Patent ID: 8369233

Claim:
A method of determining transmission lane parameters, including a physical lane identifier and polarity for each transmission lane, for a plurality of transmission lanes in a data transmission system, the method including the steps of: a) receiving a packet transmitted over the plurality of transmission lanes, the packet including a start of packet delimiter, an end of packet delimiter and an error detecting code; b) assigning a first lane identifier to the transmission lane that received the start of packet delimiter according to a preset protocol for the data transmission system; c) assigning a second lane identifier to the transmission lane that received the end of packet delimiter according to a preset protocol for the data transmission system; d) nominating a unique lane identifier to each of remaining transmission lanes; e) nominating a possible lane polarity to each of the transmission lanes; f) calculating an error code utilising the possible lane identifier and possible lane polarity nominated to the each of the transmission lane; g) comparing the calculated error code with the received error detecting code; and h) repeating steps d) to g) until the calculated error code matches the received error detecting code wherein on each iteration a nomination of at least one possible lane identifier or possible lane polarity is changed.