Communications system and associated deskewing methods
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A communications system comprising:
- a first device and a second device;
parallel communications channels connecting said first and second devices;
said first device comprising a string-based framing coder, for determining and appending a string-based framing code to each information symbol string of information symbol strings to be transmitted in parallel over respective parallel communications channels, each string-based framing code being based upon at least some of the information symbols in the respective information symbol string; and
said second device comprising a deskewer for aligning received parallel information symbol strings based upon the string-based framing codes.
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Abstract
A communications system includes first and second devices connected by parallel communications channels. The first device preferably comprises a string-based framing coder for determining and appending a string-based framing code to each information symbol string of information symbol strings to be transmitted in parallel over respective parallel communications channels. Each string-based framing code is preferably based upon at least some of the information symbols in the respective information symbol string. In addition, the second device preferably includes a deskewer for aligning received parallel information symbol strings based upon the string-based framing codes. In other words, the string-based framing codes and their use to align received information symbol strings permit the information symbol to be transmitted at high rates and over relatively long distances and thereby be subject skew. The information symbols may be binary bits. The string-based coder may comprise a cyclic redundancy checking (CRC) coder for determining and appending CRC codes to respective information bit strings. Thus, the deskewer may comprise a CRC framer for framing the information bit strings based upon the CRC codes.
49 Citations
63 Claims
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1. A communications system comprising:
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a first device and a second device;
parallel communications channels connecting said first and second devices;
said first device comprising a string-based framing coder, for determining and appending a string-based framing code to each information symbol string of information symbol strings to be transmitted in parallel over respective parallel communications channels, each string-based framing code being based upon at least some of the information symbols in the respective information symbol string; and
said second device comprising a deskewer for aligning received parallel information symbol strings based upon the string-based framing codes. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
a framer for framing information symbol strings based upon the respective string-based framing codes; and
an aligner for aligning framed information symbol strings relative to one another and based upon the string-based framing codes.
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7. A communications system according to claim 6 wherein each information symbol comprises a binary bit;
- and wherein said aligner comprises;
at least one first-in-first-out (FIFO) device connected to said framer for buffering framed information bit strings; and
a FIFO controller for aligning framed information bit strings during at least one of a writing and a reading phase of said at least one FIFO device and based upon the string-based framing codes.
- and wherein said aligner comprises;
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8. A communications system according to claim 1 wherein all of the information symbol strings have a same number of symbols.
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9. A communications system according to claim 1 wherein said first device comprises a scrambler for scrambling the information bit strings;
- and wherein said deskewer comprises a descrambler for descrambling received information symbol strings.
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10. A communications system according to claim 9 wherein said scrambler is located upstream from said string-based framing coder to scramble the information symbol strings prior to determining and appending the string-based framing codes.
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11. A communications system according to claim 1 wherein said first device further comprises a clock generating circuit, wherein said plurality of communications channels comprises a clock channel, and wherein said second device comprises a clock receiving circuit connected to the clock channel.
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12. A communications system according to claim 1 wherein said second device comprises a clock recovery circuit for recovering a clock signal based upon received symbol strings and string-based codes.
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13. A communications system according to claim 1 wherein said first device further comprises an M′
- ary-to-N′
ary converter for converting M information symbols into N information symbols strings for transmission on said parallel communications channels.
- ary-to-N′
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14. A communications system according to claim 1 wherein said parallel communications channels are provided over at least one wireline transmission medium.
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15. A communications system according to claim 1 wherein said parallel communications channels are provided over at least one wireless transmission medium.
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16. A communications system according to claim 1 wherein said parallel communications channels are provided over at least one optical transmission medium.
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17. A communications system comprising:
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a first device and a second device to be connected together over parallel communications channels;
said first device comprising a cyclic redundancy check (CRC) coder for determining and appending a CRC code to each information bit string of information bit strings to be transmitted in parallel over respective parallel communications channels, each CRC code being based upon at least some of the information bits in the respective information bit string;
said second device comprising a deskewer for aligning received parallel information bit strings based upon the CRC codes. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
a framer for framing information bit strings based upon the respective CRC codes; and
an aligner for aligning framed information bit strings relative to one another and based upon the CRC codes.
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22. A communications system according to claim 21 wherein said aligner comprises:
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at least one first-in-first-out (FIFO) device connected to said framer for buffering framed information bit strings; and
a FIFO controller for aligning framed information bit strings during at least one of a writing and a reading phase of said at least one FIFO device and based upon the CRC codes.
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23. A communications system according to claim 17 wherein all of the information bit strings have a same number of bits.
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24. A communications system according to claim 17 wherein said first device comprises a scrambler for scrambling the information bit strings;
- and wherein said deskewer comprises a descrambler for descrambling received information bit strings.
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25. A communications system according to claim 24 wherein said scrambler is located upstream from said CRC coder to scramble the information bit strings prior to determining and appending the CRC codes.
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26. A deskewer for information symbol strings received over parallel communications channels, and wherein the information symbol strings have string-based framing codes appended thereto prior to transmission over the parallel communications channels, the deskewer comprising:
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a framer for framing the information bit strings based upon the respective string-based framing codes; and
an aligner for aligning framed information symbol strings relative to one another and based upon the string-based framing codes received over the parallel communication channels, said string-based framing codes based upon at least some of information bits in a respective information symbol string. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30)
at least one first-in-first-out (FIFO) device connected to said framer for buffering framed information bit strings; and
a FIFO controller for aligning framed information bit strings during at least one of a writing and a reading phase of said at least one FIFO device and based upon the string-based framing codes.
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30. A deskewer according to claim 26 wherein all of the information symbol strings have a same number of symbols.
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31. A deskewer for information bit strings received over parallel communications channels, and wherein the information bit strings have cyclic redundancy checking (CRC) codes appended thereto prior to transmission over the parallel communications channels, the deskewer comprising:
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a CRC framer for determining framing of the information bit strings based upon the respective CRC codes;
at least one first-in-first-out (FIFO) device connected to said CRC framer for buffering framed information bit strings; and
a FIFO controller for aligning information bit strings from the parallel communications channels during at least one of a writing and a reading phase of said at least one FIFO device and based upon the CRC codes, said CRC codes based upon at least some of information bits in a respective information symbol string. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33)
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34. A method for communicating over parallel communications channels from a first device to a second device, the method comprising the steps of:
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determining and appending a string-based framing code to each information symbol string of information symbol strings at the first device and being transmitted in parallel over respective parallel communications channels, each string-based framing code being based upon at least some of the information symbols in the respective information symbol string; and
deskewing received information symbol strings at the second device by aligning received information symbol strings based upon the string-based framing codes. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49)
determining framing of the information symbol strings based upon the respective string-based framing codes; and
aligning information symbol strings received from parallel communications channels relative to one another and based upon the string-based framing codes.
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40. A method according to claim 39 wherein each information symbol comprises a binary bit;
- and wherein the step of aligning comprises the steps of;
providing at least one first-in-first-out (FIFO) device buffering framed information bit strings; and
aligning information bit strings during at least one of a writing and a reading phase of the at least one FIFO device and based upon the string-based framing codes.
- and wherein the step of aligning comprises the steps of;
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41. A method according to claim 34 wherein all of the information symbol strings have a same number of symbols.
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42. A method according to claim 34 further comprising the steps of scrambling the information symbol strings at the first device;
- and descrambling received information symbol strings at the second device.
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43. A method according to claim 42 wherein the step of scrambling is performed prior to determining and appending the string-based framing codes.
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44. A method according to claim 34 further comprising the steps of:
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generating a clock signal at the first device;
transmitting the clock signal over a communications channel; and
receiving the clock signal at the second device.
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45. A method according to claim 34 further comprising the step of recovering a clock signal at the second device based upon received symbol strings and string-based codes.
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46. A method according to claim 34 further comprising the step of performing at the first device an M′
- ary -to-N′
ary conversion of M information symbols into N information symbol strings for transmission on the parallel communications channels.
- ary -to-N′
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47. A method according to claim 34 wherein the parallel communications channels are provided over at least one wireline transmission medium.
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48. A method according to claim 34 wherein the parallel communications channels are provided over at least one wireless transmission medium.
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49. A method according to claim 34 wherein the parallel communications channels are provided over at least one optical transmission medium.
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50. A method for communicating over parallel communications channels from a first device to a second device comprising the steps of:
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determining framing of information symbol strings based upon respective cyclic redundancy checking (CRC) codes;
determining and appending a cyclic redundancy checking (CRC) code to each information bit string of information bit strings at the first device and being transmitted in parallel over respective parallel communications channels, each CRC code being based upon at least some of the information bits in the respective information bit string; and
deskewing received information bit strings at the second device by framing and aligning received information bit strings based upon the CRC codes. - View Dependent Claims (51, 52, 53, 54, 55)
providing at least one first-in-first-out (FIFO) device buffering framed information bit strings; and
aligning information bit strings during at least one of a writing and a reading phase of the at least one FIFO device and based upon the CRC codes.
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53. A method according to claim 50 wherein all of the information bit strings have a same number of bits.
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54. A method according to claim 50 further comprising the steps of scrambling the information bit strings at the first device;
- and descrambling received information bit strings at the second device.
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55. A method according to claim 54 wherein the step of scrambling is performed prior to determining and appending the CRC codes.
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56. A method for deskewing information symbol strings received over parallel communications channels, and wherein the information symbol strings have string-based framing codes appended thereto prior to transmission over the parallel communications channels, the method comprising the steps of:
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determining framing of the information symbol strings based upon the respective string-based framing codes; and
aligning information symbol strings received from parallel communications channels relative to one another and based upon the string-based framing codes, each string-based framing code being based upon at least some of information bits in a respective information symbol string. - View Dependent Claims (57, 58, 59, 60)
providing at least one first-in-first-out (FIFO) device buffering framed information bit strings; and
aligning information bit strings during at least one of a writing and a reading phase of the at least one FIFO device and based upon the string-based framing codes.
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60. A deskewer according to claim 56 wherein all of the information symbol strings have a same number of symbols.
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61. A method for deskewing information bit strings received over parallel communications channels, and wherein the information bit strings have cyclic redundancy checking (CRC) codes appended thereto prior to transmission over the parallel communications channels, the method comprising the steps of:
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determining framing of the information bit strings based upon the respective CRC codes;
providing at least one first-in-first-out (FIFO) device buffering framed information bit strings; and
aligning parallel information bit strings during at least one of a writing and a reading phase of the at least one FIFO device and based upon the CRC codes, each CRC code being based upon at least some of the information bits in a respective information bit string. - View Dependent Claims (62, 63)
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Specification
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Current AssigneeIntel Corporation
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Original AssigneeAgere Systems Incorporated (Broadcom, Inc.)
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InventorsThaker, Himanshu Mahendra, Webb, Charles Albert III, Wu, Lesley Jen-Yuan, Shaffer, Michael S.
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Primary Examiner(s)Ton, David
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Application NumberUS09/459,848Time in Patent Office1,492 DaysField of Search360/26, 375/362, 375/206, 370/335, 714/736, 714/758, 714/700, 714/707, 395/152, 341/51, 358/426US Class Current714/700CPC Class CodesH04L 1/0061 Error detection codesH04L 25/14 Channel dividing arrangemen...
