Decision Feedback Equalizer Patents (Class 375/233)
  • Patent number: 8976909
    Abstract: A non-linear detector for detecting signals with signal-dependent noise is disclosed. The detector may choose a data sequence that maximizes the conditional probability of detecting the channel data. Since the channel may be time-varying and the precise channel characteristics may be unknown, the detector may adapt one or more branch metric parameters before sending the parameters to a loading block. In the loading block, the branch metric parameters may be normalized and part of the branch metric may be pre-computed to reduce the complexity of the detector. The loading block may then provide the branch metric parameters and any pre-computation to the detector. The detector may then calculate the branch metric associated with the input signal and output the channel data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Marvell International Ltd.
    Inventors: Hongxin Song, Seo-How Low, Panu Chaichanavong, Zining Wu
  • Patent number: 8976855
    Abstract: An exemplary receiver equalizer includes a first decision feedback equalizer (DFE) sampler coupled to a summer, the first DFE to latch an equalized output of the summer. The first branch includes a second DFE sampler coupled to the first DFE sampler, the second DFE to latch an output of the first DFE sampler. The first branch includes a third DFE sampler coupled to the second DFE sampler, the third DFE to latch an output of the second DFE sampler. The summer coupled to the first, second, and third DFE samplers of the first branch, the summer to integrate the output of said DFE samplers, the received signal, and equalized outputs from one or more other branches, wherein the integrating occurs over a plurality of unit intervals (UIs).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Mingming Xu, Stefano Giacconi
  • Patent number: 8976904
    Abstract: Methods and systems to vary an erasure slicer threshold based on a measure computed from prior soft and/or hard symbol decisions, identify reliable symbol estimates based on the threshold, identify unreliable symbol estimates for erasure based on the threshold, modify the identified symbol estimates, output the reliable symbol estimates and the modified symbol estimates as erasure slicer decisions, and filter the decisions in a feedback filter of a decision feedback equalizer (DFE). The erasure slicer threshold may be based on signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) or mean-squared-error (MSE). A symbol estimate may be identified for erasure when a coordinate of the corresponding soft decision is within an erasure area defined by the threshold. Symbol modification may include replacing a corresponding coordinate of the symbol estimate with a coordinate of a decision boundary associated with the erasure area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventor: Noam Tal
  • Patent number: 8976853
    Abstract: A receiver may receive a signal that was generated by passage of symbols through a non-linear circuit. An equalizer of the receiver may equalize the received signal based on a first non-linearity compensated, inter-symbol correlated (ISC) feedback signal to generate an equalized signal. The receiver may correct a phase error of the equalized signal to generate a phase-corrected equalized signal. The phase correction may be based on a second, non-linearity compensated, inter-symbol correlated (ISC) feedback signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: MagnaCom Ltd.
    Inventor: Amir Eliaz
  • Publication number: 20150063828
    Abstract: Systems that allow for DFE functionality to be eliminated from the receiver side of a communication system and for a DFE-like functionality to be implemented instead at the transmitter side of the communication system are provided. By removing the DFE functionality from the receiver side, error propagation can be eliminated at the receiver and receiver complexity can be reduced drastically. At the transmitter side, the DFE-like functionality provides the same DFE benefits, and with the transmitter environment being noise-free, no errors can occur due noise boosting, for example. The DFE-like functionality at the transmitter side can be implemented using non-linear (recursive or feed-forward) pre-coders or a combination of non-linear pre-coders and linear filters, which can be configured to invert a net communication channel between the transmitter and the receiver. Embodiments particularly suitable for fiber optic channels and server backplane channels are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2013
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Inventors: William BLISS, Vasudevan PARTHASARATHY
  • Patent number: 8971397
    Abstract: Received data oversampled twice is polyphased by the receiver, feedback is applied using an adaptive algorithm, and the filter coefficients (tap coefficient sequence) of a compensation filter are simultaneously shifted when the data shifts. The sampling frequency and the phase offset can be compensated for on the fly using a filter combining a tapped filter whose initial value is a correlation value obtained from the preamble and header of a received signal, and a wavefront aligner. In this configuration, a resampling filter circuit, an equalization filter circuit and a decimation filter circuit are realized in a single compensation filter circuit, which is much smaller than the prior art circuits in terms of size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Yasunao Katayama, Yasuteru Kohda, Daiju Nakano
  • Patent number: 8971396
    Abstract: A method and system are provided for performing Decision Feedback Equalization (DFE) and Decision Feedback Sequence Estimation (DFSE) in high-throughput applications that are not latency critical. In an embodiment, overlapping blocks of samples are used to allow for the parallelization of the computation and the breaking of the critical path. In addition, the overlap of the windows addresses issues associated with performance loss due to what is termed “ramp-up” and “ramp-down” BER loss.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: PMC-Sierra US, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen Bates, Peter John Waldemar Graumann
  • Patent number: 8971395
    Abstract: A Decision Feedback Equalizer (DFE) with programmable taps includes a summer configured to receive a DFE input signal. Delay elements are coupled to the summer. The delay elements are connected in series. Each delay element provides a respective delayed signal of an input signal to the delay element. A weight generator is configured to provide tap weights. The DFE is configured to multiply each tap weight to the respective delayed signal from the respective delay element to provide tap outputs. Each tap output is selectively enabled to be added to the summer or disabled based on a first comparison of a first threshold value and each impulse response or each tap weight corresponding to the respective tap output, where the impulse response is the DFE input signal in response to a pulse signal transmitted through a channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ming-Chieh Huang, Jing Jing Chen, Chan-Hong Chern, Tao Wen Chung, Chih-Chang Lin, Yuwen Swei
  • Publication number: 20150055694
    Abstract: A phase detector includes data detection logic for detecting data in a communication signal, amplitude detection logic for processing modulation chosen from any of a PAM2 and a PAM4 communication modality, in-phase edge detection logic for detecting in-phase edge information in the communication signal, quadrature edge detection logic for detecting quadrature edge information in the communication signal, and mixing logic for determining an amount of in-phase edge information and quadrature edge information to be applied based on at least one channel parameter in the communication channel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2013
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Applicant: Avago Technologies General IP ( Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Christopher M. Juenemann, Robert Keith Barnes, Jade Michael Kizer
  • Patent number: 8964826
    Abstract: Feed-forward equalizer (FFE) circuits and methods are provided which implement time domain analog multiplication for adjusting FFE tap weights. For example, a method includes inputting data signals to FFE taps of a current-integrating summer circuit, wherein the data signals are time-delayed versions of an analog input data signal. A capacitance is charged to a precharge level during a reset period of the current-integrating summer circuit. An output current is generated by each FFE tap during an integration period of the current-integrating summer circuit. The output currents from the FFE taps collectively charge or discharge the capacitance during the integration period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Ankur Agrawal, John F. Bulzacchelli
  • Patent number: 8964827
    Abstract: An apparatus includes an error sample generating circuit and an adaptation circuit. The error sample generating circuit is generally configured to generate error samples at a plurality of phases. The adaptation circuit may be configured to adjust one or more equalizer settings based upon a data sample and the error samples.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Avago Technologies General IP (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
    Inventor: Lizhi Zhong
  • Patent number: 8964818
    Abstract: A short reach communication system includes a plurality of communication SERDES that communicate data over a short reach channel medium such as a backplane connection (e.g., PCB trace) between, for example, chips located on a common PCB. A multi-level modulated data signal is generated to transmit/receive data over the short reach channel medium. Multi-level modulated data signals, such as four-level PAM, reduce the data signal rate therefore reducing insertion loss, power, complexity of the circuits and required chip real estate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Lorenzo Longo, Vivek Telang
  • Publication number: 20150049798
    Abstract: A receiver integrated circuit is disclosed that includes a filter and a linear equalization circuit. The filter has an input to receive a signal symbols a main tap and a pre-cursor tap to reduces a pre-cursor ISI acting on the data symbols. The linear equalization circuit couples to the output and cooperates with the filter to further reduce ISI.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2012
    Publication date: February 19, 2015
    Applicant: RAMBUS INC.
    Inventors: Masum Hossein, Farshid Aryanfar, Jihong Ren, Jared L. Zerbe
  • Patent number: 8958512
    Abstract: One embodiment relates to a method of adapting a receiver for equalization of an input data signal. A variable gain amplifier (VGA) loop adapts a VGA circuit using an initial threshold voltage so as to adjust a VGA gain setting to regulate a data amplitude feeding into a decision feedback equalization (DFE) circuit. In addition, the DFE adaptation loop may adapt the DFE circuit using the initial threshold voltage. When the adaptation of the VGA is done, then the VGA gain setting is frozen and adaptation of the threshold voltage may be performed by a threshold adaptation loop. Another embodiment relates to a system which includes a DFE adaptation circuit module, a CTLE adaptation circuit module, and a threshold adaptation circuit module that adapts a threshold voltage that is fed to the DFE adaptation circuit and the CTLE adaptation circuit. Other embodiments and features are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Altera Corporation
    Inventors: Weiqi Ding, Wei Li
  • Patent number: 8953669
    Abstract: A decision feedback equalizer that can operate at higher speed is provided. The decision feedback equalizer includes a weighting addition circuit (adder 21, coefficient units Tap1a, Tap2 to Tapn) that sums an input signal to weighted versions of feedback signals FB1 to FBn, n being an integer not less than 2. The decision feedback equalizer also includes a decision circuit 11 that decides whether or not the result of addition by the weighting addition circuit is not less than a defined threshold value and that outputs the result of the decision to outside and to a shift register (latch circuits L2 to Ln). The decision circuit operates in synchronism with a clock signal. The shift register sequentially holds the result of decision of the decision circuit 11 in synchronism with the clock signal, and outputs the contents held by its component registers as feedback signals FB2 to FBn.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Yasushi Amamiya
  • Publication number: 20150036732
    Abstract: A method is disclosed. The method includes sampling a data signal having a voltage value at an expected edge time of the data signal. A first alpha value is generated, and a second alpha value generated in dependence upon the voltage value. The data signal is adjusted by the first alpha value to derive a first adjusted signal. The data signal is adjusted by the second alpha value to derive a second adjusted signal. The first adjusted signal is sampled to output a first data value while the second adjusted signal is sampled to output a second data value. A selection is made between the first data value and the second data value as a function of a prior received data value to determine a received data value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2014
    Publication date: February 5, 2015
    Inventors: Brian S. Leibowitz, Hae-Chang Lee, Jihong Ren, Ruwan Ratnayake
  • Patent number: 8948240
    Abstract: An adaptive receiver is disclosed for optimally receiving and processing signals. The receiver utilizes one or more memory blocks to store groups of incoming symbols. The groups of symbols are processed by a channel estimation subsystem to determine channel characteristics. The receiver determines the appropriate demodulation and decoding strategy to implement based on the determined channel characteristics. The receiver includes a plurality of demodulation and decoding schemes, one of which is selected based on the results of a channel estimation analysis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Randall Perlow, Charles Brooks, Steven Jaffe, Tianmin Liu
  • Patent number: 8948705
    Abstract: In one aspect of a multiple-access OFDM-CDMA system, data spreading is performed in the frequency domain by spreading each data stream with a respective spreading code selected from a set of available spreading codes. To support multiple access, system resources may be allocated and de-allocated to users (e.g., spreading codes may be assigned to users as needed, and transmit power may be allocated to users). Variable rate data for each user may be supported via a combination of spreading adjustment and transmit power scaling. Interference control techniques are also provided to improve system performance via power control of the downlink and/or uplink transmissions to achieve the desired level of performance while minimizing interference. A pilot may be transmitted by each transmitter unit to assist the receiver units perform acquisition, timing synchronization, carrier recovery, handoff, channel estimation, coherent data demodulation, and so on.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Jay R. Walton, John W. Ketchum, Steven J. Howard, Mark Wallace
  • Patent number: 8937995
    Abstract: An equalizer and an equalizing method for equalizing a received signal, where the received signal includes at least one primary interference and a plurality of secondary interferences. The Viterbi equalizer includes a filter module for filtering out the secondary interferences from the received signal to generate a filtered signal, a serial to parallel converter, coupled to the filter module, for generating a plurality of sequences according to the filtered signal, and a Viterbi equalizing module, coupled to the serial to parallel converter, for respectively equalizing the plurality of sequences to generate a plurality of equalized sequences. The architecture of the Viterbi equalizing module is greatly simplified thereby reducing the calculation activity of the Viterbi equalizer as well as maintaining its efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2015
    Assignee: RealTek Semiconductor Corp.
    Inventors: Hou-Wei Lin, Yi-Lin Li, Cheng-Yi Huang, Kuang-Yu Yen
  • Patent number: 8938037
    Abstract: A circuit for reducing phase errors in a digital communication systems signal is provided. The circuit comprises a demodulator block, a feed-forward path, a feed-back path, and a slicer. The demodulator block generates a plurality of samples from the signal and determines for each sample a corresponding phase error. The feed-forward path is configured to reduce in the signal a high frequency component of the phase errors. The feed-back path configured to reduce in the signal a low frequency component of the phase errors. The slicer selectively forwards phase errors to the feed-forward path or the feed-back path based on a respective magnitude of the phase error when operating in a decision-directed mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2015
    Assignee: PMC-Sierra US, Inc.
    Inventors: Saeed Fard, Sean Gibb, Peter Graumann, Siavash Sheikh Zeinoddin
  • Patent number: 8937994
    Abstract: A partial response decision feedback equalizer (PrDFE) includes a receiver including at least first and second comparators operative to compare an input signal representing a sequence of symbols against respective thresholds and to respectively generate first and second receiver outputs. A first selection stage is provided to select (a) between the first comparator output and a first resolved symbol according to a first timing signal, and (b) between the second comparator output and the first resolved symbol according to the first timing signal, to produce respective first and second selection outputs. A second selection stage selects between the first and second selection outputs according to a selection signal. The selection signal is dependent on a prior resolved symbol that precedes the first resolved symbol in the sequence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2015
    Assignee: Rambus Inc.
    Inventors: Amir Amirkhany, Kambiz Kaviani, Aliazam Abbasfar
  • Patent number: 8937996
    Abstract: The invention concerns receive circuitry for demodulating an input signal received from a transmission channel, the receive circuitry having a decision feedback equalizer including an inter-carrier interference estimation block arranged to provide an estimation of inter-carrier interference (ICI) noise based on at least a channel estimation determined for a previous symbol, a channel estimation determined for the next symbol, and on a previous estimation of the symbol data for the current symbol, the previous estimation being provided by a feedback path comprising a demapping block; and correction circuitry arranged to determine the estimation of the original data signal based on the estimation of ICI noise subtracted from the input signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2015
    Assignee: ST-Ericsson SA
    Inventors: Olivier Isson, Thomas Morel, Fabrice Belveze
  • Publication number: 20150016497
    Abstract: In described embodiments, a method for producing sample decisions with a digital signal processing-based SERDES device includes converting an analog signal to a digital signal, equalizing the digital signal, selecting inputs for a phase detector in a main CDR loop, computing a phase difference signal, producing a phase skew to signals for a last equalization stage by a first interpolation filter bank, generating a control signal to control the phase provided by the first interpolation filter bank by a phase skew adaptation loop, and updating the phase skew values to generate a resulting decision. A device includes a first interpolation filter bank inserted between the equalization stages is configured to generate phase skew signals to a last equalization stage and a phase skew loop responsive to the last equalization stage is configured to adjust the phase skew provided by the first interpolation filter bank.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2013
    Publication date: January 15, 2015
    Applicant: LSI Corporation
    Inventors: Pervez M. Aziz, Amaresh V. Malipatil, Viswanath Annampedu
  • Publication number: 20150016496
    Abstract: A decision feedback equalizer (DFE) circuit includes a first equalization path and a second equalization path. Each equalization path includes a summing node, a first latch, a second latch, a first feedback path, and a second feedback path. The first latch is configured to latch data received from the summing node. The second latch is configured to latch data received from the first latch. The first feedback path is configured to receive data from the second latch and to provide data to the summing node of the equalization path. The second feedback path is configured to receive data from the first latch and to provide data to the summing node of the other equalization path. The second feedback path provides up to a symbol interval for propagation of data between the summing nodes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2013
    Publication date: January 15, 2015
    Inventor: Tonmoy Shanker Mukherjee
  • Publication number: 20150016498
    Abstract: A control device includes: an output circuit configured to output a first signal to a first point on a first conductive wire wired on a substrate; a reception circuit configured to receive the first signal that is transmitted through the first conductive wire, from a second point on the first conductive wire, as a second signal; and a decision circuit configured to decide a compensation value of first attenuation of a third signal that is input to a second conductive wire that is wired on the substrate and different from the first conductive wire by referring to information on second attenuation of the first signal based on a waveform of the second signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2014
    Publication date: January 15, 2015
    Applicant: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Keisuke Yamasaki, Kunihiro Kotani
  • Patent number: 8934526
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus adapting equalizers for compensating for signal distortion of a received digital signal are disclosed. The method comprises deriving equalizer settings for a received signal, determining at least one signal parameter of said received signal; and storing the derived equalizer settings together with an indication of the signal parameter. The signal parameter could, for instance, comprise the data rate of the signal. If the signal parameter changes the equalizer is configured to use any stored settings which are appropriate for the new signal parameter. Thus, rather than start an entirely new equalizer adaptation routine every time the signal parameter changes the equalizer will use any stored settings which are appropriate for the changed parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Inventors: Miguel Marquina, Chris Born, Ben Willcocks, Andrew Sharratt, Allard Van Der Horst
  • Patent number: 8934527
    Abstract: A method for providing a next-cycle input sample from a decision feedback equalizer to a symbol decoder using look-ahead computations such that timing contention between the decision feedback equalizer and the symbol decoder is reduced. During a symbol period, a set of possible values is computed in the decision feedback equalizer and a set of path memory symbols is computed in the symbol decoder, the set of path memory symbols being based on a current input sample. During the same symbol period, one of the possible values is selected as the next-cycle input sample based on at least one of the next-cycle path memory symbols produced from the symbol decoder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Arthur Abnous, Avanindra Madisetti, Christian A. J. Lutkemeyer
  • Patent number: 8934557
    Abstract: A network node jointly precodes multi-user (MU) multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) transmissions simultaneously sent from geographically distributed base stations to a plurality of mobile terminals over associated downlink MU-MIMO channels. The node receives feedback that describes statistics of the downlink MU-MIMO channels, including channel mean and covariance. The node then computes, based on the channel means and covariances, uplink input covariances for the mobile terminals that would collectively maximize a first or second-order approximation of the ergodic capacity of dual uplink MU-MIMO channels, subject to a global transmit power constraint that comprises the sum of individual transmit power constraints for the base stations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget L M Ericsson (publ)
    Inventors: Charles Casimiro Cavalcante, Alisson Guimarães, Tarcísío Ferreira Maciel, Lĩgia Sousa
  • Publication number: 20150010047
    Abstract: A method comprises receiving an input signal at an input of a receiver and retrieving a data sample signal and an error sample signal from the input signal. The method also comprises applying an adaptive procedure to generate a feedback code using the data sample signal and the error sample signal for feeding back into a decision feedback equalization (DFE) module. Further, it comprises converting the feedback code into a corresponding voltage value and assigning the corresponding voltage value as a tap weight for the DFE module. Finally, it comprises generating an edge sample signal by applying DFE to the input signal using the DFE module, wherein the DFE is based on the tap weight.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2013
    Publication date: January 8, 2015
    Inventors: Lizhi ZHONG, Vishnu BALAN, Gautam BHATIA
  • Patent number: 8929429
    Abstract: According to an embodiment of the disclosure, a communication transmitter and receiver include an adaptive filter and a decision feedback equalizer as well as cross-talk cancellers. The adaptive filter is configured to receive an input signal and includes a continuous analog delay circuit with a plurality of Padé-based delay elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Inventors: Hiroshi Takatori, Albert Vareljian, Oleksiy Zabroda
  • Publication number: 20150003510
    Abstract: An asymmetric PHY pair for communicating over a point-to-point link is disclosed. The PHY pair is asymmetric in that the signal processing power used by one of the PHYs to communicate a unit of data over the link is made to be less than that of the other PHY. This asymmetry is accomplished not merely by reducing the signal processing power of one of the PHYs at the expense of the rate at which symbols can be communicated over the link, but by transferring the signal processing power from one of the PHYs to the other PHY so that the symbol rate can be substantially maintained as compared to the symbol rate of a symmetric PHY pair. The asymmetric PHY pair can be advantageously implemented in many different types of communication systems (i.e., in communication systems where one end is more congested and/or crowded than the other end).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2013
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Inventor: William BLISS
  • Patent number: 8923382
    Abstract: Described embodiments adapt one or more taps of a decision feedback equalizer of a receiver by setting a reference voltage for each of one or more data recovery comparators to a corresponding predetermined initial value. The data recovery comparators generate a bit value for each sample of a received signal. A tap adaptation module of the receiver selects a window of n received bit samples. The tap adaptation module iteratively, for each of the one or more data recovery comparators, tracks (i) a detected number of bits having a logic 0 value, and (ii) a detected number of bits having a logic 1 value. The tap adaptation module adjusts, based on a ratio of the detected number of bits having a logic 0 value to the detected number of bits having a logic 1 value, the reference voltage for the corresponding data recovery comparator by a predetermined step amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: LSI Corporation
    Inventors: Choshu Ito, Erik V. Chmelar
  • Patent number: 8923375
    Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for performing on die jitter tolerance testing. A set of clocks are generated based on an input signal. The set of clocks include in an in-phase signal based on the data switching edge of the input signal. Additionally, the set of clocks include an inverted clock phase shifted by 180 degrees, and a pair of clocks phase shifted positively and negatively by a certain number of degrees, ?. Data input is sampled based on the inverted clock and the two phase shifted clocks. The eye opening of the input signal can be determined based on whether each of the inverted clock and the two phase shifted clocks sample the correct data from the input signal at various ? values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Parade Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Ming Qu, Yuanping Chen, Yuntao Zhu, Quan Yu, Kochung Lee
  • Patent number: 8917803
    Abstract: Circuits and methods characterize a receiver. The circuit includes a decision feedback equalizer (DFE) circuit, a clock and data recovery (CDR) circuit, a data checker, and an eye-scan controller. The DFE circuit generates a filtered signal from the communication signal. The filtered signal is a sum of the communication signal and a variable weighting of a symbol recently sampled from the filtered signal. The CDR circuit samples a sequence of sampled symbols from the filtered signal. The CDR circuit samples the filtered signal at a variable phase relative to a clock signal. The data checker generates an indication of an error in the sequence of sampled symbols. The eye-scan controller varies the variable weighting and the variable phase through multiple value combinations. The eye-scan controller checks for the indication of the error for each of the value combinations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: Xilinx, Inc.
    Inventors: Santiago G. Asuncion, Mustansir Fanaswalla, Brandon L. Fernandes, Vaibhav Kamdar, Ray L. Jacinto
  • Patent number: 8917762
    Abstract: A decision feedback equalizer (DFE) slice for a receiver includes a plurality of non-speculative DFE taps; and 3 speculative DFE taps, wherein the 3 speculative DFE taps comprise first and second multiplexer stages, each of the first and second multiplexer stages including 4 comparator latches, each of the 4 comparator latches having a programmable offset; and a multiplexer that receives 4 comparator latch outputs from the 4 comparator latches and outputs a multiplexer stage output, wherein the multiplexer is controlled by previous symbol decisions dn-2 and dn-3; and wherein the 3 speculative taps further comprise a 2:1 decision multiplexer stage that receives the multiplexer stage outputs of the first and second multiplexer stages and is controlled by a previous symbol decision dn-1 to output a slice output signal dn.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Pier A. Francese, Christian I. Menolfi, Thomas H. Toifl
  • Patent number: 8913655
    Abstract: Circuits and methods are provided for efficient feed-forward equalization when sample-and-hold circuitry is employed to generate n time-delayed versions of an input data signal to be equalized. To equalize the input data signal, m data signals are input to m feed-forward equalization (FFE) taps of a current-integrating summer circuit, wherein each of the m data signals corresponds to one of the n time-delayed versions of the input data signal. A capacitance is precharged to a precharge level during a reset period of the current-integrating summer circuit. An output current is generated by each of the m FFE taps during an integration period of the current-integrating summer circuit, wherein the output currents from the m FFE taps collectively charge or discharge the capacitance during the integration period. A gating control signal is applied to an FFE tap during the integration period to disable the FFE tap during a portion of the integration period in which the data signal input to the FFE tap is invalid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Ankur Agrawal, John F. Bulzacchelli, Daniel J. Friedman, Zeynep Toprak Deniz
  • Publication number: 20140362901
    Abstract: Computationally efficient methods and related systems, for use in a test and measurement instrument, such as an oscilloscope, optimize the performance of DFEs used in a high-speed serial data link by identifying optimal DFE tap values for peak-to-peak based criteria. The optimized DFEs comply with the behavior of a model DFE set forth in the PCIE 3.0 specification.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2014
    Publication date: December 11, 2014
    Inventor: Kan TAN
  • Patent number: 8908754
    Abstract: Tools capable of improving the accuracy of decision feedback equalization (DFE) are described. The tools may adapt a DFE using a more-equal distribution of signals than those actually received. The tools may do so by disregarding, averaging, or weighting certain signals when adapting the DFE when those signals represent an unequal distribution of bit patterns. In one example, the tools detect and disregard some of the signals representing idle bit patterns that are received more often than other bit patterns. The tools may also or instead compensate for a bit pattern that is never or rarely received.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Marvell International Ltd.
    Inventors: Haoli Qian, Xing Wu
  • Publication number: 20140355661
    Abstract: A Decision Feedback Equalizer (DFE) that includes: a plurality of input signal lines comprising at least one data signal line and a plurality of power control signal lines; at least one output signal line; and a plurality of independently-controlled isolated power domains, where each independently-controlled isolated power domain is coupled to a corresponding one of the power control signal lines, each of the power control signal lines configured to transmit a power control signal to the independently-controlled isolated power domain dynamically, and each independently-controlled isolated power domain selectively consumes power in response to the power control signal, each independently-controlled isolated power domain configured to be dynamically powered up or powered down without impacting signal processing operations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2013
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Minhan CHEN, Steven M. CLEMENTS, Carrie E. COX, Todd M. RASMUS
  • Publication number: 20140355662
    Abstract: A pipelined decision feedback equalizer (DFE) includes a programmable digital-to-analog converter (DAC) configured to provide a programmable voltage to a plurality of decision feedback equalized (DFE) sections, a capacitive element associated with each DFE section, the capacitive element coupled to an input connection by a first switch and coupled to an output connection by a second switch, clock logic configured to control the first switch and the second switch so that a predefined voltage signal is applied to the capacitive element at a predefined time such that a charge corresponding to the predefined voltage signal is applied to the capacitive element, the clock logic causing the second switch to couple the capacitive element to the output connection so as to apply the voltage on the capacitive element as a filter coefficient to a summing element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2013
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Inventors: Jade Michael Kizer, Robert B. Roze
  • Patent number: 8902963
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for determining the threshold position of one or mote DFE latches using an evaluation of the incoming data eye. A threshold position is determined for one or more transition latches employed by a decision-feedback equalizer by obtaining a plurality of samples of a data eye using a data eye monitor; obtaining a vertical eye opening metric from the data eye monitor; and determining the threshold position for the one or more transition latches based on the vertical eye opening metric. A decision-feedback equalizer is also disclosed that comprises at least one data latch having a data threshold; and at least one transition latching having a transition threshold, wherein the transition threshold and the data threshold ate unequal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Agere Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Pervez M Aziz, Mohammad S Mobin
  • Patent number: 8902964
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for provision of equalization effort-balancing of transmit (TX) Finite Impulse Response (FIR) and receive (RX) Linear Equalizer (LE) or RX Decision Feedback Equalizer (DFE) structures in high-speed serial interconnects are described. In some embodiments, data corresponding to a plurality of transmit equalization values and a plurality of receive equalization values for each lane of a link having a plurality of lanes is detected. At least one of the plurality of the transmit equalization values and at least one of the plurality of the receive equalization values are selected for each lane of the plurality of lanes of the link based on detection of saturation in a Decision Feedback Equalizer (DFE) tap of a corresponding lane of the link. Other embodiments are also claimed and/or disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Manuel A. Aguilar-Arreola, Eric J. Msechu
  • Patent number: 8897387
    Abstract: A method and system for configuring one or both of a transmitter pulse-shaping filter and a receiver pulse-shaping filter to generate a total partial response that incorporates a predetermined amount of inter-symbol interference (ISI), based on one or more defined performance-related variables and one or more set constraints that are applicable to one or both of the transmitter pulse-shaping filter and the receiver pulse-shaping filters. The predetermined amount of ISI is determined based on an estimation process during extraction of data from an output of the receiver pulse-shaping filter, such that performance of total partial response based communication matches or surpasses performance of communication incorporating filtering based on no or near-zero ISI. The configuring may comprise determining optimized filtering configuration, by applying an optimization process which is based on, at least in part, the one or more constraints and the one or more performance-related variables.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: MagnaCom Ltd.
    Inventor: Amir Eliaz
  • Patent number: 8897405
    Abstract: One or more embodiments describe a decision feedback equalizer for highly spectrally efficient communications. A method may be performed in a decision feedback equalizer (DFE). The method may include initializing values of tap coefficients of the DFE based on values of tap coefficients of a partial response filter through which said transmitted symbols passed en route to said sequence estimation circuit. The method may include receiving estimates of transmitted symbols from a sequence estimation circuit, and receiving an error signal that is generated based on an estimated partial response signal output by the sequence estimation circuit. The method may include updating values of tap coefficients of the DFE based on the error signal and the estimates of transmitted symbols. The method may include generating one or more constraints that restrict the impact of the error signal on the updating of the values of the tap coefficients of the DFE.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: MagnaCom Ltd.
    Inventor: Amir Eliaz
  • Publication number: 20140341268
    Abstract: A sampler circuit for a decision feedback equalizer and a method of use thereof. One embodiment of the sampler circuit includes: (1) a first sampler portion including a series-coupled first master regeneration latch and first slave latch, (2) a second sampler portion including a series-coupled second master regeneration latch and second slave latch, and (3) a first feedback circuit coupled to a first node between the first master regeneration latch and the first slave latch and operable to provide a feedback signal to the second master regeneration latch to cause a bias charge to be built up therefor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2013
    Publication date: November 20, 2014
    Inventors: Sanjeev Maheshwari, Vishnu Balan, Arif Amin
  • Publication number: 20140344648
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for turbo decoding orthogonal frequency division multiplexing OFDM symbols. Techniques for combined turbo decoding and equalization are disclosed. The disclosed techniques can be implemented in receivers that receive wired or wireless OFDM signals and produce data and control bits by decoding the received signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2014
    Publication date: November 20, 2014
    Inventor: Jonathan Kanter
  • Patent number: 8891606
    Abstract: Methods and systems for processing signals in a receiver are disclosed herein and may include updating a plurality of filter taps utilizing at least one channel response vector and at least one correlation vector, for a plurality of received clusters, based on initialized values related to the at least one channel response vector and the at least one correlation vector. At least a portion of the received signal clusters may be filtered utilizing at least a portion of the updated plurality of filter taps. The update may be repeated whenever a specified signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) for the received signal clusters is reached. The initialized values may be updated during a plurality of iterations, and the update may be repeated whenever a specified number of the plurality of iterations is reached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Mark Kent, Uri Landau, Severine Catreux-Erceg, Vinko Erceg, Ning Kong, Pieter Roux
  • Patent number: 8891607
    Abstract: An apparatus including a receiver having a feed forward equalizer (FFE) coupled to a communication channel. The receiver may be configured to adjust the FFE using information based on an estimate of one or more characteristics of the communication channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Avago Technologies General IP (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
    Inventor: Lizhi Zhong
  • Patent number: 8890580
    Abstract: A communication system includes a continuous-time linear equalizer in the clock forward path. The equalizer may be adjusted to minimize clock jitter, including jitter associated with the first few clock edges after the clock signal is enabled. Reducing early-edge jitter reduces the power and circuit complexity otherwise needed to turn the system on quickly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Rambus Inc.
    Inventors: Jared Zerbe, Teva Stone, Jihong Ren
  • Patent number: 8891708
    Abstract: Forward and backward filters in cascade establish a specified phase shift in audio or video signals. The backward filter applies its filtering in a backward direction to impart a phase shift to its backward-filtered output that is a function of frequency. The forward filter applies its filtering in a forward direction to impart a phase shift to its forward-filtered output that has the specified phase shift relative the phase shift of the backward filter. Preferably, the two filters are recursive and are applied to signals that represent overlapping segments of the audio or video information. The overlap interval is used for filter initialization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
    Inventor: David McGrath