Multi-lane N-factorial (N!) and other multi-wire communication systems
First Claim
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1. An apparatus comprising:
- means for receiving a first sequence of symbols from a first lane of a multi-lane interface, wherein each symbol in the sequence of symbols corresponds to a signaling state of N wires of the first lane;
means for recovering a clock signal from the multi-lane interface, wherein the means for recovering the clock signal includes a circuit configured to generate edges in the clock signal corresponding to transitions in the signaling state of the N wires between pairs of consecutive symbols in the first sequence of symbols;
means for converting the first sequence of symbols to a first set of data bits using the clock signal, including a transcoder adapted to convert the first sequence of symbols to a set of transition numbers and to convert the set of transition numbers to the first set of data bits; and
means for deriving a second set of data bits from one or more signals received from a second lane of the multi-lane interface using the clock signal.
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Abstract
System, methods and apparatus are described that facilitate transmission of data over a multi-wire data communications link, particularly between two devices within an electronic apparatus. A clock extracted from a first sequence of symbols transmitted on a first lane of a multi-lane interface is used to receive and decode the first sequence of symbols and to receive and decode data and/or symbols transmitted on a second lane of the multilane interface. The clock signal may be derived from transitions in the signaling state of N wires between consecutive pairs of symbols in the first sequence of symbols. The first lane may be encoded using N! encoding and the second lane may be a serial or N! link.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. An apparatus comprising:
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means for receiving a first sequence of symbols from a first lane of a multi-lane interface, wherein each symbol in the sequence of symbols corresponds to a signaling state of N wires of the first lane; means for recovering a clock signal from the multi-lane interface, wherein the means for recovering the clock signal includes a circuit configured to generate edges in the clock signal corresponding to transitions in the signaling state of the N wires between pairs of consecutive symbols in the first sequence of symbols; means for converting the first sequence of symbols to a first set of data bits using the clock signal, including a transcoder adapted to convert the first sequence of symbols to a set of transition numbers and to convert the set of transition numbers to the first set of data bits; and means for deriving a second set of data bits from one or more signals received from a second lane of the multi-lane interface using the clock signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A non-transitory processor-readable storage medium, comprising code for:
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receiving a first sequence of symbols from a first lane of a multi-lane interface, wherein each symbol in the sequence of symbols corresponds to a signaling state of a plurality of wires of the first lane; and causing a clock and data recovery (CDR) circuit to recover a clock signal from the multi-lane interface, wherein the clock signal includes edges corresponding to a plurality of transitions in the signaling state of the plurality of wires of the first lane between pairs of consecutive symbols in the first sequence of symbols; converting the first sequence of symbols to a set of transition numbers using the clock signal; converting the set of transition numbers to obtain a first set of data bits; and deriving a second set of data bits from one or more signals received from a second lane of the multi-lane interface using the clock signal. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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16. A transmitter comprising:
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a first encoding circuit configured to convert first data bits in a set of transition numbers; a second encoding circuit configured to convert the set of transition numbers to a first sequence of symbols, and to embed clock information in the first sequence of symbols, wherein each symbol in the first sequence of symbols corresponds to a signaling state of N wires of a first lane of a multi-lane interface; a first plurality of line drivers adapted to transmit the first sequence of symbols on the first lane; and a second plurality of line drivers adapted to transmit a second sequence of symbols on a second lane of the multi-lane interface, wherein second data hits are encoded in the second sequence of symbols without embedded clock information. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A non-transitory processor-readable storage medium, comprising code for:
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embedding clock information in a first sequence of symbols that encodes first data bits, wherein each symbol in the first sequence of symbols corresponds to a signaling state of N wires of a first lane of a multi-lane interface; transmitting the first sequence of symbols on the first lane; and transmitting a second sequence of symbols on a second lane of the multi-lane interface, wherein second data bits are encoded in the second sequence of symbols without embedded clock information, wherein embedding the clock information includes; using a transcoder to convert the first data bits to a set of transition numbers; and converting the set of transition numbers to obtain the first sequence of symbols. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30)
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Specification