Data Stream Alignment Markers for Non-Power-of-Two Lanes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing data stream processing methods fail to restore the data stream when the number of physical lanes is not a power of 2, as they rely on alignment markers that cannot be evenly allocated and aligned across non-2^n lanes.
Innovation Solution
A data stream processing method that inserts second alignment markers into the data stream, ensuring their period and size are integer multiples of the number of physical lanes, allowing even distribution and alignment, even when the number of lanes is not a power of 2.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If alignment markers are inserted into the data stream for restoration, then the data stream can be restored at the receive end, but the method is applicable only when the quantity of physical lanes is 2n and cannot handle non-2n lane configurations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameters of alignment markers by introducing a second alignment marker with a different period and size that are integer multiples of the actual lane quantity. This allows the alignment marker configuration to adapt to non-2n lane scenarios while maintaining restoration capability. Specifically, the second alignment marker's period is set to an integer multiple of the lane quantity, and its size is also an integer multiple of the lane quantity, enabling even distribution across any number of lanes.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the quantity of physical lanes is not 2n, then transmission flexibility is improved, but the receive end cannot restore the data stream using conventional alignment marker methods
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a second alignment marker as an intermediary element that bridges the gap between non-2n lane configurations and data stream restoration requirements. This second alignment marker serves as a mediator that the receive end can use to align and restore data sub-streams even when the lane quantity is not a power of 2, thus enabling restoration capability in flexible lane configurations.
3Manufacturing precision
If alignment markers are evenly allocated across physical lanes, then data sub-streams can be aligned at the receive end, but this requires the lane quantity to be 2n in conventional methods
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the parameters of alignment markers by setting the period and size of the second alignment marker to integer multiples of the actual lane quantity. This parameter change enables even distribution of alignment markers across any number of lanes, not just 2n configurations, thereby achieving both alignment precision and versatility to different lane quantities.
Data Source
AI summary
A method includes periodically inserting another AM into a data stream (DS) to obtain a second DS, and the first data stream includes a first alignment marker (AM); sending the second DS through physical lanes (PLs), where a quantity of the PLs is not equal to 2n, where the second AM's insertion period and each second AM's size is based on condition 1 or 2, where condition 1 is the quantity of the PLs, where condition 2 is condition 1 and a ratio of the second DS's rate to the first DS's rate, the second AM's insertion period and each second AM's size is an integer multiple of the quantity of the PLs, and where the second DS's rate is not less than the first DS's rate, and traffic per unit time corresponding to the rate of the second DS is an integer multiple of the quantity of the PLs.