US 12,732,397 B1 · Adaptive frame alignment

Abstract

The present disclosure describes apparatuses and methods for adaptive frame alignment for a receiver. In some aspects, an adaptive frame aligner detects a failure by a decoder to decode a frame of symbols that are stored in a buffer. In response to the failure to decode, the adaptive frame aligner alters a pointer of the buffer to realign the symbols of a subsequent frame. The decoder can then attempt to decode the realigned symbols of the subsequent frame to provide decoded data of the subsequent frame. If the decoding attempt fails, the adaptive frame aligner can alter the pointer again to provide a different realignment of the symbols of another subsequent frame and may repeat this process until the decoder is able to decode the realigned symbols of a frame. By so doing, the adaptive frame aligner may enable the decoder to decoder the frame without retraining a data link.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method for adaptive frame alignment implemented by a receiver, comprising:

storing symbols received via a physical layer (PHY) in a first-in, first-out (FIFO) buffer of the receiver;
forming, based on a pointer of the FIFO buffer, a first frame of symbols from first symbols stored in the FIFO buffer, a position of the pointer indicating a respective starting symbol for frames formed from the symbols stored in the FIFO buffer;
providing, from the FIFO buffer, the first frame of symbols to a decoder of the receiver for decoding;
detecting a failure to decode the first frame of symbols;
moving, in response to the failure to decode the first frame of symbols, the position of the pointer of the FIFO buffer forward one symbol or backward one symbol to realign symbols of a second frame of symbols formed from second symbols stored in the FIFO buffer, the second symbols from which the second frame is formed being different from the first symbols from which the first frame is formed;
decoding the realigned symbols of the second frame of symbols;
and
providing data decoded from the realigned symbols of the second frame of symbols.

5 more elements

A network device comprising:

a network port;
a physical layer (PHY) coupled to the network port;
a decoder;
a first-in, first-out (FIFO) buffer configured to store symbols received via the PHY;
and
an adaptive frame aligner configured to:
store the symbols received via the PHY to the FIFO buffer;
form, based on a pointer of the FIFO buffer, a first frame from first symbols stored in the FIFO buffer, a position of the pointer indicating a respective starting symbol for frames formed from the symbols stored in the FIFO buffer;
send the first frame of symbols to the decoder for decoding;
receive, from the decoder, an indication of a failure to decode the first frame of symbols;
move, in response to the failure to decode the first frame of symbols, the position of the pointer of the FIFO forward one symbol or backward one symbol to realign symbols of a subsequent second frame of symbols formed from second symbols stored in the FIFO buffer, the second symbols from which the second frame is formed being different from the first symbols from which the first frame is formed;
and
send the second frame of symbols to the decoder for decoding to provide decoded data that corresponds to the second frame of symbols.

10 more elements

A system-on-chip (SoC) comprising:

circuitry configured to implement a wired communication interface;
a physical layer (PHY) coupled to the circuitry;
a decoder;
a first-in, first-out (FIFO) buffer configured to store symbols received via the PHY;
and
an adaptive frame aligner configured to:
store the symbols received via the PHY to the FIFO buffer;
form, based on a pointer of the FIFO buffer, a first frame of symbols from first symbols stored in the FIFO buffer, a position of the pointer indicating a respective starting symbol for frames formed from the symbols stored in the FIFO buffer;
send the first frame of symbols to the decoder for decoding;
receive, from the decoder, an indication of a failure to decode the first frame of symbols;
alter, in response to the failure to decode the first frame of symbols, the position of the pointer of the FIFO buffer forward one symbol or backward one symbol to realign symbols of a second frame of symbols formed from second symbols stored in the FIFO buffer, the second symbols from which the second frame is formed being different from the first symbols from which the first frame is formed;
and
send the second frame of symbols to the decoder for decoding to provide decoded data that corresponds to the second frame of symbols.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Adaptive frame alignment

Life of this patent

Adaptive frame alignment

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20