High-speed signaling systems and methods with adaptable, continuous-time equalization

An integrated circuit comprising:

• a continuous-time equalizer to receive a signal and to equalize the received signal to produce an equalized signal, wherein the continuous-time equalizer exhibits a gain that is adjustable in response to a control signal;
• a first sampler to periodically sample the equalized signal to produce data samples;
• a second sampler to sample the equalized signal and thereby produce error samples;
• and
• an adaptation engine to receive the data samples and the error samples and to issue the control signal to the continuous-time equalizer responsive to the data samples and the error samples.

An integrated circuit comprising:

• a continuous-time equalizer having an equalizer input port to receive an input signal, an equalizer control port, and an equalizer output port, the continuous-time equalizer to equalize the input signal to produce an equalized signal;
• means for measuring first-post-cursor inter-symbol interference (ISI) exhibited by the equalized signal;
• and
• means for adjusting the continuous-time equalizer based upon the measured first-post-cursor ISI.

A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a data structure defining a receiver adapted to receive signals conveyed over a communication channel, the data structure comprising:

• first data representing a continuous-time equalizer having an equalizer input port coupled to the channel, an equalizer control port, and an equalizer output port, the continuous-time equalizer to equalize the signals to produce equalized signals on the equalizer output port;
• second data representing a data sampler having a data-sampler input port, coupled to the equalizer output port, and a data-sampler output port, the data sampler to periodically sample the equalized signals and thereby produce data samples;
• third data representing an error sampler having an error-sampler input port, coupled to the equalizer output port, and an error-sampler output port, the error sampler to periodically sample the equalized signals and thereby produce error samples;
• and
• fourth data representing an adaptation engine having a first adaptation-engine input port coupled to the data-sampler output port, a second adaptation-engine input port coupled to the error-sampler output port, and an adaptation-engine output port coupled to the equalizer control port.