Free flow data path architectures

Abstract

A data path architecture and corresponding method of operation are disclosed that permit a first-in-first out (FIFO) buffer to immediately flush data—including potentially invalid initial byte(s)—upon receipt of a high-speed clock signal, and according to which, a delay difference between a data path clock signal and a high-speed clock signal is compensated for at a controller side by, for example, adjusting RE latency to discard/ignore the initially invalid bytes rather than by modifying FIFO depth or varying a number of delay stages in the high-speed clock signal path in order to satisfy the FIFO depth. Because FIFO depth is not used to absorb the clock signal delay difference, there is no need to modify the architecture (e.g., change the depth of a FIFO) to accommodate variation in the clock signal delay difference across different products/product generations, thereby providing high scalability.