Methods and Systems for Transmitting Data by Modulating Transmitter Filter Coefficients

A method for transmitting first and second data to a receiver over a communication link, the method comprising:

• generating a filter coefficient;
• modulating the filter coefficient using the second data;
• equalizing the first data, using the modulated filter coefficient, to provide equalized first data;
• and
• transmitting the equalized first data to the receiver.

A method comprising:

• receiving a combined signal;
• recovering first data from the combined signal;
• detecting intersymbol interference of the combined signal;
• and
• demodulating the intersymbol interference to recover second data.

A multi-channel communication system comprising:

• a first data input node to receive first data;
• a second data input node to receive second data;
• means for transmitting the first data as an equalized signal;
• means for modulating the equalized signal with the second data to introduce apparent ISI into the equalized signal;
• and
• means for detecting the apparent ISI from the equalized signal.

A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a data structure defining a transmitter adapted to transmit first and second data signals expressed as sequences of data symbols, the data structure comprising:

• first data representing first and second data input nodes to receive the first and second data signals;
• second data representing a data output node to transmit the first data;
• third data representing a filter tap with a filter-coefficient input node;
• and
• fourth data representing a modulator coupled between the second transmitter data input node and the filter-coefficient input node, the transmitter to transmit, with the first data, the second data from the transmitter data output node as modulated second data.

An integrated circuit comprising:

• a first transmitter data input node to receive first data;
• a second transmitter data input node to receive second data;
• a transmitter data output node to transmit the first data;
• a filter-coefficient input node to receive a filter-coefficient signal;
• and
• a modulator coupled between the second transmitter data input node and the filter-coefficient input node to modulate the filter-coefficient signal with the second data.

A receiver comprising:

• a receiver input node to receive a combined signal, the combined signal conveying first data and exhibiting cumulative intersymbol interference (ISI);
• a main receiver to recover the first data;
• an ISI detector coupled to the receiver input node to detect the cumulative ISI;
• and
• a demodulator coupled to an output of the ISI detector to recover second data from the cumulative ISI.