Method and system for synchronizing serial data streams in multiple-port design
AssigneeLSI Logic Corporation
InventorsShih-Hsing Huang, Narayanan Raman
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method synchronizes serial data stream output from a multiple-port system. The multiple-port system includes a plurality of port devices. The method includes (a) timing a serial data stream at each port device, the serial data stream including a series of data frames, (b) generating a framing signal at each port device, the framing signal indicating a boundary of the data frame in the serial data stream, (c) supplying the framing signal to a next port device, and (d) synchronizing, at each next port, the timing of the serial data stream in response to the supplied framing signal.
Claims29
A method for synchronizing serial data stream output from a multiple-port system, the multiple-port system including a plurality of port devices, said method comprising:
- timing a serial data stream at each port device, the serial data stream including a series of data frames, said timing including counting a number of data units in each data frame;
- generating a framing signal at each port device, the framing signal indicating a boundary of the data frame in the serial data stream;
- supplying the framing signal to a next port device;
- synchronizing, at each next port, a data frame timing of the serial data stream by restarting said counting the data units in each data frame in response to the supplied framing signal;
- and
- outputting the synchronized serial data stream from each port device.
A multiple-port system for synchronizing serial data stream output from multiple ports, said system comprising:
- a plurality of port devices, each port device including
- a data output for outputting a serial data stream, the serial data stream including a series of data frames,
- a timing device for timing the serial data stream by counting a number of data units in each data frame,
- a framing signal output for outputting a framing signal, the framing signal indicating a boundary of the data frame in the serial data stream,
- a synchronization signal input for receiving a synchronization signal, said timing device synchronizing a data frame timing of the serial data stream by restarting counting the data units in each data frame in the serial data steam in response to the synchronization signal;
- and
- a synchronization signal line coupling said framing signal output of a port device to said synchronization signal input of a next port device.
An apparatus for synchronizing serial data stream output from a multiple-port system, the multiple-port system including a plurality of port devices, said apparatus comprising:
- means for timing a serial data stream at each port device, the serial data stream including a series of data frames, said means for timing including means for counting a number of data units in each data frame;
- means for generating a framing signal at each port device, the framing signal indicating a boundary of the data frame in the serial data stream;
- means for supplying the framing signal to a next port device;
- means for synchronizing, at each next port, a data frame timing of the serial data stream by restarting said means for counting the number of data units in each data frame in response to the supplied framing signal;
- and
- means for outputting the synchronized serial data stream from each port device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.