Patent ID: 8923160

Claim:
A method comprising: detecting that a first n-bit value is received at a first local deserializer of a plurality of local deserializers, wherein the plurality of local deserializers are configured to receive first data, the first n-bit value is received from a first remote serializer of a plurality of remote serializers, the first n-bit value comprises a first n-bit code, if the plurality of remote deserializers are link aligned, and the first n-bit value comprises a second n-bit code, if at least one of the plurality of remote deserializers is not link aligned; and sending a second n-bit value from a first local serializer of a plurality of local serializers, in response to the detecting the first n-bit value, wherein the plurality of local serializers are configured to send second data, and the second n-bit value is sent to a first remote deserializer of a plurality of remote deserializers.