Seamless High Bandwidth Lane Addition Without Buffering
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Solution Overview
Problem
In high-bandwidth communication networks, seamlessly adding new communication lanes without disrupting fixed delay transmissions is challenging, particularly during the training phase, as existing methods require buffers to maintain delay consistency.
Innovation Solution
The method involves exchanging indications between devices to add new high-bandwidth lanes using 8b/10b code words with fixed delays, sending idle and synchronization sequences, and utilizing known non-idle sequences for deskewing, allowing seamless integration without buffers and maintaining continuous data transmission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If buffers are used to maintain fixed delay during training phase, then delay consistency is preserved, but device complexity and power consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the operational parameters of communication lanes during the training phase. Specifically, it transitions lanes from a data transmission mode with fixed delay to a training mode where lanes can operate independently without buffer constraints. This parameter change allows the system to achieve lane training without requiring buffers, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining overall system reliability through coordinated transition protocols.
2Use of energy by moving object
If all inter chip communication lanes are turned off to save power, then energy consumption is reduced, but network adaptability decreases when lanes need to be dynamically added
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by establishing a standardized training sequence and synchronization protocol before lanes are activated. When lanes need to be dynamically added, the system can quickly initialize them using pre-defined training sequences without requiring complex buffer management or interrupting existing traffic. This preliminary preparation enables efficient lane addition while maintaining power-saving mode for inactive lanes, thus preserving both energy efficiency and network adaptability.
3Productivity
If new high bandwidth lanes are added during operation, then network capacity is improved, but transmission stability is disrupted during the training phase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by separating the lane training process from the data transmission process. Existing active lanes continue to operate with fixed delay and stable transmission, while new lanes undergo training in parallel using dedicated training sequences. This segmentation allows bandwidth capacity to be improved through lane addition without disrupting the stability of ongoing transmissions, as each lane group operates independently during the transition.
Data Source
AI summary
Seamless addition of high bandwidth lanes, including the steps of: sending, by a master, an idle sequence using 7b/10b code words over new high bandwidth lanes in parallel to sending and receiving 8b/10b data with a fixed delay over master-to-slave (m2s) and slave-to-master (s2m) active high bandwidth lanes; sending in parallel a synchronization sequence and a known non-idle sequence during an inter packet gap; utilizing, by the slave, the known non-idle sequence for deskewing the new high bandwidth lanes; and sending, by the master, a transition sequence over both the m2s active high bandwidth lane and the new high bandwidth lanes, and immediately thereafter the master is ready to transmit high bandwidth data using 8b/10b code words over both the m2s active high bandwidth lane and the new high bandwidth lanes.