A semiconductor device has a timer unit and a processing unit. The timer unit includes a binary counter, a first converter that converts a first count value output from the binary counter to a gray code to output as first gray code data. The processing unit includes a first synchronizer that captures the first gray code data transferred from the timer unit in synchronization with the system clock signal and outputs the captured first gray code data as second gray code data, and a fault detection unit that generates a data for fault detection based on the first gray code data transferred from the timer unit and compares a second count value based on the second gray code data with a third counter value based on the data for fault detection.

Disclosed clock recovery modules provide improved performance with only limited complexity and power requirements. In one illustrative embodiment, a clock recovery method includes: oversampling a receive signal to obtain mid-symbol interval (MSI) samples and between-symbol interval (BSI) samples; processing at least the MSI samples to obtain symbol decisions; filtering the symbol decisions to obtain BSI targets; determining a timing error based on a difference between the BSI samples and the BSI targets; and deriving from the timing error a clock signal for said oversampling.

Provided is an image recognition processor. The image recognition processor includes a plurality of nano cores arranged in rows and columns and configured to perform a pattern recognition operation on an input feature using a kernel coefficient in response to each instruction, an instruction memory configured to provide the instruction to each of the plurality of nano cores, a feature memory configured to provide the input feature to each of the plurality of nano cores, a kernel memory configured to provide the kernel coefficients to the plurality of nano cores, and a functional safety processor core configured to receive a result of a pattern recognition operation outputted from the plurality of nano cores to detect the presence of a recognition error, and perform a fault tolerance function on the detected recognition error.

A system is provided for synchronizing clocks. The system includes a plurality of devices in a network, each device having a local clock. The system is configured to synchronize the local clocks according to a primary spanning tree, where the primary spanning tree has a plurality of nodes connected through a plurality of primary links, each node of the plurality of nodes representing a respective device of the plurality of devices. The system is also configured to compute a backup spanning tree before a failure is detected in the primary spanning tree, wherein the backup spanning tree includes one or more backup links that are different from the primary links. As such, upon detection of a failure in the primary spanning tree, the system reconfigures the plurality of devices such that clock synchronization is performed according to the backup spanning tree.

A semiconductor device has a timer unit and a processing unit. The timer unit includes a binary counter, a first converter that converts a first count value output from the binary counter to a gray code to output as first gray code data. The processing unit includes a first synchronizer that captures the first gray code data transferred from the timer unit in synchronization with the system clock signal and outputs the captured first gray code data as second gray code data, and a fault detection unit that generates a data for fault detection based on the first gray code data transferred from the timer unit and compares a second count value based on the second gray code data with a third counter value based on the data for fault detection.

Various embodiments include methods and devices for timer failure detection and recovery. The embodiments may include running a plurality of timers in parallel, including a first operation timer, a first monitor timer, and a second monitor timer each having an independent time base, determining whether a first timer of the plurality of timers fails, removing the first timer from use in response to determining that the first timer fails, determining whether the first timer has a consistent difference in independent time base with a second timer of the plurality of timers, and returning the timer to use with a time adjustment in response to determining that the first timer has a consistent difference in independent time base with the second timer.

The disclosed embodiments relate to components of a memory system that support timing-drift calibration. In specific embodiments, this memory system contains a memory device (or multiple devices) which includes a clock distribution circuit and an oscillator circuit which can generate a frequency, wherein a change in the frequency is indicative of a timing drift of the clock distribution circuit. The memory device also includes a measurement circuit which is configured to measure the frequency of the oscillator circuit.

A clock data recovery circuit includes a deglitch filter circuit and a timer circuit. The deglitch filter circuit is configured to remove pulses of less than a predetermined duration from a data signal to produce a deglitched data signal. The timer circuit is coupled to the deglitch filter, and is configured to compare a duration of a pulse of the deglitched data signal to a threshold duration, and identify the pulse as representing a logic one based on the duration of the pulse exceeding the threshold duration.

A system is provided for synchronizing clocks. The system includes a plurality of devices in a network, each device having a local clock. The system is configured to synchronize the local clocks according to a primary spanning tree, where the primary spanning tree has a plurality of nodes connected through a plurality of primary links, each node of the plurality of nodes representing a respective device of the plurality of devices. The system is also configured to compute a backup spanning tree before a failure is detected in the primary spanning tree, wherein the backup spanning tree includes one or more backup links that are different from the primary links. As such, upon detection of a failure in the primary spanning tree, the system reconfigures the plurality of devices such that clock synchronization is performed according to the backup spanning tree.

Various embodiments include methods and devices for timer failure detection and recovery. The embodiments may include running a plurality of timers in parallel, including a first operation timer, a first monitor timer, and a second monitor timer each having an independent time base, determining whether a first timer of the plurality of timers fails, removing the first timer from use in response to determining that the first timer fails, determining whether the first timer has a consistent difference in independent time base with a second timer of the plurality of timers, and returning the timer to use with a time adjustment in response to determining that the first timer has a consistent difference in independent time base with the second timer.