Patent ID: 7573916

Claim:
A communication interface having n data lanes, said interface having a controller for sequentially and contiguously transmitting a header including a packet type field describing a payload data type, said controller generating a header distributed across a plurality of said data lanes, said controller also generating a variable amount of payload data comprising an encapsulated packet having an encapsulated header and encapsulated data, said payload data distributed sequentially across said n data lanes by said controller; said encapsulated header containing information unrelated to said packet header other than said packet type field; a field check sequence computed over the entire said payload data, concatenated to the end of said payload, and distributed sequentially across said n data lanes by said controller; said header includes transmitting a START symbol on first said data lane, and the transmission of said payload data is followed by said field check sequence distributed as bytes across said n data lanes and an END symbol on at least one said data lane; said payload data includes transmitting successive data bytes canonically across said n successive data lanes up to data lane m, where m<=n; an encoder coupled to each said data lane such that during intervals when said header or said payload is not being transmitted, each said encoder generates an alternating pattern of a first preamble symbol and a second preamble symbol distinct from said first preamble symbol across said n data lanes; and said n>1.