The invention concerns an asynchronous wrapper for a globally
asynchronous, locally synchronous circuit. The asynchronous wrapper
operates with a request signal-driven clock control, supplemented by a
local clock unit in the absence of request signals. It has at least one
input unit which is adapted to receive a request signal from outside and
to indicate to the outside the reception of the request signal by the
delivery of an associated acknowledgement signal, and a pausable clock
unit which is adapted to repeatedly produce a first clock signal and to
deliver it to an internally synchronous circuit block associated with the
asynchronous wrapper. The input unit is adapted to produce, if a request
signal is applied, a second clock signal which is in a defined time
relationship with the request signal and to deliver it to the internally
synchronous circuit block. There is further provided a time-out unit
which is connected to the input unit and which is adapted to start the
delivery of the first clock signal when external request signals are
absent over a given period of time.