Orthogonal impedance tuning and feed forward equalization for segmented multiple level SST transmitter

A source-series terminated (SST) transmitter comprising:

• an output stage driver comprising a plurality of parallel-connected output driver slices coupled to a data communication link;
• a multiple-tap feed forward equalization (FFE) unit comprising at least one pre-cursor tap, main tap, or and post-cursor tap;
• and
• an impedance tuning and FFE control component configured for both implementing impedance tuning and implementing FFE resolution, where the impedance tuning comprises performing fine impedance tuning and coarse impedance tuning within each of the plurality of parallel-connected output driver slices;
• and where implementing the FFE resolution for the output stage driver comprises performing FFE resolution on the parallel-connected output driver slices by assigning respective ones of the plurality of parallel-connected output driver slices to a specific FFE tap of the at least one pre-cursor tap, main tap or post-cursor tap of the multiple-tap FFE unit.

A method comprising:

• providing (i) a segmented multiple level source-series terminated (SST) transmitter comprising an output driver comprising a plurality of parallel-connected output driver slices coupled to a data communication link and (ii) a multiple-tap feed forward equalization (FFE) unit comprising at least one pre-cursor tap, main tap, or post-cursor tap;
• performing impedance tuning within each of the plurality of parallel-connected output driver slices of the output driver;
• and
• performing FFE resolution on the plurality of parallel-connected output driver slices of the output driver by assigning respective ones of the plurality of parallel-connected output driver slices to a specific FFE tap of the at least one pre-cursor tap, main tap or post-cursor tap of the multiple-tap FFE unit, wherein the segmented multiple level SST transmitter transmits a functional serial data stream with a Pulse Amplitude Modulation, 4 Levels (PAM4) signal modulation format to the data communication link after completing the impedance tuning and the FFE resolution for the output driver.