Run-length violation detection circuitry and methods for using the same

Abstract

Circuitry for detecting excessive runs of similar bits of data in a data stream is provided. The data stream is typically received as serial data operating in a serial clock domain. Run-length detection circuitry checks the received data for run-length violations while operating in a slower parallel clock domain, as opposed to the faster serial clock domain. An advantage of operating run-length detection circuitry in the parallel domain is that longer length run-length violations can be searched for in the received data, as compared to run-length detectors that operate in the serial domain. Another advantage offered by the circuitry is that the run-length violation signal can be provided to utilization circuitry asynchronously. This enables utilization circuitry to quickly capture the signal despite differences in clock domains (i.e., the clock domain of the detection circuitry and the clock domain of the utilization circuitry).