Error burst detection for assessing reliability of a communication link

摘要

Methods, apparatus, and systems for preventing false packet acceptance in high-speed links. In accordance with one aspect, embodiments are disclosed that facilitate assessing the probability of error bursts in receivers that include decision feedback equalizers (DFEs) and that perform non-contiguous mapping of received bits to frame bits. From this probability, calculation of a mean-time to false packet acceptance (MTTFPA) may be determined, and indication that a projected link MTTFPA is too low can be used to trigger an alert or invoke some safety mechanism. Associated operations may then be performed to ensure the link is prevented from being operated in an unsafe condition under which false packet acceptance may occur.

主权项

1. A method for detecting errant link operating conditions in a link comprising a plurality of physical lanes over which data is transmitted and received using a plurality of virtual lanes, comprising:
receiving data via the plurality of physical lanes as a plurality of data streams, the data corresponding to a plurality of MAC (Media Access Channel) frames employing a cyclic redundancy check; multiplexing data corresponding each data stream onto a first plurality of virtual lanes; processing data received via each of the first plurality of virtual lanes and detecting errors in the received data on a virtual lane-by-lane basis; generating error indications indicating one or more errors has been detected on at least one virtual lane; employing the error indications to detect error burst events comprising a burst of errors in the data received over the link; detecting an errant link operating condition based on a detected error burst event; and in response to detection of the errant link operating condition, at least one of pausing and restarting the link to reduce the probability of false packet acceptance of a MAC frame employing the cyclic redundancy check.