With increasing system complexity, the need may arise for several repetitive timing signals with different periods. If each timing signal is obtained from a separate oscillator, the signals will have a random and variable phase relationship. They will be asynchronous and may lead to glitches. A better technique is to use one high-frequency oscillator with a short period and from it derive all longer-period signals. If the longer period is a multiple of two of the clock period a counter with flip-flops can be used. If the period is not a multiple of two of the clock period a divide-by-N counter can be used.