Patent ID: 8279948

Claim:
A method for determining an increased data rate of communication for a predetermined error rate over a wired link in a calibration mode of operation, comprising: transmitting data at an initial data rate using a transmitter; determining a performance metric of the wired link; iteratively repeating the transmitting and determining at data rates larger than a previous instance of the data rate to determine a maximum data rate in accordance with the performance metric of the wired link, wherein at the maximum data rate, the performance metric of the wired link corresponds to an error rate that is greater than the predetermined error rate, and the maximum data rate is a non-integer multiple of the initial data rate; and performing one of more of a group of functions consisting of: increasing a supply voltage of circuitry selected from the group consisting of a phase locked loop circuit, a logic circuit, and a transmit circuit in the transmitter if the maximum data rate is less than a target data rate of communication of information over the wired link, wherein the initial data rate is less than the target data rate, increasing a voltage swing of the transmit circuit in the transmitter if the maximum data rate is less than the target data rate, decreasing a supply voltage of the transmit circuit in the transmitter if the maximum data rate is greater than the target data rate, and decreasing the voltage swing of the transmit circuit in the transmitter if the maximum data rate is greater than the target data rate.