Patent ID: 6757348
Filing Date: 2004-06-29
Classification: G06F,H04L

Abstract:
A buffer system for a multi-lane communications link comprising:a plurality of buffers, wherein each buffer is coupled to a corresponding lane of the communications link, wherein each buffer is configured to receive data at a rate corresponding to a write clock signal associated with the received data, wherein received data is removed from the buffer at a rate corresponding to a read clock signal, and wherein a low threshold and a high threshold are defined for each of the buffers; and a buffer controller coupled to each of the buffers, wherein the buffer controller is configured to monitor each of the buffers and to detect when data in any of the buffers reaches one of the thresholds; wherein the buffer controller is configured to add a fill word to each of the buffers in response to detecting that data in any one of the buffers has reached the low threshold; and wherein the buffer controller is configured to delete a fill word from each of the buffers in response to detecting that data in any one of the buffers has reached the high threshold.