Abstract: Techniques and apparatus for optimizing transmitter equalization are described. An example technique includes capturing a single output signal transmitted from a port on at least one channel of a host device. An impulse response of the channel is determined based at least in part on the single output signal. A transmitter feedforward equalization (FFE) is generated, based at least in part on the impulse response of the channel. The transmitter FFE is applied to the channel of the port of the host device.

Abstract: Techniques are provided to provide modified bit sequences generated by the Physical Coding Sublayer (PCS) functional block in a way that considers the subsequent bit-mux operation of the Physical Media Attachment (PMA) sublayer functional block, in order to create symbol sequences for transmission over the physical channels with properties that optimize the performance of the Forward Error Correction (FEC) decoder with error bursts.

Abstract: A method includes transmitting, by a transmitter and over a transmit channel to a remote device, a signal that includes a plurality of signal points and receiving, by a receiver and over a receive channel from the remote device, a response signal that includes a plurality of response points corresponding to the plurality of signal points. The method also includes adjusting the plurality of signal points of the signal until logical values of the plurality of response points invert to produce an adjusted signal, estimating, based on the adjusted signal, a pulse response of the transmit channel, and applying equalization in the transmitter based on the estimated pulse response to reduce an effect of the pulse response on the signal.

Abstract: Technologies for autonegotiation of communications operational modes over copper cable include a network port logic having a communication link coupled to a remote link partner. The network port logic may start an autonegotiation protocol upon reset, when the link is broken, or upon manual renegotiation. The network port logic transmits an autonegotiation page to the remote link partner that indicates single-lane communications ability over copper cable. The network port logic receives an autonegotiation page from the link partner indicating single-lane communications ability over copper cable. If the network port logic and link partner have a common single-lane communication ability, the link may be activated. The autonegotiation pages may be base pages or next pages. The single-lane communication ability may be indicated by one or more bits of the autonegotiation pages. The link may be established at 1 gigabit or 10 gigabits per second. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Abstract: Technologies for autonegotiation of communications operational modes over copper cable include a network port logic having a communication link coupled to a remote link partner. The network port logic may start an autonegotiation protocol upon reset, when the link is broken, or upon manual renegotiation. The network port logic transmits an autonegotiation page to the remote link partner that indicates single-lane communications ability over copper cable. The network port logic receives an autonegotiation page from the link partner indicating single-lane communications ability over copper cable. If the network port logic and link partner have a common single-lane communication ability, the link may be activated. The autonegotiation pages may be base pages or next pages. The single-lane communication ability may be indicated by one or more bits of the autonegotiation pages. The link may be established at 1 gigabit or 10 gigabits per second. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Abstract: Technologies for autonegotiation of communications operational modes over copper cable include a network port logic having a communication link coupled to a remote link partner. The network port logic may start an autonegotiation protocol upon reset, when the link is broken, or upon manual renegotiation. The network port logic transmits an autonegotiation page to the remote link partner that indicates single-lane communications ability over copper cable. The network port logic receives an autonegotiation page from the link partner indicating single-lane communications ability over copper cable. If the network port logic and link partner have a common single-lane communication ability, the link may be activated. The autonegotiation pages may be base pages or next pages. The single-lane communication ability may be indicated by one or more bits of the autonegotiation pages. The link may be established at 1 gigabit or 10 gigabits per second. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Abstract: Technologies for autonegotiation of communications operational modes over copper cable include a network port logic having a communication link coupled to a remote link partner. The network port logic may start an autonegotiation protocol upon reset, when the link is broken, or upon manual renegotiation. The network port logic transmits an autonegotiation page to the remote link partner that indicates single-lane communications ability over copper cable. The network port logic receives an autonegotiation page from the link partner indicating single-lane communications ability over copper cable. If the network port logic and link partner have a common single-lane communication ability, the link may be activated. The autonegotiation pages may be base pages or next pages. The single-lane communication ability may be indicated by one or more bits of the autonegotiation pages. The link may be established at 1 gigabit or 10 gigabits per second. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and systems for preventing false packet acceptance in high-speed links. Under one aspect, correctable symbol errors are detected, and determination is made to whether a symbol error rate or ratio (SER) exceeds an SER threshold. In response to detection of such a condition, the link is disconnected or temporarily paused. The value for the SER threshold is determined using a statistical analysis of various link parameters to meet desired performance levels, such as a mean time to false packet acceptance (MTTFPA) of >approximately 15 billion years while providing a mean time to disconnect of >100 years.

Abstract: Technologies for autonegotiation of communications operational modes over copper cable include a network port logic having a communication link coupled to a remote link partner. The network port logic may start an autonegotiation protocol upon reset, when the link is broken, or upon manual renegotiation. The network port logic transmits an autonegotiation page to the remote link partner that indicates single-lane communications ability over copper cable. The network port logic receives an autonegotiation page from the link partner indicating single-lane communications ability over copper cable. If the network port logic and link partner have a common single-lane communication ability, the link may be activated. The autonegotiation pages may be base pages or next pages. The single-lane communication ability may be indicated by one or more bits of the autonegotation pages. The link may be established at 1 gigabit or 10 gigabits per second. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for Ethernet auto-negotiation (AN) with parallel detect for 10G DAC or other non-auto-negotiated modes. AN base pages are transmitted from an Ethernet apparatus to advertise the ability to support at least one Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.3 Ethernet specification supporting AN. A receiver and associated processing circuitry is configured to perform two detection modes in parallel, including a first detection mode that looks for a valid signal transmitted from an Ethernet link peer that does not support AN and a second detection mode looking for AN pages from an IEEE 802.3 Ethernet link peer that supports AN. If the link peer does not support AN, an Ethernet link is set up to use signaling in accordance with the Ethernet specification that does not support AN. If the link peer supports AN, an Ethernet link is set up using a corresponding IEEE 802.3 Ethernet link supporting AN. Supported non-AN Ethernet links include 10G DAC links.

Abstract: Technologies for autonegotiation of communications operational modes over copper cable include a network port logic having a communication link coupled to a remote link partner. The network port logic may start an autonegotiation protocol upon reset, when the link is broken, or upon manual renegotiation. The network port logic transmits an autonegotiation page to the remote link partner that indicates single-lane communications ability over copper cable. The network port logic receives an autonegotiation page from the link partner indicating single-lane communications ability over copper cable. If the network port logic and link partner have a common single-lane communication ability, the link may be activated. The autonegotiation pages may be base pages or next pages. The single-lane communication ability may be indicated by one or more bits of the autonegotation pages. The link may be established at 1 gigabit or 10 gigabits per second. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Abstract: One embodiment provides an apparatus. The example apparatus includes a root mean square (RMS) distortion determination module configured to determine an RMS distortion error and a signal to noise and distortion ratio (SNDR), the RMS distortion error determined based, at least in part, on a portion of a transmitted pulse centered at or near a transmitted pulse maximum amplitude and the SNDR determined based, at least in part, on the RMS distortion error.

Abstract: Technologies for autonegotiation of communications operational modes over copper cable include a network port logic having a communication link coupled to a remote link partner. The network port logic may start an autonegotiation protocol upon reset, when the link is broken, or upon manual renegotiation. The network port logic transmits an autonegotiation page to the remote link partner that indicates single-lane communications ability over copper cable. The network port logic receives an autonegotiation page from the link partner indicating single-lane communications ability over copper cable. If the network port logic and link partner have a common single-lane communication ability, the link may be activated. The autonegotiation pages may be base pages or next pages. The single-lane communication ability may be indicated by one or more bits of the autonegotation pages. The link may be established at 1 gigabit or 10 gigabits per second. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Abstract: One embodiment provides an apparatus. The example apparatus includes a root mean square (RMS) distortion determination module configured to determine an RMS distortion error and a signal to noise and distortion ratio (SNDR), the RMS distortion error determined based, at least in part, on a portion of a transmitted pulse centered at or near a transmitted pulse maximum amplitude and the SNDR determined based, at least in part, on the RMS distortion error.

Abstract: One embodiment provides a network device that includes PHY circuitry comprising transmit circuitry (Tx) and receive circuitry (Rx), wherein the Tx and Rx circuitry are configured to be coupled to a respective channel to communicate with an external device via the channels, wherein the network device configured to communicate with the external device using an Ethernet communications protocol; and test circuitry.

Abstract: Technologies for transmitter equalization in a communication system include reading local transmitter equalization settings from a transmitter equalization register of a first communication device and writing the local transmitter equalization settings to a transmitter equalization register of a second communication device communicatively coupled with the first communication device via a chip-to-chip communication link. Additionally, requested transmitter equalization settings may be read from the transmitter equalization register of the second communication device and written to the transmitter equalization register of the first communication device. The reading and writing process may be repeated for the opposite communication direction and for other communication lane interfaces of the first and second communication devices.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for Ethernet auto-negotiation (AN) with parallel detect for 10G DAC or other non-auto-negotiated modes. AN base pages are transmitted from an Ethernet apparatus to advertise the ability to support at least one Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.3 Ethernet specification supporting AN. A receiver and associated processing circuitry is configured to perform two detection modes in parallel, including a first detection mode that looks for a valid signal transmitted from an Ethernet link peer that does not support AN and a second detection mode looking for AN pages from an IEEE 802.3 Ethernet link peer that supports AN. If the link peer does not support AN, an Ethernet link is set up to use signaling in accordance with the Ethernet specification that does not support AN. If the link peer supports AN, an Ethernet link is set up using a corresponding IEEE 802.3 Ethernet link supporting AN. Supported non-AN Ethernet links include 10G DAC links.

Abstract: One embodiment provides an apparatus. The example apparatus includes a root mean square (RMS) distortion determination module configured to determine an RMS distortion error and a signal to noise and distortion ratio (SNDR), the RMS distortion error determined based, at least in part, on a portion of a transmitted pulse centered at or near a transmitted pulse maximum amplitude and the SNDR determined based, at least in part, on the RMS distortion error.

Abstract: Technologies for robust data transmission include a network port logic having a physical coding sublayer (PCS). The PCS may transmit a series of rapid alignment markers (RAMs) to a link partner, with each RAM indicative of a counter value. The PCS transitions to a sleep state if the counter value equals two and a low power idle (LPI) command is set by an upper-layer client. The PCS transitions to an active state if the counter value equals one and the LPI command is not set. The PCS may receive a low power idle symbol (LI) from the link partner and start a guard timer in response to receipt of the LI symbol. The PCS transitions to a sleep state if the guard timer expires and transitions to the active state if data other than LI is received prior to expiration of the guard timer. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Abstract: Technologies for high-speed data transmission include a network port logic having one or more communication lanes coupled to a forward error correction (FEC) sublayer and a physical coding sublayer (PCS). To transmit data, the PCS encodes the data to be transmitted into encoded data blocks using a 66 b/64 b line code and inserts alignment marker blocks after every 16,383 encoded data blocks. The FEC encodes the encoded data blocks into 80-block FEC codewords starting at a predefined offset from an alignment marker. Thus, each alignment marker is at one of five predefined offsets from the beginning of an FEC codeword. Each alignment marker may include a unique block type field usable with FEC encoding. The PCS may include one or more logical lanes, each operating at 25 Gb/s. Embodiments of the network port logic may include a single PCS lane or sixteen PCS lanes. Other embodiments are described and claimed.