Methods and circuits for asymmetric distribution of channel equalization between devices

A method for calibrating a transmit equalizer, the method comprising:

• receiving a receive signal corrupted with inter-symbol interference;
• measuring the inter-symbol interference of the received signal, thereby providing a measure of inter-symbol interference;
• equalizing the receive signal using X receive coefficients;
• adjusting at least one of the X receive coefficients responsive to the measure of inter-symbol interference;
• pre-emphasizing a transmit signal using M transmit coefficients;
• and
• adjusting at least one of the M transmit coefficients responsive to the measure of inter-symbol interference.

A memory buffer comprising:

• a transmit equalizer with M filter taps and an output driver, the transmit equalizer to equalize a first signal and transmit the equalized first signal;
• a receive equalizer with X filter taps, the receive equalizer to receive a second signal corrupted with inter-symbol interference, equalize the second signal, and sample the equalized second signal to issue received samples;
• means for measuring the inter-symbol interference of the second signal to produce a measure of the inter-symbol interference;
• and
• means for adjusting at least one of the M filter taps of the transmit equalizer and at least one of the X filter taps of the receive equalizer responsive to the measure of the inter-symbol interference.