On-chip alien crosstalk characterization and diagnostics
AssigneeAquantia Corporation
InventorHossein Sedarat
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for characterizing alien crosstalk between an aggressor link and a victim link is disclosed. The method includes operating a transmit transceiver coupled to the aggressor link in a transmit mode of operation. A receive transceiver is coupled to the victim link in a receive mode of operation. Using the receive transceiver, a parameter is measured that is associated with alien crosstalk due to transmissions from the aggressor link.
Claims20
A method for in-situ network measurement of alien crosstalk between Ethernet links connected to respective network devices, the links and network devices defining an Ethernet network, the method comprising:
- selecting from among the Ethernet links an aggressor link and a victim link;
- initiating a diagnostic mode of operation for the aggressor link and the victim link;
- transmitting a known signal pattern on the aggressor link with a first Ethernet transceiver chip at a transmit end of the aggressor link;
- receiving noise along the victim link during the transmitting of the known signal pattern, the receiving carried out by circuitry in a second Ethernet transceiver chip disposed at a receive end of the victim link;
- processing the received noise to generate alien crosstalk information;
- and
- exchanging the generated alien crosstalk information between link partners of the victim link.
An Ethernet transceiver integrated circuit (IC) chip comprising:
- transmit circuitry to transmit signals along an Ethernet link;
- receive circuitry to receive signals from the Ethernet link;
- and
- logic disposed in the Ethernet transceiver IC chip, the logic operable during a diagnostic mode of operation to measure a parameter associated with the link, the parameter indicating a level of alien crosstalk affecting the link due to transmission of a known signal pattern along a second Ethernet link, the logic operable to generate alien crosstalk information corresponding to the measured parameter and to exchange the generated alien crosstalk information with a link partner.
A method of operation in an Ethernet transceiver intergrated circuit (IC) chip, the method comprising:
- receiving a command to enter into a diagnostic mode of operation;
- receiving a configuration signal to operate as a portion of a victim link;
- receiving noise along the victim link during the transmission of a known signal pattern from an aggressor link;
- processing the received noise to generate alien crosstalk information;
- and
- exchanging the generated alien crosstalk information with a link partner.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.