Hot-Pluggable Serial Link Recovery Circuit
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Solution Overview
Problem
High-speed serial communication links face reliability issues due to difficulties in maintaining connection reliability after repeated connections and disconnections, leading to challenges in dynamic link management.
Innovation Solution
A communication circuit with a receiver, aligner, and link recovery circuit that initializes and resets the clock-and-data recovery unit and decision feedback equalizer after disconnection, using a training sequence and clock compensation sequences to ensure proper reconnection and data recovery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If hot-pluggable dynamic connection is implemented to increase flexibility, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to connection instability at high data rates
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by transmitting training sequences and clock compensation sequences before normal data transmission, and executes reset operations on the receiver when disconnection is detected. This preliminary initialization and periodic re-initialization ensures that the connection is properly established and maintained, preventing reliability issues from arising during dynamic hot-plugging operations.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple connections and disconnections are performed to enhance adaptability, then adaptability is improved, but reliability worsens due to difficulty in ensuring continued reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements periodic action by continuously monitoring for control blocks in the received data stream and periodically resetting the receiver when disconnection conditions are detected (when control blocks are absent for a threshold number of blocks). This periodic detection and re-initialization mechanism allows the system to adapt to multiple connection cycles while maintaining reliability by repeatedly re-establishing proper synchronization.
3Reliability
If receiver reset is implemented after disconnection to maintain reliability, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements self-service by using the data stream itself to detect disconnection conditions through the absence of control blocks, and automatically triggering the reset operation without external intervention. The link recovery circuit monitors the incoming blocks and autonomously determines when a reset is needed, eliminating the need for complex external control logic while maintaining reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
A communication circuit includes a communication port, a receiver an aligner, and a link recovery circuit. The communication port is configured to connect to a communication link and to disconnect from the communication link. The receiver is configured to generate, while the communication link is connected to the communication port, a serial sequence of received bits recovered from the communication link. The aligner is configured to decode a received sequence of blocks from the serial sequence of received bits. The blocks of the received sequence include data blocks and control blocks. The link recovery circuit is configured to reset the receiver in response to the blocks, in the received sequence after a first one of the control blocks and before a next one of the control blocks, numbering greater than a threshold number.