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

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

at least one processor operable to generate, 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;

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

said at least one processor operable to:

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

indicate a start of a packet using said selected second control character for at least one of said lanes, if a first control character of said existing control characters is a start-of-packet control character.

2. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one processor is operable to place said second control character in a first lane of the multilane communication channel.

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

one or more circuits operable to generate, 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;

said one or more circuits operable to control at least one of said lanes of the multilane communication channel using at least one of said generated control characters; and

said one or more circuits operable to:

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

indicate a start of a packet using said selected second control character for at least one of said lanes, if a first control character of said existing control characters is a start-of-packet control character.

4. The system according to claim 3 , wherein said one or more circuits is operable to place said second control character in a first lane of the multilane communication channel.

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

at least one processor operable to generate, 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;

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

said at least one processor operable to determine which lane of the multilane communication channel contains an end-of-packet control character.

6. The system according to claim 5 , wherein said at least one processor is operable to:

select 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

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

7. The system according to claim 5 , wherein said at least one processor is operable to:

select 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

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

8. The system according to claim 7 , herein said at least one processor is operable to generate combinations of said encoded at least one other control character.

9. The system according to claim 8 , herein said at least one processor is operable to assign a unique value to each of said generated combinations of said encoded at least one other control character.

10. The system according to claim 9 , wherein each of said assigned unique values represents an expanded control character.

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

one or more circuits operable to generate, 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;

said one or more circuits operable to control at least one of said lanes of the multilane communication channel using at least one of said generated control characters; and

said one or more circuits operable to determine which lane of the multilane communication channel contains an end-of-packet control character.

12. The system according to claim 11 , wherein said one or more circuits is operable to:

select 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

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

13. The system according to claim 11 , wherein said one or more circuits is operable to:

select 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

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

14. The system according to claim 13 , wherein said one or more circuits is operable to generate combinations of said encoded at least one other control character.

15. The system according to claim 14 , wherein said one or more circuits is operable to assign a unique value to each of said generated combinations of said encoded at least one other control character.

16. The system according to claim 15 , wherein each of said assigned unique values represents an expanded control character.

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

at least one processor operable to generate, 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;

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

said at least one processor operable to utilize, during said controlling, spare link bandwidth by said generated expanded control character.

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

one or more circuits operable to generate, 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;

said one or more circuits operable to control at least one of said lanes of the multilane communication channel using at least one of said generated expanded control characters; and

said one or more circuits operable to utilize, during said controlling, spare link bandwidth by said generated expanded control character.