference voltage generator as above and a logic device with a controlled propagation delay of each of the logic stages are provided.