US Patent 7599431 Combined decision feedback equalization and linear equalization

A communication system includes a transmitter, a communication channel, and a receiver. The transmitter includes a pre-emphasis module, a summing module, a line driver, and a decision feedback pre-emphasis (DFP) module to produce a pre-emphasized serial stream of data based on a communications channel response and an inter-symbol interference level. The receiver includes a linear equalizer, a summing module, a decision module, and a decision feedback equalization (DFE) module. The linear equalizer produces an equalized serial stream of data. The summing module sums at least one data element of the equalized serial stream of data with DFE data elements to produce equalized data elements. The decision module interprets the equalized data elements to produce interpreted data elements to DFE module, which produces the DFE data elements from the interpreted data elements.