SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ENERGY SAVINGS ON A PHY/MAC INTERFACE FOR ENERGY EFFICIENT ETHERNET

• US 20090204827A1
• Filed: 01/30/2009
• Published: 08/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Powell, Scott, Diab, Wael William, Baumer, Howard
• Granted Patent: US 8,127,164 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/320
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/10 Current supply arrangements

Abstract

A system and method for energy savings on a PHY/MAC interface for energy efficient Ethernet. Power savings for a PHY due to low-link utilization can also be realized in the higher layer elements that interface with the PHY. In one embodiment, subrating is implemented on a MAC/PHY interface to match a subrating of the PHY with a remote link partner. This subrating is less than the full capacity rate and can be zero.

Claims

1. An energy efficient Ethernet method in a physical layer device, comprising:

detecting a need for transitioning of the physical layer device between different power consumption modes; and

transitioning a rate of transmission on an interface between the physical layer device and said media access control device from a first rate to a second rate.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said first rate is greater than said second rate.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said second rate is greater than said first rate.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said transmitting comprises transmitting using in-band signaling.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said transmitting comprises transmitting using out-of-band signaling.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said transmitting comprises transmitting using register-based communication.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said transitioning comprises inactivating one or more channels in said interface.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said transitioning comprises reducing a rate of transmission on one or more channels in said interface.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting a control signal to the media access control device for said transitioning.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a control signal from the media access control device for said transitioning.

11. An energy efficient Ethernet method, comprising:

operating a physical layer device in an active power mode;

transitioning said physical layer device to a low power mode; and

subrating an interface between said physical layer device and a media access control device, said subrated interface reducing a power consumed by said interface.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said transitioning comprises lowering a link rate using a subset physical layer device technique.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein said transitioning comprises entering into a low power idle mode.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein said subrating comprises reducing said interface to a zero rate.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising turning off said interface.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising lowering a rate of said interface.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising turning off one or more channels in said interface.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising reducing a rate of one or more channels in said interface.

19. The method of claim 11, further comprising turning off lanes in a XAUI interface.

20. An energy efficient Ethernet physical layer device that is coupled to a media access control device, comprising:

an interface for communication with the media access control device, said interface including one or more channels; and

a control module that transmits a control signal to the media access control device over said interface indicating a need for transitioning of said interface into a low power consumption mode,

wherein said control signal indicates to the media access control device a level of subrating on at least one of said one or more channels in said interface.

21. The device of claim 20, wherein said interface includes a plurality of channels.

22. The device of claim 20, wherein control signal is transmitted using in-band signaling.

23. The device of claim 20, wherein control signal is transmitted using out-of-band signaling.

24. The device of claim 20, wherein control signal is transmitted using register-based communication.

25. The device of claim 20, wherein said interface is a XAUI interface.

26. The device of claim 20, wherein said interface is a XFI interface.

27. The device of claim 20, wherein said interface is a xxMII interface.