Method and system for exploiting spare link bandwidth in a multilane communication channel

1. A method for encoding data in a multilane communication channel, the method comprising:

generating, from existing control characters in a character set, expanded control characters utilized for controlling the data in each lane of the multilane communication channel, wherein each lane of the multilane communication channel transports the data in a similar direction;

controlling at least one of said lanes of the multilane communication channel using at least one of said generated control characters; and

if a first control character of said existing control characters is a start-of-packet control character,

selecting a second control character from any other of said generated expanded control characters; and

indicating a start of a packet using said selected second control character for at least one of said lanes.

2. The method according to claim 1 , comprising placing said second control character in a first lane of the multilane communication channel.

3. A method for encoding data in a multilane communication channel, the method comprising:

generating, from existing control characters in a character set, expanded control characters utilized for controlling the data in each lane of the multilane communication channel, wherein each lane of the multilane communication channel transports the data in a similar direction;

controlling at least one of said lanes of the multilane communication channel using at least one of said generated control characters; and

determining which lane of the multilane communication channel contains an end-of-packet control character.

4. The method according to claim 3 , comprising:

if said end-of-packet control character is preceded by at least one control character in a lane of the multilane communication channel, selecting at least one other control character from said existing control character set; and

encoding said selected at least one other control character as said end-of-packet control character.

5. The method according to claim 3 , comprising:

if said end-of-packet control character is succeeded by at least one comma control character in a lane of the multilane communication channel, selecting at least one other control character from said existing control character set; and

encoding said selected at least one other control character as said comma control character.

6. The method according to claim 5 , comprising generating combinations of said encoded at least one other control character.

7. The method according to claim 6 , comprising assigning a unique value to each of said generated combinations of said encoded at least one other control character.

8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein each of said assigned unique values represents an expanded control character.

9. A method for encoding data in a multilane communication channel, the method comprising:

generating, from existing control characters in a character set, expanded control characters utilized for controlling the data in each lane of the multilane communication channel, wherein each lane of the multilane communication channel transports the data in a similar direction;

controlling at least one of said lanes of the multilane communication channel using at least one of said generated expanded control characters; and

utilizing, during said controlling, spare link bandwidth by said generated expanded control character.

10. A machine-readable storage having stored thereon, a computer program having at least one code section for encoding data in a multilane communication channel, the at least one code section being executable by a machine for causing the machine to perform steps comprising:

generating, from existing control characters in a character set, expanded control characters utilized for controlling the data in each lane of the multilane communication channel, wherein each lane of the multilane communication channel transports the data in a similar direction;

controlling at least one of said lanes of the multilane communication channel using at least one of said generated control characters;

selecting a second control character from any other of said generated expanded control characters, if a first control character of said existing control characters is a start-of-packet control character; and

indicating a start of a packet using said selected second control character for at least one of said lanes.

11. The machine-readable storage according to claim 10 , comprising code for placing said second control character in a first lane of the multilane communication channel.

12. A machine-readable storage having stored thereon, a computer program having at least one code section for encoding data in a multilane communication channel, the at least one code section being executable by a machine for causing the machine to perform steps comprising:

generating from existing control characters in a character set, expanded control characters utilized for controlling the data in each lane of the multilane communication channel, wherein each lane of the multilane communication channel transports the data in a similar direction;

controlling at least one of said lanes of the multilane communication channel using at least one of said generated control characters; and

determining which lane of the multilane communication channel contains an end-of-packet control character.

13. The machine-readable storage according to claim 12 , comprising:

code for selecting at least one other control character from said existing control character set, if said end-of-packet control character is preceded by at least one control character in a lane of the multilane communication channel; and

encoding said selected at least one other control character as said end-of-packet control character.

14. The machine-readable storage according to claim 12 , comprising:

code for selecting at least one other control character from said existing control character set, if said end-of-packet control character is succeeded by at least one comma control character in a lane of the multilane communication channel; and

code for encoding said selected at least one other control character as said comma control character.

15. The machine-readable storage according to claim 14 , comprising code for generating combinations of said encoded at least one other control character.

16. The machine-readable storage according to claim 15 , comprising code for assigning a unique value to each of said generated combinations of said encoded at least one other control character.

17. The machine-readable storage according to claim 16 , wherein each of said assigned unique values represents an expanded control character.

18. A machine-readable storage having stored thereon, a computer program having at least one code section for encoding data in a multilane communication channel, the at least one code section being executable by a machine for causing the machine to perform steps comprising:

generating from existing control characters in a character set, expanded control characters utilized for controlling the data in each lane of the multilane communication channel, wherein each lane of the multilane communication channel transports the data in a similar direction;

controlling at least one of said lanes of the multilane communication channel using at least one of said generated expanded control characters; and

utilizing, during said controlling, spare link bandwidth by said generated expanded control character.

19. A system for encoding data in a multilane communication channel, the system comprising:

a generator that generates from existing control characters in a character set, expanded control characters utilized for controlling the data in each lane of the multilane communication channel, wherein each lane of the multilane communication channel transports the data in a similar direction;

a controller that controls at least one of said lane of the multilane communication channel using at least one of said generated control characters; and

a selector that selects a second control character from any other of said generated expanded control characters, if a first control character of said existing control characters comprises a start-of-packet control character, wherein said selected second control character indicates a start of a packet for at least one of said lanes.

20. The system according to claim 19 , comprising a controller that places said second control character in a first lane of the multilane communication channel.

21. A system for encoding data in a multilane communication channel, the system comprising:

at least one generator that generates from existing control characters in a character set, expanded control characters utilized for controlling the data in each lane of the multilane communication channel, wherein each lane of the multilane communication channel transports the data in a similar direction; and

at least one controller that controls at least one of said lane of the multilane communication channel using at least one of said generated control characters, wherein

said at least one controller determines which lane of the multilane communication channel contains an end-of-packet control character.

22. The system according to claim 21 , comprising:

a selector that selects at least one other control character from said existing control character set, if said end-of-packet control character is preceded by at least one control character in a lane of the multilane communication channel; and

an encoder that encodes said selected at least one other control character as said end-of-packet control character.

23. The system according to claim 21 , comprising:

a selector that selects at least one other control character from said existing control character set, if said end-of-packet control character is succeeded by at least one comma control character in a lane of the multilane communication channel; and

an encoder that encodes said selected at least one other control character as said comma control character.

24. The system according to claim 23 , wherein said at least one generator generates combinations of said encoded at least one other control character.

25. The system according to claim 24 , comprising an assignor that assigns a unique value to each of said generated combinations of said encoded at least one other control character.

26. The system according to claim 25 , wherein each of said assigned unique values represents an expanded control character.

27. A system for encoding data in a multilane communication channel, the system comprising:

a generator that generates from existing control characters in a character set, expanded control characters utilized for controlling the data in each lane of the multilane communication channel, wherein each lane of the multilane communication channel transports the data in a similar direction; and

a controller that controls at least one of said lane of the multilane communication channel using at least one of said generated control characters, wherein said generated expanded control characters utilize, during said controlling, spare link bandwidth.