Techniques to perform forward error correction for an electrical backplane

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a physical layer unit having a forward error correction sublayer to perform forward error correction using a single bit to represent a two bit synchronization header, said physical layer unit having a forward error correction encoder to encode a physical coding sublayer block of information by compressing said two bit synchronization header with said single bit, and use one bit of the two bit synchronization header to send error detection or correction information; and

a physical medium to couple to said physical layer unit, said physical medium to communicate said single bit and said error detection or correction information.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , comprising a forward error correction encoder to comprise:

a reverse gearbox;

a compressor to couple to said reverse gearbox;

a selector to couple to said compressor;

a parity generator to couple to said compressor;

a multiplexer to couple to said compressor, selector and said parity generator;

a scrambler to couple to said multiplexer; and

a pseudo-noise generator to couple to said scrambler.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , comprising a forward error correction decoder and block synchronizer to decode a physical coding sublayer block of information by reconstructing said two bit synchronization header using said single bit.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , comprising a forward error correction decoder and block synchronizer to comprise:

a descrambler;

a pseudo-noise generator to couple to said descrambler;

a synchronizer to couple to said descrambler;

a decoder to couple to said synchronizer;

an error monitor to couple to said decoder; and

a reconstructor to couple to said decoder.

5. A system, comprising:

a communications medium;

a connector to couple to said communications medium; and

a network interface to couple to said connector, said network interface having a physical layer unit with a forward error correction sublayer to perform forward error correction using a single bit to represent a two bit synchronization header, said physical layer unit having a forward error correction encoder to encode a physical coding sublayer block of information by compressing said two bit synchronization header with said single bit, and use one bit of the two bit synchronization header to send error detection or correction information.

6. The system of claim 5 , comprising a forward error correction encoder to comprise:

a reverse gearbox;

a compressor to couple to said reverse gearbox;

a selector to couple to said compressor;

a parity generator to couple to said compressor;

a multiplexer to couple to said compressor, selector and said parity generator;

a scrambler to couple to said multiplexer; and

a pseudo-noise generator to couple to said scrambler.

7. The system of claim 5 , comprising a forward error correction decoder and block synchronizer to decode a physical coding sublayer block of information by reconstructing said two bit synchronization header using said single bit.

8. The system of claim 5 , comprising a forward error correction decoder and block synchronizer to comprise:

a descrambler;

a pseudo-noise generator to couple to said descrambler;

a synchronizer to couple to said descrambler;

a decoder to couple to said synchronizer;

an error monitor to couple to said decoder; and

a reconstructor to couple to said decoder.

9. A method, comprising:

performing forward error correction using a single bit to represent a two bit synchronization header, said performing comprising:

encoding a physical coding sublayer block of information by replacing said two bit synchronization header with said single bit;

using one bit of the two bit synchronization header to send error detection or correction information; and

communicating said single bit and said error detection or correction information over a physical medium.

10. The method of claim 9 , comprising:

receiving physical coding sublayer blocks of information;

compressing two synchronization bits from each block to a single bit;

generating parity check bits for said blocks; and

generating a forward error correction frame using said blocks and said parity check bits.

11. The method of claim 9 , comprising decoding a physical medium attachment sublayer block of information by reconstructing said two bit synchronization header using said single bit.

12. The method of claim 9 , comprising

receiving physical coding sublayer blocks of information;

decoding each physical coding sublayer block;

retrieving parity check bits for said physical coding sublayer blocks; and

performing forward error correction using said parity check bits.

13. An article comprising a machine-readable storage medium containing instructions that if executed enable a system to perform forward error correction using a single bit to represent a two bit synchronization header by encoding a physical coding sublayer block of information by replacing said two bit synchronization header with said single bit and using one bit of the two bit synchronization header to send error detection or correction information, and communicating said single bit and said error detection or correction information over a physical medium.

14. The article of claim 13 , further comprising instructions that if executed enable the system to receive physical coding sublayer blocks of information, compress two synchronization bits from each block with a single bit, generate parity check bits for said blocks, and generate a forward error correction frame using said blocks and said parity check bits.

15. The article of claim 13 , further comprising instructions that if executed enable the system to decode a physical coding sublayer block of information by reconstructing said two bit synchronization header using said single bit.

16. The article of claim 13 , further comprising instructions that if executed enable the system to receive physical coding sublayer blocks of information, decode each physical coding sublayer block, retrieve parity check bits for said physical coding sublayer blocks, and perform forward error correction using said parity check bits.