Multilevel Chip-to-Chip Driver with FIR Equalization for Noise Resilience

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current high-speed chip-to-chip communication systems face challenges in achieving high bandwidth, low latency, and low power consumption while maintaining resilience against noise and crosstalk, particularly in multi-chip systems where pin efficiency and power utilization are critical.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of a multilevel driver using vector signaling codes, such as the H4 and 5b6w codes, which transmit data over multiple wires with adjustable voltage levels, combined with multiphase processing and FIR filtering to optimize signal transmission and equalization, ensuring efficient data transfer across integrated circuit chips.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If multilevel driver with vector signaling codes is used, then bandwidth and pin efficiency are improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovebandwidthVSAvoiddevice complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by transitioning from traditional binary signaling to multilevel vector signaling codes (such as H4 and 5b6w codes). This changes the signaling parameter from 2 levels to 4 or more levels, enabling higher bandwidth and pin efficiency. The multilevel driver circuit implements this by using multiple current sources with different magnitudes to generate the additional signal levels, thereby resolving the contradiction between improved productivity and increased device complexity through deliberate parameter transformation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Productivity

If multilevel driver with vector signaling codes is used, then pin efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepin efficiencyVSAvoiddevice complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Use of energy by moving object

If multilevel driver with vector signaling codes is used, then power consumption is reduced, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower consumptionVSAvoiddevice complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

4Reliability

If multilevel driver with vector signaling codes is used, then noise and crosstalk resilience is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenoise and crosstalk resilienceVSAvoiddevice complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS11283654B2Multilevel driver for high speed chip-to-chip communications

Publication Date: 2022.03.22 KANDOU LABS SA

AI summary

A plurality of driver slice circuits arranged in parallel having a plurality of driver slice outputs, each driver slice circuit having a digital driver input and a driver slice output, each driver slice circuit configured to generate a signal level determined by the digital driver input, and a common output node connected to the plurality of driver slice outputs and a wire of a multi-wire bus, the multi-wire bus having a characteristic transmission impedance matched to an output impedance of the plurality of driver slice circuits arranged in parallel, each driver slice circuit of the plurality of driver slice circuits having an individual output impedance that is greater than the characteristic transmission impedance of the wire of the multi-wire bus.