System and method for auto-negotiation in a data communication device

• US 20060098683A1
• Filed: 11/10/2004
• Published: 05/11/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Avago Technologies General IP PTE Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Thaler, Patricia Ann
• Granted Patent: US 7,447,168 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/462
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/4904 using self-synchronising codes, e.g. split-phase codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/1438 Negotiation of transmission parameters prior to communication modified according to link quality H04L1/0001
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/24 Negotiation of communication capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/18 Negotiating wireless communication parameters

Abstract

A data communication device configured to communicate with a link partner is provided. The data communication device comprises a port coupled to link partner and an auto-negotiation system configured to generate a first differential Manchester signal that comprises information that identifies at least one mode of operation of the data communication device and configured to transmit the first differential Manchester signal to the link partner using the port.

Claims

1. A data communication device configured to communicate with a link partner, the data communication device comprising:

a port coupled to link partner; and

an auto-negotiation system configured to generate a first differential Manchester signal that comprises information that identifies at least one mode of operation of the data communication device and configured to transmit the first differential Manchester signal to the link partner using the port.

2. The data communication device of claim 1 further comprising:

a first data path; and

a second data path;

wherein the at least one mode of operation is associated with the first data path or the second data path.

3. The data communication device of claim 1 wherein the information comprises a page, and wherein the auto-negotiation system comprises a differential Manchester encoding unit configured to encode the page to generate the first differential Manchester signal.

4. The data communication device of claim 3 wherein the auto-negotiation system is configured to transmit a delimiter including at least one Manchester violation to the link partner prior to transmitting the first differential Manchester signal to the link partner.

5. The data communication device of claim 3 where the auto-negotiation system is configured to transmit a delimiter comprising a plurality of bits having a first logic level followed by a bit having a second logic level prior to transmitting the first differential Manchester signal to the link partner, and wherein a number bits in plurality of bits exceeds a number of bits in the page.

6. The data communication device of claim 3 wherein the auto-negotiation system comprises a clock divide unit configured to generate a divided clock signal, and wherein the differential Manchester encoding unit is configured to encode the page to generate the first differential Manchester signal using the divided clock signal.

7. The data communication device of claim 1 wherein the auto-negotiation system is configured to receive a second differential Manchester signal from the link partner using the port.

8. The data communication device of claim 7 wherein the auto-negotiation system comprises a differential Manchester decoding unit configured to configured to decode the second differential Manchester signal.

9. The data communication device of claim 8 further comprising:

a first data path; and

a second data path;

wherein auto-negotiation system is configured to cause the first data path or the second data path to be selected in response to decoding the second differential Manchester signal.

10. The data communication device of claim 1 wherein the first differential Manchester signal comprises a plurality of bit cells, wherein each of the plurality of bit cells comprise either a first logic level defined by a signal transition within the bit cell or a second logic level defined by a lack of the signal transition within the bit cell.

11. A method comprising:

encoding information that identifies at least one mode of operation of a data communications device to generate a first differential Manchester signal; and

transmitting the first differential Manchester signal to a link partner coupled to a port of the data communications device.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the at least one mode of operation identifies a data path of the data communications device.

13. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

generating a divided clock signal; and

encoding the information to generate the first differential Manchester signal using the divided clock signal.

14. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

receiving a second differential Manchester signal from the link partner using the port.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

decoding the second differential Manchester signal.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

selecting a first data path or a second data path for operation in response to decoding the second differential Manchester signal.

17. The method of claim 11 wherein the first differential Manchester signal comprises a plurality of bit cells, wherein each of the plurality of bit cells comprise either a first logic level defined by a signal transition within the bit cell or a second logic level defined by a lack of the signal transition within the bit cell.

18. A system comprising:

means for generating a first differential Manchester signal that comprises information that identifies at least one mode of operation of a data communications device; and

means for transmitting the first differential Manchester signal to a link partner coupled to a port of the data communications device.

19. The system of claim 18 further comprising:

means for decoding a second differential Manchester signal received from the link partner using the port.

20. The system of claim 19 further comprising:

means for selecting a first data path or a second data path for operation in response to decoding the second differential Manchester signal.