Transmitter Equalizer Tap Adaptation via Dimensional Search
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current data networking technologies face challenges in efficiently adapting transmitter equalizer tap settings for reliable communication across electrical backplanes, particularly in blade servers, due to the need for manual characterization and limited adjustability, which leads to interoperability issues and increased bring-up time.
Innovation Solution
A method is introduced to divide the multi-dimensional search space of tap settings into orthogonal single-dimensional spaces, allowing for automated adaptation of transmitter equalizer tap settings through incremental and decremental commands, enabling rapid selection of optimal tap values based on bit error rate analysis.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual characterization is used to determine transmitter equalizer tap settings, then interoperability between devices can be ensured, but system bring-up time increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs self-characterization by automatically measuring bit error rates and adjusting tap settings without requiring manual intervention. The transceiver autonomously divides the search space, tests different tap values, and selects optimal settings based on BER performance, eliminating the need for manual characterization while ensuring interoperability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses bit error rate measurements as feedback to automatically adjust and optimize transmitter equalizer tap settings. By continuously monitoring BER and adjusting taps based on performance feedback, the system achieves reliable interoperability without manual characterization, significantly reducing system bring-up time.
2Reliability
If the search space of tap settings is searched exhaustively to find optimal values, then communication reliability improves, but the time required for adaptation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The multi-dimensional search space of tap settings is divided into multiple single-dimensional search spaces, one for each tap. This segmentation allows the system to search for optimal values of each tap independently in sequence, reducing the overall search time while still finding optimal settings that ensure communication reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary testing with initialize tap values to quickly determine if they provide acceptable performance. If the initialize values fail to meet performance criteria, the system then proceeds to search for optimal values. This preliminary action avoids unnecessary exhaustive searching when default values are sufficient, reducing adaptation time.
3Device complexity
If fixed tap settings are used in transmitter equalizer, then device complexity is reduced, but adaptability to different configurations and age-related degradation is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The transmitter equalizer tap settings are made dynamic and adjustable rather than fixed. The system can automatically adjust tap values based on measured performance and divide the search space into manageable segments for efficient searching. This dynamic capability allows adaptation to different configurations and age-related degradation while maintaining relatively simple device architecture.
Data Source
AI summary
One embodiment relates to a method of automated adaptation of a transmitter equalizer. A multi-dimensional search space of tap settings for the transmitter equalizer is divided into multiple single-dimensional search spaces, each single-dimensional search space being associated with a single tap of the transmitter equalizer. The multiple single-dimensional search spaces are searched in series, and a tap for a single-dimensional search space is set before searching a next single-dimensional search space. Another embodiment relates to a transceiver with adaptation circuitry configured to implement the above-described method. Other embodiments, aspects, and features are also disclosed.