METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR REDUCING TRANSCEIVER POWER VIA A VARIABLE SIGNAL CONSTELLATION

• US 20080225881A1
• Filed: 09/21/2007
• Published: 09/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Powell, Scott
• Granted Patent: US 8,218,567 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/463
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40039 Details regarding the setting of the power status of a node according to activity on the bus
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40136 Nodes adapting their rate to the physical link properties LAN switches H04L49/351
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/413 with random access, e.g. carrier-sense multiple-access with collision detection [CSMA-CD]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/50 in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate

Abstract

Aspects of a method and system for reducing transceiver power via a variable signal constellation are provided. In this regard, an Ethernet PHY device may receive one or more signals indicative of a current state of an Ethernet link to which the PHY device is coupled and/or indicative of resources, such as power, available to the PHY device. Accordingly, a number of points comprising a signal constellation utilized to communicate data via the Ethernet link may vary based on the one or more signals. A current state of the link may comprise a bit error rate, a packet error rate, and/or utilization, in terms of bandwidth for example, of the link. Aspects of the invention may enable controlling, at least in part, power consumption of the PHY device may altering the number of points comprising the signal constellation.

Claims

1. A method for providing communication in a network, the method comprising:

in an Ethernet transmitter,

receiving a signal indicative of a current state of a link handled by said Ethernet transmitter and/or indicative of resources available to said transmitter; and

varying a number of constellation points utilized by said Ethernet transmitter based on said received signal.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said resources available to said transmitter comprise power.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said current state of said link handled by said Ethernet transmitter comprises a bit error rate, a packet error rate and/ or a utilization of said link.

4. The method according to claim 1, comprising controlling power consumption of said Ethernet transmitter via said variation in said number of constellation points utilized by said Ethernet transmitter.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein said controlling of said power consumption results in minimizing of power consumed by said Ethernet transmitter.

6. The method according to claim 1, comprising mapping data to be transmitted by said Ethernet transmitter to varying voltage levels based on said variation in said number of constellation points.

7. The method according to claim 1, comprising maintaining a specified bit error rate via said variation in said number of constellation points.

8. The method according to claim 1, comprising maintaining a specified packet error rate via said variation in said number of constellation points.

9. The method according to claim 1, comprising modifying said number of constellation points utilized by said Ethernet transmitter based a threshold associated with on one or more of a bit error rate, a packet error rate, link utilization, and power available to said Ethernet transmitter.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein said Ethernet transmitter communicates at data rates greater than or equal to 1 Gigabit per second.

11. A machine-readable storage having stored thereon, a computer program having at least one code section for providing communication in a network, the at least one code section being executable by a machine for causing the machine to perform steps comprising:

in an Ethernet transmitter,

receiving a signal indicative of a current state of a link handled by said Ethernet transmitter and/or indicative of resources available to said transmitter; and

varying a number of constellation points utilized by said Ethernet transmitter based on said received signal.

12. The machine-readable storage according to claim 11, wherein said resources available to said transmitter comprise power.

13. The machine-readable storage according to claim 11, wherein said current state of said link handled by said Ethernet transmitter comprises a bit error rate, a packet error rate and/or utilization of said link.

14. The machine-readable storage according to claim 11, wherein said at least one code section comprises code for controlling power consumption of said Ethernet transmitter via said variation in said number of constellation points utilized by said Ethernet transmitter.

15. The machine-readable storage according to claim 14, wherein said controlling of said power consumption causes minimizing of power consumed by said Ethernet transmitter.

16. The machine-readable storage according to claim 11, wherein said at least one code section comprises code for mapping data to be transmitted by said Ethernet transmitter to varying voltage levels based on said variation in said number of constellation points.

17. The machine-readable storage according to claim 11, wherein said at least one code section comprises code for maintaining a specified bit error rate via said variation in said number of constellation points.

18. The machine-readable storage according to claim 11, wherein said at least one code section comprises code for maintaining a specified packet error rate via said variation in said number of constellation points.

19. The machine-readable storage according to claim 11, wherein said at least one code section comprises code for modifying said number of constellation points utilized by said Ethernet transmitter based a threshold associated with on one or more of a bit error rate, a packet error rate, link utilization, and power available to said Ethernet transmitter.

20. The machine-readable storage according to claim 11, wherein said Ethernet transmitter communicates at data rates greater than or equal to 1 Gigabit per second.

21. A system for providing communication in a network, the system comprising:

one or more circuits of an Ethernet transmitter that receives a signal indicative of a current state of a link handled by said Ethernet transmitter and/or indicative of resources available to said transmitter; and

said one or more circuits of said Ethernet transmitter varies a number of constellation points utilized by said Ethernet transmitter based on said received signal.

22. The system according to claim 21, wherein said resources available to said transmitter comprise power.

23. The system according to claim 21, wherein said current state of said at least said link handled by said Ethernet transmitter comprises a bit error rate, a packet error rate and/or utilization of said link.

24. The system according to claim 21, wherein said one or more circuits controls power consumption of said Ethernet transmitter via said variation in said number of constellation points utilized by said Ethernet transmitter.

25. The system according to claim 24, wherein said controlling of said power consumption results in minimizing of power consumed by said Ethernet transmitter.

26. The system according to claim 21, wherein said one or more circuits maps data to be transmitted by said Ethernet transmitter to varying voltage levels based on variation in said variation in said number of constellation points.

27. The system according to claim 21, wherein said one or more circuits maintains a specified bit error rate via said variation in said number of constellation points.

28. The system according to claim 21, wherein said one or more circuits maintains a specified packet error rate via said variation in said number of constellation points.

29. The system according to claim 21, wherein said one or more circuits modifies said number of constellation points utilized by said Ethernet transmitter based a threshold associated with on one or more of a bit error rate, a packet error rate, link utilization, and power available to said Ethernet transmitter.

30. The system according to claim 21, wherein said Ethernet transmitter communicates at data rates greater than or equal to 1 Gigabit per second.