METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR LINK ADAPTIVE ETHERNET COMMUNICATIONS

• US 20110007664A1
• Filed: 11/24/2009
• Published: 01/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Avago Technologies General IP PTE Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Diab, Wael, Powell, Scott
• Granted Patent: US 9,515,843 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/254
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/001 applied to control information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40136 Nodes adapting their rate to the physical link properties LAN switches H04L49/351

Abstract

Aspects of a method and system for link adaptive Ethernet communications are provided. In this regard, characteristics of a cable attached to a network device may be determined, and the network device may be configured based on the determined characteristics. One or more of a plurality of Ethernet PHYs within the network device may be selected to be utilized for communicating over the cable based on the determined characteristics of the cable. The selected Ethernet PHYs may be configured based on the determined characteristics. A modulation scheme utilized by the selected Ethernet PHYs may be configured based on the determined characteristics. A modulation scheme utilized by each of the selected Ethernet PHYs may be configured independently from a modulation scheme utilized by other ones of the selected Ethernet PHYs.

Claims

1. A method for networking, the method comprising:

performing by one or more processors and/or circuits in a network device;

determining characteristics of a cable attached to said network device;

selecting one or more of a plurality of Ethernet PHYs within said network device to be utilized for communicating over said cable based on said determined characteristics; and

configuring said selected one or more Ethernet PHYs based on said characteristics.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said cable comprises a twisted pair cable and said characteristics comprise a category of said cable.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said characteristics comprise whether said cable is shielded.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said characteristics comprise a length of said cable.

5. The method according to claim 1, comprising configuring a modulation scheme utilized by said selected one or more Ethernet PHYs based on said determined characteristics.

6. The method according to claim 5, comprising configuring a modulation scheme utilized by each of said selected Ethernet PHYs independently from a modulation scheme utilized by other ones of said selected Ethernet PHYs.

7. The method according to claim 5, comprising configuring a modulation scheme utilized by each of said selected Ethernet PHYs based on a frequency band on which each of said selected Ethernet PHYs communicates.

8. The method according to claim 1, comprising configuring one or more of said selected Ethernet PHYs based in interference present on said cable.

9. The method according to claim 1, comprising configuring one or more of said selected Ethernet PHYs to operate in a duplex or simplex mode based on said determined characteristics.

10. The method according to claim 9, comprising, for one or more selected Ethernet PHYs operating in simplex mode, determining which channels of said cable to use for outbound traffic and which channels to use for inbound traffic based on one or more of:

traffic patterns on said cable;

one or more applications running on said network device;

one or more applications running on a link partner communicatively coupled to said network device; and

functions performed by said networking device.

12. The system according to claim 1, wherein said cable comprises a twisted pair cable and said characteristics comprise a category of said cable.

13. The system according to claim 1, wherein said characteristics comprise whether said cable is shielded.

14. The system according to claim 1, wherein said characteristics comprise a length of said cable.

15. The system according to claim 1, wherein said one or more processors and/or circuits are operable to configure a modulation scheme utilized by said selected one or more Ethernet PHYs based on said determined characteristics.

16. The system according to claim 5, wherein said one or more processors and/or circuits are operable to configure a modulation scheme utilized by each of said selected Ethernet PHYs independently from a modulation scheme utilized by other ones of said selected Ethernet PHYs.

17. The system according to claim 5, wherein said one or more processors and/or circuits are operable to configure a modulation scheme utilized by each of said selected Ethernet PHYs based on a frequency band on which each of said selected Ethernet PHYs communicates.

18. The system according to claim 1, wherein said one or more processors and/or circuits are operable to configure one or more of said selected Ethernet PHYs based in interference present on said cable.

19. The system according to claim 1, wherein said one or more processors and/or circuits are operable to configure one or more of said selected Ethernet PHYs to operate in a duplex or simplex mode based on said determined characteristics.

20. The system according to claim 9, wherein, for one or more selected Ethernet PHYs operating in simplex mode, said one or more processors and/or circuits are operable to determine which channels of said cable to use for outbound traffic and which channels to use for inbound traffic based on one or more of:

traffic patterns on said cable;

one or more applications running on said network device;

one or more applications running on a link partner communicatively coupled to said network device; and

functions performed by said networking device.

11. A system for networking, the system comprising:

one or more processors and/or circuits for use in a network device, wherein said one or more processors and/or circuits are operable to;

determine characteristics of a cable attached to said network device;

select one or more of a plurality of Ethernet PHYs within said network device to be utilized for communicating over said cable based on said determined characteristics; and

configure said selected one or more Ethernet PHYs based on said characteristics.