Signal line routing to reduce crosstalk effects

Abstract

A signaling system is disclosed. The system includes a transmitter comprising an encoder to encode a data signal such that the encoded data signal has a balanced number of logical 1s and 0s. The system also includes a receiver having a decoder to decode the encoded data signal, and a link. The link is coupled between the transmitter and the receiver to route the encoded data signal. The link comprises three or more conductive lines that are routed along a path in parallel between the encoder and the decoder, and wherein the link comprises segments, each segment comprising a routing change to reorder proximity of at least one pair of lines relative to any adjacent segment, with a sufficient number of segments such that each line has each of the other lines of the link as a nearest neighbor over at least a portion of the path.

1 . A method of routing a signaling link to carry a digital signal in a communication system comprising a transmitter and a receiver, the signaling link comprising three or more conductive lines that are routed along a path in parallel from the transmitter to the receiver, each conductive line to carry a signal component of the digital signal, each signal component having an amplitude, the method comprising:
 equalizing a line-to-line coupling from each line to any one of the other lines in the link traversing an entire length of the link by arranging the link in segments, each segment comprising a routing change to reorder proximity of at least one pair of lines relative to any adjacent segment, with a sufficient number of segments such that each line swaps its position with each of the other lines of the link over at least a portion of the path; and   encoding the digital signal such that a sum of the signal component amplitudes is constrained to be within a predetermined range of amplitudes.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the signaling link comprises three conductive lines. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein encoding the digital signal comprises:
 restricting each of the signal component amplitudes to a zero unit value 0× or a first unit value 1×. 
 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  wherein encoding the digital signal further comprises:
 constraining the sum of the signal component amplitudes to be between the zero value 0× and the first unit value 1×. 
 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3  wherein encoding the digital signal further comprises:
 constraining the sum of the signal component amplitudes to be between the first unit value 1× and a second unit value 2× that is twice the first unit value 1×. 
 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 3  wherein encoding the digital signal further comprises:
 constraining the sum of the signal component amplitudes to be between a second unit value 2× that is twice the first unit value 1× and a third unit value 3× that is three times the first unit value 1×. 
 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 2  wherein encoding the digital signal comprises:
 restricting each of the signal component amplitudes to one from the group comprising a zero unit value 0×, a first unit value 1×, a second unit value 2× that is twice the first unit value 1×, and a third unit value 3× that is three times the first unit value 1×. 
 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein encoding the digital signal further comprises:
 constraining the sum of the signal component amplitudes to be a fourth unit value 4× that is four times the first unit value 1×. 
 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein encoding the digital signal further comprises:
 constraining the sum of the signal component amplitudes to be a fifth unit value 5× that is five times the first unit value 1×. 
 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8  wherein encoding the digital signal further comprises:
 constraining the sum of the signal component amplitudes to be between a fourth unit value 4× that is 4 times the first unit value 1× and a fifth unit value 5× that is five times the first unit value 1×. 
 
     
     
         11 . A signaling link to carry a digital signal in a communication system comprising a transmitter and a receiver, the signaling link comprising:
 three or more conductive lines routed along a path in parallel from the transmitter to the receiver, each conductive line to carry a signal component of the digital signal, each signal component having an amplitude;   wherein the link is arranged in segments to equalize a line-to-line coupling from each line to any one of the other lines in the link traversing an entire length of the link, each segment comprising a routing change to reorder proximity of at least one pair of lines relative to any adjacent segment, with a sufficient number of segments such that each line swaps its position with each of the other lines of the link over at least a portion of the path; and   wherein the digital signal is encoded such that a sum of the signal component amplitudes is constrained to be within a predetermined range of amplitudes.   
     
     
         12 . The signaling link of  claim 11  wherein the signaling link comprises three conductive lines. 
     
     
         13 . The signaling link of  claim 12  wherein the digital signal is encoded such that each of the signal component amplitudes is restricted to be a zero unit value 0× or a first unit value 1×. 
     
     
         14 . The signaling link of  claim 13  wherein the digital signal is encoded such that the sum of the signal component amplitudes is constrained to be between the zero value 0× and the first unit value 1×. 
     
     
         15 . The signaling link of  claim 13  wherein the digital signal is encoded such that the sum of the signal component amplitudes is constrained to be between the first unit value 1× and a second unit value 2× that is twice the first unit value 1×. 
     
     
         16 . The signaling link of  claim 13  wherein the digital signal is encoded such that the sum of the signal component amplitudes is constrained to be between a second unit value 2× that is twice the first unit value 1× and a third unit value 3× that is three times the first unit value 1×. 
     
     
         17 . The signaling link of  claim 12  wherein the digital signal is encoded such that each of the signal component amplitudes is restricted to one from the group comprising a zero unit value 0×, a first unit value 1×, a second unit value 2× that is twice the first unit value 1×, and a third unit value 3× that is three times the first unit value 1×. 
     
     
         18 . The signaling link of  claim 17  wherein the digital signal is encoded such that the sum of the signal component amplitudes is constrained to be a fourth unit value 4× that is four times the first unit value 1×. 
     
     
         19 . The signaling link of  claim 18  wherein the digital signal is encoded such that the sum of the signal component amplitudes is constrained to be a fifth unit value 5× that is five times the first unit value 1×. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 18  wherein the digital signal is encoded such that the sum of the signal component amplitudes is constrained to be between a fourth unit value 4× that is 4 times the first unit value 1× and a fifth unit value 5× that is five times the first unit value 1×. 
     
     
         21 . A signaling link to carry a digital signal in a communication system comprising a transmitter and a receiver, the signaling link comprising three or more conductive lines that are routed along a path in parallel from the transmitter to the receiver, each conductive line to carry a signal component of the digital signal, each signal component having an amplitude, the method comprising:
 means for equalizing a line-to-line coupling from each line to any one of the other lines in the link traversing an entire length of the link by arranging the link in segments, each segment comprising a routing change to reorder proximity of at least one pair of lines relative to any adjacent segment, with a sufficient number of segments such that each line swaps its position with each of the other lines of the link over at least a portion of the path; and   means for encoding the digital signal such that a sum of the signal component amplitudes is constrained to be within a predetermined range of amplitudes.