Active idle communication system

• US 20090125735A1
• Filed: 11/12/2008
• Published: 05/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Marvell Asia Pte Limited (Marvell Technology Group Limited)
• Original Assignee: Marvell International Limited (Marvell Technology Group Limited)
• Inventors: Zimmerman, George A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,984,304 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/310
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/325 Power saving in peripheral device
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0225 using monitoring of external events, e.g. the presence of a signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/04 Wireless resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/30 Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for improving the carbon footprint of the management of residential or tertiary loads, i.e. smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the buildings sector, including also the last stages of power distribution and the control, monitoring or operating management systems at local level
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

To reduce power consumption and heat generation, an active idle system is proposed that monitors for an idle period and then, after a predetermined time, initiates a silent period. During the silent period data and idle frames are not transmitted. During the silent period, one or more transceiver components may be turned off or forced into some other power saving mode. The predetermined time may be any amount of time and is selected to balance network usage and power savings. Periodically during the silent period, such as at predetermined times, one or more sync or idle frames are transmitted. Received sync or idle frames are processed to maintain receiver settings, synchronization or equalizer adaptation. Restoring active data communication may occur by monitoring the channel during silent periods for a request or only during the predetermined times when sync or idle frames are sent.

Claims

1. A method for reducing power consumption in an Ethernet communication device comprising:

monitoring for an idle frame;

upon detecting a predetermined number of idle frames, entering a reduce power consumption state in which idle frames are not processed;

monitoring for a transmit period;

responsive to a transmit period, receiving one or more idle or training frames;

optionally adapting the communication system based on one or more of the one or more idle or training frames; and

re-entering a reduced power consumption state in which idle frames are not processed.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined number of idle frames comprises one idle frame.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring for a transmit period comprises receiving a timer output, wherein the timer output signals the transmit period.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein optionally adapting comprises:

analyzing the idle or training system to determine channel conditions;

comparing the channel conditions with prior channel conditions;

adapting the communication system if the comparing reveals a change in channel conditions greater than a threshold.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving an activate frame and, responsive thereto, restoring data communication.

6. A method for maintaining a communication link during periods of non-use of the communication system comprising:

detecting an idle period in a communication system;

responsive to the idle period, initiating a counter or timer for a first time period, as part of an idle frame sequence;

sending idle frames during the idle frame sequence;

monitoring for an end of the first time period and responsive to the end of the first time period;

stopping the sending of idle frames;

initiating a counter or timer to start a second time period;

monitoring for the end of the second time period and responsive to the end of the second time period sending a sync or idle frame to an opposing receiver;

receiving and processing the sync or idle frame at the opposing receiver to maintain one or more settings of the opposing receiver.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein counter or timer times a predetermined period of time.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein counter or timer counts or track frames.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein stopping the sending of idle frames comprises sending no signal.

10. The method of claim 6, further comprising resetting the second time period.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein maintaining one or more settings of the opposing receiver comprises performing timing synchronization, adaptation, or both.

12. The method of claim 6, wherein stopping the sending of idle frames further comprise powering down one or more aspects of a transmitter.

13. A system for saving power in a communication device comprising

an input/output port configured to connect to one or more channels;

a transmitter configured to transmit data over the channel via the input/output port;

a controller configured to interface with the transmitter, the controller configured to;

detect idle periods;

control the transmitter to initiate a silent period by no longer sending a signal over the channel after a predetermined idle period;

reactivate the transmitter periodically to send sync or idle information, the sync or idle information to be used by an opposing receiver to maintain the opposing receiver settings;

reactivate the transmitter in response to active data to be transmitted.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising a detector, the detector configured to detect incoming or outgoing signals.

15. The system of claim 13, further comprising a timer configured to time idle periods.

16. The system of claim 13, further comprising a memory configured to store information regarding the length of a predetermined idle period.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the system further comprises a clocking system having a clock signal, and during a silent period the clock signal it not provided to two or more transmitter apparatus.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein during the silent period, the controller turns off one or more aspect of the transmitter.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein during the silent period, one or more aspects of the opposing receiver are also turned off.