Decision feedback equalizer with dynamic feedback control

An apparatus including a decision feedback equalizer with dynamic feedback control for adaptively controlling a pre-slicer data signal that is sliced to provide a post-slicer data signal, comprising:

• first signal combining circuitry that combines at least first and second feedback signals with an input signal representing a plurality of data to provide a pre-slicer signal;
• signal slicing circuitry, coupled to said first signal combining circuitry, that slices said pre-slicer signal to provide a post-slicer signal indicative of said plurality of data;
• first decision feedback circuitry, coupled to said signal slicing circuitry, that processes said post-slicer signal in response to at least one adaptation control signal to provide said first feedback signal;
• second decision feedback circuitry, coupled to said signal slicing circuitry, that delays and processes said post-slicer signal in response to a plurality of adaptation control signals to provide a delayed post-slicer signal and said second feedback signal;
• and
• adaptation control circuitry, coupled to said first and second decision feedback circuitries, that further delays and processes said delayed post-slicer signal in response to a difference signal indicative of a difference between said pre-slicer and post-slicer signals to provide said at least one and plurality of adaptation control signals, and includes
• adaptive timing control circuitry that selectively delays said delayed post-slicer signal in response to a plurality of adaptive timing control signals to provide an adaptively delayed post-slicer signal,
• tapped delay circuitry, coupled to said adaptive tuning control circuitry, that further delays said adaptively delayed post-slicer signal to provide a plurality of successively further delayed post-slicer signals, and
• second signal combining circuitry, coupled to said tapped delay circuitry, that combines said plurality of successively further delayed post-slicer signals and said difference signal to provide said at least one and plurality of adaptation control signals.

A method for adaptively controlling a pre-slicer data signal that is sliced to provide a post-slicer data signal, comprising:

• combining at least first and second feedback signals with an input signal representing a plurality of data to produce a pre-slicer signal;
• slicing said pre-slicer signal to produce a post-slicer signal indicative of said plurality of data;
• processing said post-slicer signal in response to at least one adaptation control signal to produce said first feedback signal;
• delaying and processing said post-slicer signal in response to a plurality of adaptation control signals to produce a delayed post-slicer signal and said second feedback signal;
• and
• delaying and processing said delayed post-slicer signal in response to a difference signal indicative of a difference between said pre-slicer and post-slicer signals to produce said at least one and plurality of adaptation control signals by
• selectively delaying said delayed post-slicer signal in response to a plurality of adaptive timing control signals to produce an adaptively delayed post-slicer signal,
• further delaying said adaptively delayed post-slicer signal to produce a plurality of successively further delayed post-slicer signals, and
• combining said plurality of successively further delayed post-slicer signals and said difference signal to produce said at least one and plurality of adaptation control signals.