IP Library Granted Patent US 11,706,061
Granted Patent B2
US 11,706,061 · App. 17/573,471 · Granted Jul 18, 2023

High speed signaling system with adaptive transmit pre-emphasis

Inventors: Vladimir M. Stojanovic (Lexington, MA); Andrew C. Ho (San Jose, CA); Anthony Bessios (Pittsburgh, PA); Fred F. Chen (Boston, MA); Elad Alon (El Cerrito, CA); Mark A. Horowitz (Menlo Park, CA)
Assignee: Rambus Inc.
H04L25/49H04B1/04H04B1/0475H04L25/025H04L25/028H04L25/03019H04L25/03343H04L25/03885H04L25/061H04L25/4917H04B2001/0416H04L25/0282H04L2025/03363H04L2025/03802
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,706,061
App. No.
17/573,471
Granted
Jul 18, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

A high-speed signaling system with adaptive transmit pre-emphasis. A transmit circuit has a plurality of output drivers to output a first signal onto a signal path. A receive circuit is coupled to receive the first signal via the signal path and configured to generate an indication of whether the first signal exceeds a threshold level. A first threshold control circuit is coupled to receive the indication from the receive circuit and configured to adjust the threshold level according to whether the first signal exceeds the threshold level. A drive strength control circuit is coupled to receive the indication from the receive circuit and configured to adjust a drive strength of at least one output driver of the plurality of output drivers according to whether the first signal exceeds the threshold level.

Claims (48)

1. An integrated circuit (IC), comprising:

a transmitter to transmit a digital sequence via a set of drivers to a receiving device;

a transmit equalizer to equalize the digital sequence in association with multiple taps; and

a receiver to receive tap information from the receiving device, the tap information for setting at least one tap weight associated with at least one of the multiple taps of the transmit equalizer, each tap weight comprising a driver strength value for a given tap, the tap information configured to satisfy a predefined constraint.

2. The IC according to claim 1 , wherein:

the digital sequence comprises a training sequence of symbols.

3. The IC according to claim 2 , wherein:

the training sequence of symbols is transmitted by the transmitter during an initialization mode of operation.

4. The IC according to claim 1 , wherein:

the tap information represents a change to at least one of the multiple taps.

5. The IC according to claim 1 , wherein:

each driver strength value includes a sign and magnitude value.

6. The IC according to claim 1 , wherein:

the multiple taps include a main tap, a pre-cursor tap, and a post-cursor tap.

7. The IC according to claim 6 , wherein:

the tap information is further configured based on a bit error rate (BER) value.

8. A method of operation within a signaling system, the method comprising:

transmitting a digital sequence with a transmitter to a receiving device;

equalizing the digital sequence with a transmit equalizer in association with multiple taps;

receiving tap information from the receiving device, the tap information for setting at least one tap weight associated with at least one of the multiple taps of the transmit equalizer, each tap weight comprising a driver strength value for a given tap, wherein the tap information of the at least one tap weight associated with the at least one of the multiple taps satisfies a predefined constraint; and

wherein a tap weight associated with the at least one of the multiple taps is updated responsive to the received tap information.

9. The method according to claim 8 , further comprising:

entering an initialization mode of operation; and

performing the transmitting, equalizing and receiving during the initialization mode of operation.

10. The method according to claim 8 , wherein transmitting the digital sequence comprises:

transmitting a training sequence of symbols.

11. The method according to claim 8 , wherein:

the tap information represents a change to at least one of the multiple taps.

12. The method according to claim 8 , wherein:

the tap information represents a tap weight value for substitution for at least one of the multiple taps.

13. The method according to claim 8 , wherein:

the multiple taps includes a main tap, a pre-cursor tap, and a post-cursor tap.

14. The method according to claim 13 , wherein:

the received tap information is based on a bit error rate (BER) associated with the transmitted digital sequence.

15. An integrated circuit (IC) chip, comprising:

driver circuitry to transmit a training sequence of symbols to a receiving device during an initialization mode;

an equalizer circuit to equalize the transmitted training sequence of symbols with at least one of multiple taps; and

a receiver circuit to receive tap information from the receiving device, the tap information for setting at least one tap weight associated with at least one of the multiple taps of the equalizer circuit, each tap weight comprising a driver strength value for a given tap, the tap information for the at least one tap configured to satisfy a predefined constraint.

16. The IC chip according to claim 15 , wherein:

the tap information represents a change to at least one of the multiple taps.

17. The IC chip according to claim 15 , wherein:

the tap information represents a tap weight value for substitution for at least one of the multiple taps.

18. The IC chip according to claim 15 , wherein:

the multiple taps include a main tap, a pre-cursor tap, and a post-cursor tap.

19. The IC chip according to claim 15 , wherein:

the tap information is further configured based on an error value.

20. The IC chip according to claim 19 , wherein:

the error value comprises a bit error rate (BER) associated with the transmitted training sequence of symbols.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 13, 2023
From: RAMBUS INC.
To: K.MIZRA LLC
Reel/Frame 065229/0338 →
Continuity (12)
Continuation 17000191 · Aug 21, 2020
Continuation 16548708 · Aug 22, 2019
Continuation 15616408 · Jun 7, 2017
Continuation 15006041 · Jan 25, 2016
Continuation 14620163 · Feb 11, 2015
Continuation 13913156 · Jun 7, 2013
Continuation 13476247 · May 21, 2012
Continuation 12693285 · Jan 25, 2010
Continuation 12206629 · Sep 8, 2008
Continuation 11538333 · Oct 3, 2006
Division 10740087 · Dec 17, 2003
Related Publication 20220209999A1 · Jun 30, 2022
Cited By (1)
US 12,700,866