High-speed parallel decision feedback equalizer, equalization method and channel interface module

Abstract

A decision-feedback equalizer (DFE) can be operated at higher frequencies when parallelization and pre-computation techniques are employed. Disclosed herein is a DFE design suitable for equalizing receive signals with bit rates above 10 GHz, making it feasible to employ decision feedback equalization in silicon-based optical transceiver modules. One illustrative embodiment includes a front end filter to reduce leading intersymbol interference in a receive signal; a serial-to-parallel converter and at least one pre-compensation unit that together convert the filtered signal into grouped sets of tentative decisions, the sets in each group being made available in parallel; a set of pipelined DFE multiplexer units to select a contingent symbol decision from each set of tentative decisions to form groups of contingent symbol decisions based on a presumed sequence of preceding symbol decisions; and an output multiplexer that chooses, based on preceding symbol decisions, one of said groups of contingent symbol decisions.

Description

technical field [0001] The invention belongs to the technical field of digital communication, and relates to a signal equalizer in a signal receiving device, in particular to a high-speed parallel judgment feedback equalizer, an equalization method and an interface module. Background technique [0002] Digital communications occur between a sending device and a receiving device through an intermediate communications medium or "channel" such as a fiber optic cable or insulated copper wire. Each transmitting device typically transmits symbols at a fixed symbol rate, while each receiving device detects the (possibly corrupted) sequence of symbols and attempts to reconstruct the transmitted data. A "symbol" is a state or significant condition of a channel that lasts for a fixed period of time (called a "symbol interval"). A symbol can be, for example, a voltage or current level, an optical power level, a phase value, or a specific frequency or wavelength. Changing from one cha...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

(for a symbol rate of 10Gbit / s) At a symbol interval of 100 picoseconds, this implementation cannot be performed with currently available silicon semiconductor processing technology

Even data rates on the order of a few gigabits per second can be difficult to achieve due to the performance limitations of silicon-based integrated circuits

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