Method of compensating for nonlinearity in a DFE-based receiver

摘要

A receiver has an input and a decision feedback equalizer (DFE). The DFE couples to the receiver input and has at least one tap coefficient. An input signal, having a first amplitude level insufficient to cause significant non-linear distortion in the receiver, is applied to the receiver input. After the DFE adapts to the applied input signal having the first amplitude level by adjusting the at least one tap coefficient, the adaptation process is stopped. Then the at least one tap coefficient is scaled by a factor α and the amplitude of input signal is adjusted to a second amplitude level greater than the first amplitude level by the scale factor α. Although the second amplitude level might be sufficient to cause significant non-linear distortion in the receiver, the scaled tap coefficient has the correct values for proper DFE operation in the presence of the non-linear distortion.