Step Margin Execution Status

The step margin execution status is updated when a write committed is received from the PHY. The 2-bit status is derived as shown in the following table.

Table 1. Step Margin Status
Inputs Step Margin Execution Status [1:0] Description
PHY issues Write_Ack in response to a write committed by the PCIe Controller to start margining. 01 01b: Set up for margin in progress. The receiver is getting ready but has not yet started executing the step margin command. MErrorCount is 0.
PHY sets the Margin Status bit in RX Margin Status 0 PIPE MAC Register in response to a write committed by the PCIe Controller to start margining. 10 10b: Margining in progress. The receiver is executing the step margin command. MErrorCount reflects the number of errors detected.
PHY sets the margin NAK bit in the RX Margin Status 0 PIPE MAC Register in response to a write committed by the PCIe Controller to start margining. 11 11b: NAK. Indicates that an unsupported lane margining command was issued. For example, timing margin beyond +/- 0.2 UI. MErrorCount is 0.
PHY updates error count bits [5:0] by issuing a write committed to the MAC RX Margin Status 2 Register. When error count bits [5:0] is greater than error limit[5:0], update execution status. 00 00b: Too many errors. The receiver autonomously went back to its default settings. MErrorCount reflects the number of errors detected. Note that MErrorCount might be greater than the error count limit.