High-Speed Interconnect Frame Boundary Synchronization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for synchronizing a local transmitter and a remote receiver in communication systems are unreliable, leading to high bit-error-rates due to incorrect determination of frame boundaries, especially in high-speed communication systems like chip-to-chip interconnects using ground-referenced signaling.
Innovation Solution
The system transmits request frames with error codes for synchronization, where the receiver performs error decode operations to determine frame boundaries, and upon successful synchronization, it acknowledges the transmitter to initiate data transmission, ensuring accurate frame alignment and reducing bit-error-rates by skipping and rechecking subsequent frames until proper alignment is achieved.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional synchronization methods (scanning for special symbols or fields) are used, then the receiver can attempt to synchronize with the transmitter, but the synchronization becomes unreliable and causes high bit-error-rates due to incorrect frame boundary determination
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the receiver transmits acknowledgment frames back to the transmitter to confirm successful synchronization and frame boundary detection. This feedback loop allows the transmitter to adjust its transmission based on the receiver's synchronization status, improving reliability and reducing bit-error-rates by ensuring accurate frame alignment before data transmission begins.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary synchronization actions by exchanging request frames and acknowledgment frames before actual data transmission occurs. The receiver first sends request frames to the transmitter, waits for acknowledgment frames confirming proper frame boundary detection, and only then begins data transmission. This preliminary action ensures that both devices are synchronized before critical data is transmitted, eliminating frame boundary detection errors.
2Ease of operation
If the receiver scans for special symbols or keywords to synchronize, then frame boundaries can be identified, but false synchronization occurs leading to incorrect data interpretation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses feedback through acknowledgment frames to verify that frame boundary detection is accurate. The transmitter sends request frames, the receiver detects frame boundaries and sends acknowledgment frames back, and the transmitter confirms receipt. This multi-step feedback verification process prevents false synchronization by ensuring both devices agree on frame boundaries before data transmission begins.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary frame boundary detection and verification using request and acknowledgment frames before actual data transmission. The receiver first identifies potential frame boundaries by scanning for special symbols, then verifies accuracy through the acknowledgment frame exchange process. Only after successful verification does the system proceed to data transmission, eliminating false synchronization while maintaining ease of operation.
3Stability of the object's composition
If hysteresis filters are used for synchronization, then the receiver can filter out noise, but the method remains unreliable for high-speed communication
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary synchronization using request frames and acknowledgment frames before high-speed data transmission begins. This preliminary action establishes reliable frame boundaries and synchronization status in advance, allowing the system to switch to high-speed data transmission without the need for continuous hysteresis filtering during the actual communication, thereby maintaining both stability and productivity.
Data Source
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AI summary
A system includes a first device and a second device coupled to a link. The first device is to transmit one or more request frames for synchronization of a data layer, each request frame including a quantity of bits and an error code. The second device is to receive a first set of bits corresponding to the quantity of bits in each request frame. The second device is to perform an error decode operation on the first set of bits using a first portion of the first set of bits and determine the first set of bits correspond to a frame boundary of the one more request frames responsive to a success of the error decode operation. The second device is to transmit an acknowledgement of the synchronization of the data layer based on determining the first set of bits corresponds to the frame boundary.