Patent ID: 8121183

Claim:
A method for adaptive selection of floating taps in a feedback path of a decision feedback equalizer comprising the steps of: (A) switching the decision feedback equalizer from an operating mode to a search mode in response to a trigger event and determining values for a predefined metric for tap positions within a range covered by the decision feedback equalizer (DFE); and (B) setting one or more floating taps in the feedback path of the DFE to tap positions based upon said values of said predefined metric, wherein a sliding window process using a sliding window containing a plurality of tap positions is used to determine the tap positions of the one or more floating taps in the feedback path of the DFE, and said sliding window process comprises adapting tap weights of the DFE to obtain current tap weight magnitudes and, when the tap weights converge, updating tap positions and tap weights of the DFE based upon a comparison of current tap positions and tap weight magnitudes with previous tap positions and tap weight magnitudes, and said DFE is returned to said operating mode when said one or more floating taps have been set.