Apparatus and method for multilevel signaling
AssigneeRambus Inc.
InventorsDonald V. Perino, John B. Dillon
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system for transmitting information from a source to a destination using multilevel signaling. Multiple conductors are coupled between the transmission source and the transmission destination. Multiple drivers are coupled to the conductors at the transmission source. Each driver is coupled to a pair of conductors. Multiple comparators are coupled to the conductors at the transmission destination. Each comparator is coupled to a pair of conductors. The information is encoded into a sequence of symbols in which each symbol represents a unique permutation of signal levels on the conductors. Each signal level is used at least once for each symbol. All signal levels associated with a particular symbol are transmitted over the conductors simultaneously.
Claims23
An apparatus for multilevel signaling comprising:
- at least three conductors coupled between a transmission source and a transmission destination;
- a plurality of drivers coupled to said conductors at said transmission source, wherein said drivers generate a signal pattern on said conductors indicating a particular symbol being transmitted from said transmission source to said transmission destination, wherein said signal pattern comprises an odd mode eigenvector.
An apparatus for transmitting data from a source to a destination comprising:
- n conductors coupled between said source and said destination;
- a plurality of drivers coupled to said n conductors at said source;
- and
- a plurality of comparators coupled to said n conductors at said destination, each comparator having a pair of inputs coupled to two of said n conductors, wherein said comparator inputs are coupled to form an "n choose two" combinatorial matrix.
A method of transmitting and receiving information over a plurality of conductors using a plurality of signal levels, said method comprising the steps of:
- encoding said information into a seguence of symbols wherein each symbol represents a permutation of signal levels on the plurality of conductors;
- transmitting said sequence of symbols over said plurality of conductors;
- receiving said sequence of symbols transmitted over said plurality of conductors and generating an output signal using an "n choose two" combinatorial matrix;
- and
- detecting a difference between the signal levels on pairs of said plurality of conductors and converting said differences into said information.
An apparatus for transmitting a sequence of symbols over a multiconductor transmission line having at least three conductors having common and differential mode eigenvector wave propagation, comprising:
- means for encoding a data sequence into said sequence of symbols wherein each symbol represents a combination of signal levels on the plurality of conductors;
- and
- means for transmitting said sequence of symbols over said multiconductor transmission line, wherein the symbols are transmitted over the multiconductor transmission line using only differential mode eigenvector wave propagation.
An apparatus for providing multilevel signaling to a multiconductor transmission line, the apparatus comprising:
- at least three outputs each for coupling to a different conductor of the multiconductor line;
- and
- at least three drivers each coupled to a unique pair of the outputs, wherein said drivers are configured to generate a signal pattern on said multiconductor transmission line, wherein said signal pattern comprises an odd mode eigenvector.
An apparatus for receiving multilevel signaling from a multiconductor transmission line, the apparatus comprising:
- at least three inputs each for coupling to a different conductor of the multiconductor transmission line;
- and
- at least three comparators each coupled to a unique pair of the inputs, wherein said comparators are coupled to form an "n choose two" combinatorial matrix.
A method of communicating over a multiconductor transmission line, the method comprising:
- encoding a data sequence into a sequence of symbols to be transmitted over the multiconductor transmission line, wherein the multiconductor line has at least three conductors, and wherein the multiconductor line has common and differential mode eigenvector wave propagation over the conductors and wherein a symbol consists of a signal level on each conductor, the signal level being one of at least three different signal levels;
- and
- transmitting said sequence of symbols over the multiconductor line, wherein the symbols are propagated over the multiconductor line using only differential mode eigenvector wave propagation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.