Direct Feedback Equalization with Dynamic Referencing

A method comprising:

• operating a receiver circuit in a first mode, wherein during operations in the first mode, the receiver circuit is configured to compare received data signals received on a data path to a reference voltage generated in a reference voltage path separate from the data path;
• providing as feedback to a reference voltage generator in the reference voltage path, results of each comparison of received data signals to the reference voltage during operation in the first mode;
• adjusting the reference voltage using the reference voltage generator based on previous comparison results during operation in the first mode;
• generating the reference voltage as a static voltage, using the reference voltage generator, during operation in a second mode;
• inhibiting feedback from being provided to internal circuitry of the reference voltage generator during operation in the second mode;
• providing power to first and second slicers of the receiver circuit during operation in the first mode;
• inhibiting power from being provided to third and fourth slicers of the receiver circuit during operation in the first mode;
• and
• providing power to the first, second, third and fourth slicers during operation in the second mode.

A receiver circuit comprising:

• first and second comparators each coupled to receive data signals from a data signal path and a reference voltage on respective reference voltage inputs, wherein the first and second comparators are configured to compare respectively received data signals to the reference voltage;
• and
• a reference voltage generator configured to generate and coupled to provide the reference voltage to the first and second comparators;
• wherein, during operation in a first mode, the reference voltage generator is configured to dynamically generate the reference voltage based on feedback received from the first and second comparators;
• and
• wherein, during operation in a second mode, the reference voltage generator is configured to generate a static reference voltage;
• wherein the receiver circuit further comprises third and fourth comparators coupled to receive data signals from the data signal path, wherein the third and fourth comparators are configured to be powered down during operation in the first mode and further configured to perform comparisons of respectively received data signals to the reference voltage during operation in the second mode.