Method and apparatus for negotiating link speed and configuration

• US 20060029100A1
• Filed: 08/03/2004
• Published: 02/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Valtrus Innovations Limited (f/k/a Dolya Holdco 9 Limited) (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Dove, Daniel J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,570,591 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/474
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/1446 of transmission speed

Abstract

In an embodiment of the invention, a method for negotiating link speed and configuration, includes: performing a modulation of a data D with contents of a synchronous scrambler in order to generate a modulated output Z, where the data D includes configuration information; transmitting the modulated output across a link; and demodulating the modulated output Z with the contents of a synchronous descrambler in order to recover the data D.

Claims

1. A method for negotiating link speed and configuration, the method comprising:

performing a modulation of a data D with contents of a synchronous scrambler in order to generate a modulated output Z, where the data D includes configuration information;

transmitting the modulated output across a link; and

demodulating the modulated output Z with the contents of a synchronous descrambler in order to recover the data D.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of performing the modulation comprises:

performing an exclusive-OR operation on the data D with the contents of a synchronous scrambler.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the contents of the synchronous scrambler is obtained from bit D[5] and bit D[6] of the synchronous scrambler.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of demodulating the modulated output Z comprises:

performing an exclusive-OR operation on the modulated output Z with the contents of the synchronous descrambler.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the contents of the synchronous descrambler is obtained from bit D[5] and bit D[6] of the synchronous descrambler.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the data D is sent at a pre-selected clock rate.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the clock rate is approximately 312.5 MHz+100 ppm.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the modulated output Z is encoded by symbol encoded.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the nodes receiving the modulated output Z includes the 10 Gigabit Ethernet (XAUI) interface.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the configuration information is conveyed by use of IDLE signals.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the configuration information is conveyed by use of a link status value /Q/.

12. An apparatus for negotiating link speed and configuration, the apparatus comprising:

a first node including a synchronous scrambler, the node configured to perform a modulation of a data D with contents of the synchronous scrambler in order to generate a modulated output Z, where the data D includes configuration information;

a second node including a synchronous descrambler; and

a link coupled to the first node and the second node;

wherein the first node is configured to transmit the modulated output across the link, and the second node is configured to demodulate the modulated output Z with the contents of the synchronous descrambler in order to recover the data D.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the first node performs the modulation by performing an exclusive-OR operation on the data D with the contents of a synchronous scrambler.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the contents of the synchronous scrambler is obtained from bit D[5] and bit D[6] of the synchronous scrambler.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the second node performs the demodulation of the modulated output Z by performing an exclusive-OR operation on the modulated output Z with the contents of the synchronous descrambler.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the contents of the synchronous descrambler is obtained from bit D[5] and bit D[6] of the synchronous descrambler.

17. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the data D is sent at a pre-selected clock rate.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the clock rate is approximately 312.5 MHz+100 ppm.

19. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the modulated output Z is encoded by symbol encoded.

20. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein one of the nodes receiving the modulated output Z includes the 10 Gigabit Ethernet (XAUI) interface.

21. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the configuration information is conveyed by use of IDLE signals.

22. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the configuration information is conveyed by use of a link status value /Q/.

23. An apparatus for negotiating link speed and configuration, the apparatus comprising:

means for performing a modulation of a data D with contents of a synchronous scrambler in order to generate a modulated output Z, where the data D includes configuration information;

means for transmitting the modulated output across a link; and

means for demodulating the modulated output Z with the contents of a synchronous descrambler in order to recover the data D.