Abstract:
On the basis
       of single-ended signals based on logic levels, and   of differential, in particular common-mode-based, signals,
 
a circuit arrangement and a corresponding method are proposed, in which a serialized signal transmission is always performed in an error-free and stable manner.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is a continuation of international (WO) patent application no. PCT/DE2012/200049, filed 16 Aug. 2012, which claims the priority of German (DE) patent application no. 10 2011 052 758.3, filed 16 Aug. 2011, the contents of each being hereby incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to a circuit arrangement and to a method for transmitting both single-ended logic-level-based data signals and clock signals, and differential, in particular common-mode-based, data signals and clock signals. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    The bit transmission layer or physical layer (PHY) is the bottom layer in the O[pen]S[ystems]I[nterconnection] layer model, also called OSI reference model and denotes a layer model of the International Standards Organisation (ISO) which in turn serves as a design basis for communication protocols in computer networks. 
         [0004]    The physical layer (PHY) is responsible for Combining, F[orward]E[rror]C[orrection], modulation, power control, spreading (C[ode]D[ivision]M[ultiple]A[ccess]) and the like and knows neither data nor applications, only zeros and ones. PHY makes logical channels (transport channels for U[niversal]M[obile]T[elecommunications]S[ystem]) available to the security layer (D[ata]L[ink]L[ayer]) above it, in particular to a partial layer called M[edia]A[ccess]C[ontrol] Layer. 
         [0005]    In principle D-PHY provides a flexible, low-cost and quick serial interface for communication links between components within a mobile device. 
         [0006]    As illustrated in  FIG. 5A , in modern mobile phones a data source, for example an application processor, provides image data as D-PHY signals to the M[obile]I[ndustry]P[rocessor]I[nterface]-D[isplay]S[erial]I[nterface] for display on a connected data sink, for example on a connected display. Also, a data sink such as an application processor, can receive, via a MIPI-C[amera]S[erial]I[nterface], image data in D-PHY format from a connected data source, such as from a connected camera. 
         [0007]    A DSI or DSI- 2  or CSI or CSI- 2  or CSI- 3  based on the D-PHY protocol comprises up to four differential data lines and a differential clock line, which electrically connect the application processor by means of a copper cable with the display and/or with the camera. The data rate per differential data line is up to 1.5 Gbps (Gigabit per second). 
         [0008]    This conventional sending and receiving of the D-PHY-DSI signals or the D-PHY-CSI signals via one to four differential data signals and a differential clock line is illustrated by way of example in the D-PHY interface configuration of  FIG. 5B  by way of two data channels (=so called data lanes CH 0 +, CH 0 − and CH 1 +, CH 1 −) and a clock line (=so called clock lane CLK+, CLK−) between the modules of the master side (=data source, for example camera and/or application processor) and the modules of the slave side (=data sink, for example application processor and/or display unit). 
         [0009]    In this context, as can be seen in  FIG. 5A , up to ten copper lines are required for data transmission for each connected display or for each connected camera (for example four times two data lines and one time two clock lines). 
         [0010]    In view of a desirable reduction in the number of lines consideration should be given to serialised signal transmission. Such serialisation is, however, conventionally prone to errors and frequently unstable. 
       OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0011]    Starting from the above-explained disadvantages and inadequacies as well as taking the outlined prior art into account the object of the present invention is to further develop a circuit arrangement of the above-mentioned type and a method of the above-mentioned type in such a way that a serialised signal transmission is always performed in an error-free and stable manner. 
         [0012]    This object is achieved by a circuit arrangement according to the invention with the herein described features and by a method according to the invention with the herein described features. Advantageous embodiments and expedient developments of the present invention are described above and below. 
         [0013]    This object is achieved by a circuit arrangement for transmitting both
       single-ended logic-level-based data signals and clock signals, and   differential, in particular common-mode-based, data signals and clock signals,
 
in the form of at least one serialised common signal stream between at least one transmission arrangement assignable to at least one data source and at least one receiving arrangement assignable to at least one data sink, wherein upon or immediately after reaching a state of synchronisation, in particular full synchronisation, between the transmission arrangement and the receiving arrangement at least one initialisation sequence can be inserted into the common signal stream.
       
 
         [0016]    This object is further achieved by an embodiment of the circuit arrangement according to the invention, wherein the receiving arrangement does not start to pass the data signals and clock signals present in the transmission arrangement through to at least one output of the receiving arrangement until the initialisation sequence has been inserted. 
         [0017]    This object is further achieved by an embodiment of the circuit arrangement according to the invention, wherein the transmission arrangement comprises:
       at least one input for the data signals and clock signals,   at least one transmission interface logic downstream of the input for picking up the data signals and clock signals,   at least one serialiser downstream of the transmission interface logic for generating the common signal stream,   at least one clock generator, in particular phase-locked-loop, for example clock multiplier unit, provided downstream of a clock module of the transmission interface logic, upstream of the serialiser and for generating at least one reference clock,   at least one output driver downstream of the serialiser and   at least one output downstream of the output driver for transmitting the common signal stream to the receiving arrangement.       
 
         [0024]    This object is further achieved by an embodiment of the circuit arrangement according to the invention, wherein the serialiser comprises:
       at least one framer downstream of the transmission interface logic for generating at least one frame recognisable in the receiving arrangement for the common signal stream as well as   at least one multiplexer downstream of the framer for generating the common signal stream.       
 
         [0027]    This object is further achieved by an embodiment of the circuit arrangement according to the invention, wherein both the single-ended, logic-level-based data signals and the differential data signals can be applied to the framer and in that the framer, by means of at least one coder, in particular by means of at least one 5b/6b coder block, embeds the differential data signals in the stream of the single-ended, logic-level-based data signals. 
         [0028]    This object is further achieved by an embodiment of the circuit arrangement according to the invention, wherein the receiving arrangement comprises:
       at least one input for the common signal stream transmitted by the transmission arrangement,   at least one input amplifier for picking up the common signal stream,   at least one clock and data recovery unit for recovering the data signals and clock signals from the common signal stream,   at least one clock module of at least one receiving interface logic downstream of the clock and data recovery unit,   at least one deserialiser downstream of the clock and data recovery unit for re-parallelising the data signals and for assigning the re-parallelised data signals to the receiving interface logic and   at least one output downstream of the receiving interface logic for the data signals and clock signals.       
 
         [0035]    This object is further achieved by an embodiment of the circuit arrangement according to the invention, wherein the deserialiser comprises:
       at least one demultiplexer downstream of the clock and data recovery unit for re-parallelising the data signals as well as   at least one deframer downstream of the demultiplexer for assigning the re-parallelised data signals to the receiving interface logic.       
 
         [0038]    This object is further achieved by an embodiment of the circuit arrangement according to the invention, wherein the deframer separates the differential data signals by means of at least one decoder, in particular by means of at least one 6b/5b decoder block, from the single-ended, logic-level-based data signals and assigns the re-parallelised data signals to the respective data lines. 
         [0039]    This object is further achieved by an embodiment of the circuit arrangement according to the invention, wherein the common signal stream is transferable between the transmission arrangement and the receiving arrangement
       via at least one optical medium, in particular via at least one optical waveguide, for example via at least one glass fibre and/or via at least one plastic fibre, and/or   via at least one electrical or galvanic, in particular one-bit-wide, link, in particular via at least one copper cable and/or via at least one electrical line, arranged e.g. on at least one printed circuit board.       
 
         [0042]    This object is further achieved by an embodiment of the circuit arrangement according to the invention, wherein the electrical or galvanic link has assigned to it,
       in the transmission arrangement, at least one switch, provided in particular with at least one logic module, for closing the electrical or galvanic link to the receiving arrangement, and   in the receiving arrangement, at least one switch, provided in particular with at least one logic module, for closing the electrical or galvanic link to the transmission arrangement.       
 
         [0045]    This object is further achieved by a method for transmitting both
       single-ended logic-level-based data signals and clock signals, and   differential, in particular common-mode-based, data signals and clock signals,
 
in the form of at least one serialised common signal stream between at least one transmission arrangement assignable to at least one data source and at least one receiving arrangement assignable to at least one data sink, wherein upon or immediately after reaching a state of synchronisation, in particular full synchronisation, between the transmission arrangement and the receiving arrangement, at least one initialisation sequence is inserted into the common signal stream.
       
 
         [0048]    This object is further achieved by an embodiment of the method according to the invention, wherein the initialisation sequence is locally synthesized. 
         [0049]    This object is further achieved by an embodiment of the method according to the invention, wherein the receiving arrangement does not start to pass the data signals and clock signals present in the transmission arrangement through to at least one output of the receiving arrangement, until the initialisation sequence has been inserted. 
         [0050]    This object is further achieved by an embodiment of the method according to the invention, wherein
       the transmission arrangement synchronises itself with the reference clock, and   the receiving arrangement synchronises itself with the data rate of the common signal stream as well as with at least one position of the frame of the common signal stream.       
 
         [0053]    This object is further achieved by a use of the circuit arrangement and/or of the method according to the invention during synchronisation of at least one serial and/or bundled, in particular CSI protocol-based and/or CSI- 2  protocol-based and/or CSI- 3  protocol-based and/or DSI protocol-based and/or DSI- 2  protocol-based transmission of both single-ended logic-level-based data signals and clock signals and differential, in particular common-mode-based, data signals and clock signals, in particular D-PHY data signals and D-PHY clock signals, for example up to 4-bit-wide MIPI-D-PHY data signals and MIPI-D-PHY clock signals, between at least one data source, in particular at least one e.g. high-resolution camera acting e.g. as an image source and/or at least one application processor, and at least one data sink, in particular at least one application processor and/or at least one e.g. high-resolution display unit and/or a display unit acting e.g. as an image sink, for example at least one display or at least one monitor. 
         [0054]    According to the invention a circuit arrangement and a method are thus proposed, by means of which
       the single-ended L[ow]P[ower] data corresponding to signals based on logic levels and   the differential H[igh]S[peed] data corresponding to signals based in particular on common mode signals
 
are serialised to form a common signal stream. If for example one to four data channels are transmitted after being serialised, an error-free and stable transmission is possible, if and as long as a clock is applied to the serialisation element or the serialiser.
       
 
         [0057]    A (reference) clock of this kind can be provided by at least one clock generator, in particular by at least one phase-locked loop (PLL), for example by at least one clock multiplier unit (CMU). 
         [0058]    The principal problem when booting up the serial data link consists in that the clock generator in the transmission arrangement must synchronise with the reference clock and in that then a C[lock/]D[ata]R[ecovery] in the receiving arrangement must synchronise with the data rate of the common signal stream as well as with the frame positions of the data. 
         [0059]    If data is applied to the serialisation element or the serialiser, in particular its multiplexer, before the entire data transmission path is completely synchronised, this data gets lost. 
         [0060]    Besides a so-called Init(ilisation) word gets lost which has to precede each H[igh]S[peed] data stream, in particular according to the D-PHY specification. 
         [0061]    The time required for full synchronisation of the transmission path is known in terms of magnitude and is dependent, among others, on the data rate at the serial interface. However, further factors dependent on environmental conditions have to be taken into account, such as operating voltage, temperature and also the process parameters of the semiconductor technology used. 
         [0062]    In order to prevent the Mit sequence, in particular the D-PHY Init sequence applied to the receiving arrangement, from getting lost, provision may be made for the data source, in particular the D-PHY data source, to wait for a minimum amount of time following application of the reference clock plus safety margin, before data is applied. 
         [0063]    However, in order not to lose any time when booting up the serial transmission path, once synchronisation is complete, the receiving arrangement according to the invention, inserts an Init(ialisation) sequence, in particular a locally synthesized sequence. 
         [0064]    Conveniently the receiving arrangement does not start to pass the H[igh]S[peed] data applied to the transmission arrangement through to its output until after inserting the Init(ialisation) sequence, so that an error-free and stable serial transmission of signals, in particular of D-PHY signals, is ensured, thereby reliably avoiding data losses and bit errors during serialisation of the differential data lines and the differential clock line of the D[isplay]S[erial]l[nterface] and/or the C[amera]S[erial]l[nterface]. 
         [0065]    The present invention can be typically applied during synchronisation of at least one serial and/or bundled, in particular CSI-protocol-based and/or CSI- 2 -protocol-based and/or CSI- 3 -protocol-based and/or DSI-protocol-based and/or DSI- 2 -protocol-based transmission of both single-ended logic-level-based data signals and clock signals and differential, in particular common-mode-based data signals and clock signals, in particular D-PHY data signals or D-PHY clock signals, for example one-to-four-bit wide MIPI-D-PHY data signals and MIPI-D-PHY clock signals, between at least one data source, in particular at least for example a high-resolution camera and/or a camera acting as an image source and/or at least one application processor, and at least one data sink, in particular at least one application processor and/or at least one high-resolution display unit or a display unit acting for example as an image sink, for example at least one display or at least one monitor. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0066]    As already discussed above, there are various possibilities for embodying and further developing the teaching of the present invention in an advantageous manner. For this purpose, on the one hand reference is made to the explanations above and to the dependent claims, and on the other hand further embodiments, features and advantages of the present invention are explained in greater detail below, inter alia by way of the exemplary embodiments illustrated by  FIG. 1A  to  FIG. 4 . 
           [0067]    It is shown in: 
           [0068]      FIG. 1A  in a conceptual schematic illustration an embodiment of the transmission arrangement according to the present invention, which operates according to the method of the present invention; 
           [0069]      FIG. 1B  in a conceptual schematic illustration a detail view of an embodiment of the framer of the transmission arrangement in  FIG. 1A ; 
           [0070]      FIG. 2A  in a conceptual schematic illustration an embodiment of the receiving arrangement associated with the transmission arrangement of  FIG. 1A , which operates according to the method of the present invention; 
           [0071]      FIG. 2B  in a conceptual schematic illustration a detail view of an embodiment of the deframer of the receiving arrangement of  FIG. 2A ; 
           [0072]      FIG. 3  in a conceptual schematic illustration an embodiment of the circuit arrangement according to the present invention, which operates according to the method of the present invention; 
           [0073]      FIG. 4  in a diagrammatic illustration an embodiment of the position for an Init(ialisation) sequence inserted into the common signal stream, according to the present invention; 
           [0074]      FIG. 5A  in a conceptual schematic illustration a typical arrangement from the prior art; and 
           [0075]      FIG. 5B  in a conceptual schematic illustration an example of an interface configuration with two data channels and a clock line, on which the arrangement shown in  FIG. 5A  is based. 
       
    
    
       [0076]    Like or similar embodiments, elements or features are provided with identical reference numerals in  FIG. 1A  to  FIG. 5B . 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0077]    In principle it is possible,
       by means of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1A  of a transmission arrangement S according to the present invention and   by means of an embodiment shown in  FIG. 2A  of a receiving arrangement E according to the present invention,
 
which results in a circuit arrangement A (see  FIG. 3 ) according to the present invention (in terms of the present invention, it is possible, to realise and to operate the transmission arrangement S and the receiving arrangement E independently of each other), to realise and to operate a cable-based link
   which has been multiplexed and thus serialised on an optical basis, in particular on the basis of at least one optical medium, for example on the basis of an optical waveguide OM (see detail illustrations in  FIG. 1A ,  FIG. 2A ), such as on the basis of at least one glass fibre and/or on the basis of at least one plastic fibre and/or   which has not been multiplexed on an electrical or galvanic basis, in particular on the basis of at least one electrical or galvanic link GA, (see  FIG. 3 ), for example on the basis of at least one copper cable and/or on the basis of at least one electrical line such as arranged on at least a printed circuit board.       
 
         [0082]      FIG. 1A  shows an embodiment of the principal construction of a transmission arrangement S for connection to a D[isplay]S[erial]I[nterface] data transmission interface IS or a C[amera]S[erial]I[nterface] data transmission interface IS. 
         [0083]    The image data generated in the application processor AP or in the camera KA are made available on four data lines or channels CH 0 +, CH 0 −, CH 1 +, CH 1 −, CH 2 +, CH 2 −, CH 3 +, CH 3 − as D-PHY signals at the up-to-four-bit-wide data transmission interface IS together with the D-PHY correct clock signals CLK+, CLK−. 
         [0084]    The transmission arrangement S picks these signals up at an integrated Interface Logic LS, the blocks of which can prove that they have at least one state machine for correct interpretation of the D-PHY signals and for differentiating between high-frequency data streams (so-called H[igh]S[peed] data) and low-frequency data streams (so-called L[ow]S[peed] data). 
         [0085]    A framer FR following in the transmission arrangement S (see also detail view in  FIG. 1B ) ensures D[irect]C[urrent] balancing of the input signal and generates a frame recognisable on the receiving side (see  FIG. 2A ), which allows the receiving arrangement E (see  FIG. 2A ) to re-assign the received data to the correct output data lines or output channels CH 0 +, CH 0 −, CH 1 +, CH 1 −, CH 2 +, CH 2 −, CH 3 +, CH 3 −. 
         [0086]    In detail both the logic-level-based single-ended data signals HSD 0 , HSD 1 , HSD 2 , HSD 3  and the differential data signals DD 0 +, DD 0 −, DD 1 +, DD 1 −, DD 2 +, DD 2 −, DD 3 +, DD 3 − can be applied to the framer FR according to  FIG. 1B . By means of its coder KO configured as a 5b/6b coding block the framer according to  FIG. 1B  embeds these differential data signals DD 0 +, DD 0 −, DD 1 +, DD 1 −, DD 2 +, DD 2 −, DD 3 +, DD 3 − into the stream of the single-ended logic-level-based data signals HSD 0 , HSD 1 , HSD 2 , HSD 3 . 
         [0087]    A multiplexer MU, in particular H[igh]S[peed] Mux, adjoining the frame FR, uses a clock generator PS configured as a phase-locked-loop, in particular as a C[lock]M[ultiplier]U[nit], to generate the high-frequency serial or bundled transmission signal, which is made available at the output AS of the transmission arrangement S by means of an output driver AT. The framer FR and the multiplexer MU together form the serialiser SE. 
         [0088]    The D-PHY clock signal provided via the clock port CLK+, CLK− and via the clock module CS of the interface logic LS by means of clock generator PS is used as (clock) reference for the serialiser SE, in particular for its multiplexer MU, and is embedded into the serial data stream, i.e. into the serialised output signal. This creates the common signal stream SI which is communicated to the receiving arrangement E (see  FIG. 2A ). 
         [0089]    As can further be seen in  FIG. 1A , the output driver AT is implemented as an integrated laser driver for driving at least one directly connected laser LA, in particular for driving at least one V[ertical]C[avity]S[urface]E[mitting]L[aserdiode]. 
         [0090]      FIG. 2A  shows an embodiment for the principal construction of a receiving arrangement E for connection to a D[isplay]S[erial]I[nterface] data transmission interface IE or also a C[amera]S[erial]I[nterface] data transmission interface IE. 
         [0091]    The serial or bundled data sent out by the transmission arrangement S (see  FIG. 1A ) is picked up via an input amplifier EV of the receiving arrangement E and supplied to an integrated clock or data recovery CD. 
         [0092]    This integrated clock or data recovery CD regenerates the original D-PHY clock from the common signal stream SI, which is then made directly available again to the D[isplay]S[erial]I[nterface] or the C[amera]S[erial]I[nterface] via the clock module CE of the interface logic LE. The remaining serial data stream is debundled and parallelised via a demultiplexer DM and handed over to a deframer DF (see also detail in  FIG. 2B ), which in principle is the mirror image of framer FR according to  FIG. 1B . The demultiplexer DM and deframer DF together form the deserialiser DS. 
         [0093]    In detail the deframer FR of  FIG. 2B , by means of its decoder DK configured as a 6b/5b decoder block, can separate the differential data signals DD 0 +, DD 0 −, DD 1 +, DD 1 −, DD 2 +, DD 2 −, DD 3 +, DD 3 − from the single-ended, logic-level-based data signals HSD 0 , HSD 1 , HSD 2 , HSD 3  and re-assign the re-parallelised data signals to the respectively applicable data lines CH 0 +, CH 0 −, CH 1 +, CH 1 −, CH 2 +, CH 2 −, CH 3 +, CH 3 −. 
         [0094]    The interface logic blocks LE shown in the receiving arrangement E may comprise at least one state machine respectively for correct interpretation of the D-PHY logic signals and for differentiating between high-frequency data streams and low-frequency data streams. 
         [0095]    As can also be seen in the illustration in  FIG. 2A , the input amplifier EV is implemented as an integrated transimpedance amplifier, which allows a photo diode FD to be directly connected to the receiving arrangement E. 
         [0096]    In this way, with regard to the circuit arrangement A (see  FIG. 3 ), it is possible according to the invention to realise and to operate the cable-based multiplexed link between the transmission arrangement S (see  FIG. 1A ) and the receiving arrangement E (see  FIG. 2A ) on an optical basis, i.e. by means of an optical waveguide OM configured e.g. in form of a glass fibre and/or in form of a plastic fibre. 
         [0097]      FIG. 3  represents an embodiment for the overall view of the transmission arrangement S (see  FIG. 1A ) and the receiving arrangement E (see  FIG. 2A ). This is a D-PHY transmission path with a serial link or with a serialised data stream. 
         [0098]    To this end the D-PHY-H[igh]S[peed]/L[ow]P[ower] data is bundled by the transmission arrangement S (see  FIG. 1A ) comprising essentially the serialiser SE and in particular the multiplexer MU, and transmitted as a serial data stream to the receiving arrangement E (see  FIG. 2A ). 
         [0099]    This receiving arrangement E (see  FIG. 2A ) essentially comprising the deserialiser DS, and here in particular the demultiplexer DM, debundles the serial data and re-outputs it in the original form as D-PHY-H[igh]S[peed]/L[ow]P[ower] data. The D-PHY-CL[oc]K applied to the transmission arrangement S (see  FIG. 1A ) is used as clock reference for the serialiser SE and is embedded in the serial data stream. The receiving arrangement E (see  FIG. 2A ) regenerates this clock and re-outputs it as D-PHY-CL[oc]K. 
         [0100]    Now, if L[ow]P[ower] data only is to be temporarily or continuously transmitted on only one of the n D-PHY links or D-PHY lanes, the corresponding inputs ES of the transmission arrangement S (see  FIG. 1A ) can be connected with another port or a further port AZ of the transmission arrangement S (see  FIG. 1A ) by at least one switch WS (not shown in  FIG. 1A  merely for reasons of clarity of the illustration) acted upon in particular by at least one logic module GS. 
         [0101]    In an analogue manner the outputs AE of the receiving arrangement E (see  FIG. 2A ) can be connected with another port or a further port EZ of the receiving arrangement E (see  FIG. 2A ) by at least one switch WE, (not shown in  FIG. 1A  merely for reasons of clarity of the illustration) acted upon in particular by at least one logic module GE. 
         [0102]    This port AZ on the transmission side and this port EZ on the receiving side are connected with each other by means of at least one electric or galvanic link GA, in particular by means of at least one one-bit-wide copper cable or by means of at least one electrical line arranged e.g. on at least one printed circuit board. 
         [0103]    With reference to  FIG. 4  the insertion position for an Init(ialisation) sequence T HS-SYNC  is shown in the embodiment for H[igh]S[peed] data burst. Such an Init(ialisation) sequence T HS-SYNC  refers to the principal problem during booting up of the serial data link, whereupon the clock generator PS in the transmission arrangement S (see  FIG. 1A ) has to synchronise with the reference clock and thereafter a C[lock/]D[ata]R[ecovery] or clock recovery CD in the receiving arrangement E (see  FIG. 2A ) has to synchronise with the data rate of the serial data stream and with the frame positions of the data. 
         [0104]    When data is applied to the serialiser SE, in particular to its multiplexer MU, before the whole data transmission path is completely synchronised, this data is lost. In addition a so-called Init(ialisation) word is lost, which according to D-PHY specification has to precede each H[igh]S[peed] data stream. 
         [0105]    In order to avoid such losses and after achieving full synchronisation, the receiving arrangement E (see  FIG. 2A ) inserts the locally synthesized Init(ialisation) sequence T HS-SYNC  and after inserting this Init(ialisation) sequence T HS-SYNC , starts to pass the H[igh]S[peed] data actually applied to the transmission arrangement S (see  FIG. 1A ) through to its output AE, so that an error-free and stable serial transmission of the D-PHY signals is ensured, in other words so that data losses and bit errors are reliably avoided while the differential data lines and the differential clock line of the D[isplay]S[erial]l[nterface] and/or the C[amera]S[erial]l[nterface] are being serialised. 
       LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS 
       [0000]    
       
         
           
             A circuit arrangement 
             E receiving arrangement 
             S transmission arrangement 
             AE output of the receiving arrangement E 
             AP application processor 
             AS output of the transmission arrangement S 
             AT output driver, in particular laser driver 
             AZ other or further or additional output of the transmission arrangement S 
             CD clock and data recovery unit 
             CE clock module of the receiving interface logic LE 
             CH 0 ± first data line or first channel 
             CH 1 ± second data line or second channel 
             CH 2 ± third data line or third channel 
             CH 3 ± fourth data line or fourth channel 
             CLK± clock line or clock channel 
             CS clock module of the transmitting interface logic LS 
             DD 0 ± differential signal, in particular common-mode-based data signal on the first data line or the first channel CH 0 ± 
             DD 1 ± differential signal, in particular common-mode-based data signal on the second data line or the second channel CH 1 ± 
             DD 2 ± differential signal, in particular common-mode-based data signal on the third data line or the third channel CH 2 ± 
             DD 3 ± differential signal, in particular common-mode-based data signal on the fourth data line or the fourth channel CH 3 ± 
             DF deframer 
             DK decoder, in particular 6b/5b-Decoderblock, of deframer DF 
             DM demultiplexer 
             DS deserialisation element or deserialiser 
             DU display unit 
             EE input of the receiving arrangement E 
             ES input of the transmission arrangement S 
             EV input amplifier, in particular transimpedance amplifier 
             EZ other or further or additional input of the receiving arrangement E 
             FD photo diode 
             FR framer 
             GA electrical or galvanic link, in particular copper cable or electrical line arranged e.g. on a printed circuit board 
             GE Logic module of the receiving arrangement E 
             GS Logic module of the transmission arrangement S 
             HSD 0  single-ended logic-level-based data signal on the first data line or the first channel CH 0 ± 
             HSD 1  single-ended logic-level-based data signal on the second data line or the second channel CH 1 ± 
             HSD 2  single-ended logic-level-based data signal on the third data line or the third channel CH 2 ± 
             HSD 3  single-ended logic-level-based data signal on the fourth data line or the fourth channel CH 3 ± 
             IE data-sink-related CSI and/or CSI- 2  and/or CSI- 3  and/or DSI and/or DSI- 2  interface 
             IS data-source-related CSI and/or CSI- 2  and/or CSI- 3  and/or DSI and/or DSI- 2  interface 
             KA camera 
             KO coder, in particular 5b/6 coder block of framer FR 
             LA laser 
             LE receiving interface logic 
             LS transmitting interface logic 
             MU multiplexer 
             OM optical medium, in particular optical waveguide, e.g. glass fibre and/or plastic fibre 
             PS clock generator, in particular phase-locked-loop, for example clock multiplier unit 
             SE serialisation element or serialiser 
             SI common signal stream 
             T HS-SYNC  initialisation sequence or Init sequence 
             TL clock line 
             WE switch of the receiving arrangement E 
             WS switch of the transmission arrangement S 
           
         
       
     
         [0160]    While this invention has been described as having a preferred design, it is understood that it is capable of further modifications, and uses and/or adaptations of the invention and following in general the principle of the invention and including such departures from the present disclosure as come within the known or customary practice in the art to which the invention pertains, and as may be applied to the central features hereinbefore set forth, and fall within the scope of the invention.