Patent ID: 6839763

Claim:
A data transfer arrangement for transferring data from a source device to a destination device, the data transfer arrangement comprising: A. a source interface module associated with the source device, the source interface module being configured to (i) receive a data block, the data block including a data portion containing the data to be transferred, and a padding portion containing padding, and (ii) transfer the data block to the destination device along with (a) a check portion including a source check value, the source check value being a selected function of the data contained in the data portion and selectively the padding contained in the padding portion and (b) a check indication indicating whether the check value is the selected function of (I) the data contained in the data portion alone, or (II) the data contained in the data portion and the padding contained in the padding portion; and B. a destination interface module associated with the destination device, the destination interface module being configured to (i) receive the data block and the check indication from the source interface module; (ii) generate a destination check value that is the selected function of (a) the data contained in the portion alone, or (b) the data contained in the data portion and the padding contained in the padding portion, in conformity with the check indication, and (iii) using the source and destination check values, determine whether the data block was correctly received.