Abstract: A circuit for enabling an adaptation of an automatic gain control circuit comprises an automatic gain control (ACG) circuit configured to receive an input signal and to generate a boosted input signal. An average peak signal magnitude adaptation circuit is configured to receive an output of a decision circuit and to generate an average peak signal magnitude. An average peak signal target calculation circuit is configured to receive the average peak signal magnitude and detected peak signal magnitudes, wherein the average peak signal magnitude adaptation circuit generates a target peak signal magnitude. An AGC adaptation circuit is configured to receive an average peak signal magnitude and the target peak signal magnitude, wherein the AGC adaptation circuit provides an AGC control signal to the AGC circuit to maximize the effective signal magnitude within an acceptable linearity range.

Abstract: A receiver relates generally to channel adaptation. In this receiver, a first signal processing block is coupled to a communications channel. The first signal processing block includes: an AGC block and a CTLE block for receiving a modulated signal for providing an analog signal; an ADC for converting the analog signal to digital samples; and an FFE block for equalizing the digital samples to provide equalized samples. A second signal processing block includes: a DFE block for receiving the equalized sampled for providing re-equalized samples; and a slicer coupled to the DFE block for slicing the re-equalized samples. A receiver adaptation block is coupled to the first signal processing block and the second signal processing block. The receiver adaptation block is configured for providing an AGC adaptation, a CTLE adaptation, and a slicer adaptation to the communications channel.

Abstract: A circuit for enabling an adaptation of an equalization circuit is described. The circuit comprises a continuous time linear equalizer configured to receive an input data signal and generate an equalized input data signal; a decision circuit configured to receive the equalized input data signal, wherein the decision circuit generates an estimate of the input data signal; channel estimation circuit configured to receive the estimate of the input data signal and an error signal to generate an impulse response estimate of an equivalent channel; a frequency response computation circuit configured to receive the impulse response estimate of the equivalent channel and generate a channel frequency response; and a continuous time linear equalizer control circuit configured to receive the channel frequency response and to generate a CTLE adaptation signal for controlling the continuous time linear equalizer.

Abstract: In an example, an apparatus for clock data recovery (CDR) in a receiver includes a decision feedback equalizer (DFE) having a data slicer providing data samples, an error slicer providing error samples, and an offset error slicer providing offset error samples, the offset error slicer operable to set its threshold based on an offset first post-cursor coefficient. The apparatus further includes a CDR circuit operable to control a sampling clock for the data slicer, the error slicer, and the offset error slicer based on the data samples and the offset error samples.

Abstract: In an example, an apparatus for clock data recovery (CDR) includes a data slicer operable to generate data samples derived from a transmitted signal, and an error slicer operable to generate error samples derived from a transmitted signal. The apparatus further includes a CDR circuit operable to generate sampling clock phase for the data slicer and the error slicer from output of the data samples and the error samples. The apparatus further includes a decision adapt circuit operable to set a decision threshold of the error slicer, wherein for each main-cursor data sample of the data samples the decision adapt circuit is operable to adjust the decision threshold based on a function of at least one pre-cursor data sample, at least one post-cursor data sample, or a combination of at least one pre-cursor data sample and at least one post-cursor data sample.

Abstract: In a receiver, a decision feedback equalizer (“DFE”) receives an analog input signal. The DFE includes a subtraction block for subtracting weighted postcursor decisions from an analog input signal to provide an analog output signal. A postcursor decision block coupled to the DFE compares the analog output signal against positive and negative values of a postcursor coefficient to provide first and second possible decisions for selecting a current postcursor-based decision therebetween responsive to a previous postcursor-based decision. A precursor cancellation block receives the analog output signal, the previous postcursor-based decision and the current postcursor-based decision for providing a digital output signal for a previous sample of the analog input signal.

Abstract: In an example, a clock data recovery (CDR) circuit for a receiver includes a timing error detector circuit, a loop filter, and a phase interpolator. The timing error detector circuit is coupled to receive, at a baud-rate, data samples and error samples for symbols received by the receiver. The timing error detector circuit is operable to generate both a timing error value and an estimated waveform value per symbol based on the data samples and the error samples. The loop filter is coupled to the timing error detector to receive timing error values. The phase interpolator is coupled to the loop filter to receive filtered timing error values, the phase interpolator operable to generate a control signal to adjust a sampling phase used to generate the data samples and the error samples.

Abstract: A circuit for filtering inter-symbol interference in an integrated circuit is described. The circuit comprises a first stage coupled to receive digital samples of an input signal. The first stage generates first decision outputs based upon the digital samples. A second stage is coupled to receive the digital samples of the input signal. The second stage comprises a filter receiving the first decision outputs and generating second decision outputs based upon the digital samples of the input signal and detected inter-symbol interference associated with the first decision outputs. A method of filtering inter-symbol interference in an integrated circuit is also described.

Abstract: In a receiver, there is a precursor iterative canceller (“PIC”) having first and second paths. A postcursor decision block is coupled to the PIC to provide a decision signal thereto. The PIC includes: comparators for receiving an input signal and corresponding threshold inputs for precursor ISI speculation; and select circuits for selecting a first speculative input for the first path and a second speculative input for the second path, respectively associated with a negative precursor contribution and a positive precursor contribution. The first path and the second path in combination include at least a first stage and a second stage for processing the first speculative input and the second speculative input. The decision signal is provided to the first stage and to the select circuits. The select circuits are coupled to receive the decision signal for selection of the first speculative input and the second speculative input.

Abstract: A circuit for receiving data in an integrated circuit is described. The circuit comprises a receiver configured to receive an input signal and to generate output data based upon the input signal, the receiver having a level detection circuit coupled to receive the input signal; and a calibration circuit coupled to the receiver, the calibration circuit having an input for receiving the input signal; an error detection circuit coupled to the input, the error detection circuit coupled to receive the input signal, a first reference voltage and a second reference voltage; and a control circuit coupled to an output of the error detection circuit, wherein the control circuit selectively generates either an offset control signal or an amplitude control signal based upon comparisons of the input signal to the first reference voltage and the second reference voltage. A method of receiving data is also disclosed.

Abstract: In a method for channel adaptation, an analog input signal is received with a bimodal receiver via a communications channel. The analog input signal is converted to a digital input signal with an analog-to-digital converter of a digital receiver of the bimodal receiver. Channel coefficients are detected for the digital input signal associated with the communications channel. The channel coefficients indicate a number of post-cursor taps of the bimodal receiver to be used to provide an equalized digital output signal from the digital input signal. It is determined whether the number of post-cursor taps or a value associated therewith is equal to or less than a threshold number. A switch from the receiving of the analog input signal by the digital receiver to an analog receiver of the bimodal receiver is made to provide the equalized digital output signal for the analog input signal.

Abstract: Communication system optimization using a soft receiver masking technique is disclosed. For example, a method for testing a communication device comprises obtaining a software representation of a receiver portion of a given communication device. A data signal received from a transmitter through a given link channel is then processed, wherein the processing step is performed using the software representation of the receiver portion of the communication device. An output signal is caused to be generated by the software representation of the receiver portion. An eye mask test is then applied to the output signal. Based on a result of the eye mask test, one or more parameters of the transmitter may be adjusted.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for asynchronous calibration for eye diagram generation. For example, a method for calibrating a process for generating a data eye associated with a received signal comprises the following steps. Samples of the received signal are obtained for a first unit interval using a first data latch and a roaming latch. A delay offset is determined between the first data latch and the roaming latch by comparing at least one sample obtained using the first data latch and at least one sample obtained using the roaming latch, wherein the delay offset determined by the comparison is used to calibrate the process for generating the data eye associated with the received signal. A similar comparison may be done for a second data latch and used to calibrate the process. The method is able to find the accurate position of each data latch with respect to the roaming latch so as to improve the accuracy of data decoding in a digital receiver, i.e., provide receiver optimization.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for joint adaptation of filter values in two communicating devices, such as a link partner and a link device. The disclosed joint adaptation process initially adapts the filter coefficient values in a first of the two communicating devices until a predefined stopping criteria is satisfied. Thereafter, the filter coefficient values in a second of the two communicating devices are adapted once the predefined stopping criteria for the first communicating device is satisfied. The filter coefficient values can comprise coefficient values of a multi-tap filter. The predefined stopping criteria may determine, for example, whether the first of the two communicating devices is overequalized. The filter coefficient values can be determined by including a contribution of only certain cursor tap values of the channel impulse response.

Abstract: In serial communications, jitter is an unwanted variation of one or more signal characteristics. Two-dimensional modulation circuits and methods incorporate an amplitude pre-emphasis scheme as well as a transmit duty cycle pre-distortion (pre-DCD) technique to reduce jitter. The pre-DCD technique directly addresses transition edges of the data signal and is combined with amplitude pre-emphasis to improved data transmission.

Abstract: A method and system for modeling and calibrating duty cycle distortion (DCD) of a Serializer and Deserializer (SerDes) device, including first generating a clock DCD signal. Once the clock DCD signal is generated, it is calibrating based upon results obtained from a filtering process of the clock DCD signal. Once the clock DCD signal is calibrated, a data DCD signal is generated and calibrated based upon results obtained from a filtering process of the data DCD signal.

Abstract: In described embodiments, an adaptive equalizer employed by a receiver in a communication channel, such as Fibre Channel, employs pattern recognition. When a repeating pattern, such as an IDLE or ARBFF pattern, is employed by a standard to, for example, maintain a communication link, an equalizer of the receiver might adaptively set its equalizer parameters based on characteristics of the signal energy of the repeating pattern rather than adaptively set its equalizer parameters based on characteristics of the signal energy of generally random user data carried on the link. Pattern recognition by the receiver allows for maintaining adaptive equalizer parameters at settings preferred for data detection of the typical random data, improving data detection performance of the receiver when the channel transitions from a preset or synchronization repeating pattern to a user random data pattern.

Abstract: In described embodiments, an adaptive equalizer employed by a receiver in a communication channel, such as Fiber Channel, employs pattern recognition. When a repeating pattern, such as an IDLE or ARBFF pattern, is employed by a standard to, for example, maintain a communication link, an equalizer of the receiver might adaptively set its equalizer parameters based on characteristics of the signal energy of the repeating pattern rather than adaptively set its equalizer parameters based on characteristics of the signal energy of generally random user data carried on the link. Pattern recognition by the receiver allows for maintaining adaptive equalizer parameters at settings preferred for data detection of the typical random data, improving data detection performance of the receiver when the channel transitions from a preset or synchronization repeating pattern to a user random data pattern.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for improving the jitter tolerance in an SFP limit amplified signal. Jitter tolerance is improved in a communications receiver by applying a received signal to an SFP limiting amplifier; and applying an output of the SFP limiting amplifier to a low pass filter to improve the jitter tolerance. The low pass filter optionally applies a programmable amount of attenuation to high frequency components of the output. The low pass filter slew rate controls (i.e., rotates) a data eye representation of the received signal to increase the data eye representation along a time axis. The noise margin of the received signal can optionally be improved by applying an output of the low pass filter to an all pass filter. A slew rate controller can evaluate the data eye statistics to determine a setting for the low pass filter.

Abstract: The present invention implements a method and apparatus for using components within a Serializer/DeSerializer (SerDes) to emulate the effects of a backplane in order to facilitate automated test equipment (ATE) testing of the SerDes. The SerDes includes a transmitter pre-emphasis circuit (TPXE) that pre-emphasizes a transmitted signal and a receiver equalization circuit (RXEQ) that equalizes a received signal. The TPXE includes coefficients that are dynamically programmable.