Link layer-PHY interface adapter
AssigneeIntel Corporation
InventorsNarasimha Lanka, Swadesh Choudhary, Mahesh Wagh, Lakshmipriya Seshan
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Abstract
An adapter is provided that includes a first interface to couple to a particular device, where link layer data is to be communicated over the first interface, and a second interface to couple to a physical layer (PHY) device. The PHY device includes wires to implement a physical layer of a link, and the link couples the adapter to another adapter via the PHY device. The second interface includes a data channel to communicate the link layer data over the physical layer, and a sideband channel to communicate sideband messages between the adapter and the other adapter over the physical layer. The adapter is to implement a logical PHY for the link.
Claims22
An apparatus comprising:
- adapter circuitry to perform link state management for a die-to-die link to couple a first die to a second die;
- a protocol layer interface to couple the adapter circuitry to one or more protocol layer blocks, wherein the protocol layer interface comprises:
- a set of data signals to carry data;
- and
- a stream signal to identify that one of a plurality of different protocols is associated with the data;
- and
- a physical layer (PHY) interface to couple the adapter circuitry to a PHY block, wherein the PHY interface comprises:
- a number of data signals;
- and
- a set of sideband signals.
An apparatus comprising:
- physical layer circuitry to implement a physical layer (PHY) of a die-to-die link, wherein the PHY comprises a data channel and a separate sideband channel, and the die-to-die link couples a first die to a second die;
- an adapter interface to couple the PHY circuitry to an adapter block, wherein the adapter block is to perform link state management for the die-to-die link, and the adapter interface comprises:
- a set of data signals comprising:
- a number of data signals to transfer data between the physical layer circuitry and the adapter block;
- and
- a data valid signal to indicate that data on the number of data signals is valid;
- and
- a set of sideband signals to carry information to indicate a link state transition for the die-to-die link, wherein the physical layer circuitry is to indicate the link state transition to the second die on the separate sideband channel.
A system comprising:
- a first die;
- and
- a second die coupled to the first die by a die-to-die link, wherein the second die comprises:
- one or more protocol layer blocks to implement one or more protocol layers of the die-to-die link;
- a physical layer (PHY) block to implement a physical layer for the die-to-die link, wherein the die-to-die link comprises a data channel and a separate sideband channel;
- and
- an adapter block to operate with the one or more protocol layer blocks and the PHY block to ensure successful data transfer across the die-to-die link, wherein the adapter block comprises:
- a protocol layer interface to couple the adapter circuitry to one or more protocol layer blocks;
- and
- an physical layer (PHY) interface to couple the adapter circuitry to a PHY block.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.