Integrated medium access control device and physical layer device
First Claim
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1. A medium access control device comprising:
- a processor to process data packets between a data link layer and a physical layer in accordance with a communications protocol;
a memory coupled to the processor to store a wireless communications protocol and a wired communications protocol;
a protocol control unit coupled to the processor to select a communications protocol to use;
a physical medium independent interface coupled to the processor to send and receive data packets to and from a physical layer device, the data packets being compatible with a physical medium being used by the physical layer device as a communications medium regardless of whether the physical medium is a wired medium or a wireless medium; and
a host interface configured to download a further communications protocol into memory in response to a communications protocol being used by the physical layer device.
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Abstract
According to one embodiment, the invention provides a medium access control device. The device comprises a processor to process data packets between a data link layer and a physical layer in accordance with a communications protocol; and a physical medium independent interface coupled to the processor to send and receive data packets to and from a physical layer device, the data packets being compatible with either a wired communications medium or a wireless communications medium used by the physical layer device as a communications medium.
20 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A medium access control device comprising:
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a processor to process data packets between a data link layer and a physical layer in accordance with a communications protocol; a memory coupled to the processor to store a wireless communications protocol and a wired communications protocol; a protocol control unit coupled to the processor to select a communications protocol to use; a physical medium independent interface coupled to the processor to send and receive data packets to and from a physical layer device, the data packets being compatible with a physical medium being used by the physical layer device as a communications medium regardless of whether the physical medium is a wired medium or a wireless medium; and a host interface configured to download a further communications protocol into memory in response to a communications protocol being used by the physical layer device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A medium access control device comprising:
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a physical medium interface to support communications with a physical layer device; a processor to control the physical medium interface, wherein said physical medium interface and processor provide a wireless operating mode in which data is sent and received by the physical medium interface in accordance with a wireless communications protocol, and a wired operating mode in which said data is sent and received by the physical medium interface in accordance with a wired communications protocol; and a power management unit to selectively turn off components of the device that are not required for a particular operating mode; an encryption and decryption unit to encrypt and decrypt data in accordance with an encryption and decryption algorithm, said encryption and decryption algorithm being dynamically updateable. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A medium access control device comprising:
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a first means for processing data packets between a data link layer and a physical layer in accordance with a communications protocol; a second means coupled to said first means to store a wireless communications protocol and a wired communications protocol; a third means coupled to said first means to select a communications protocol to use; and a fourth means coupled to said first means to send and receive data packets from a physical layer device, the data packets being compatible with a physical medium being used by the physical layer device as a communications medium regardless of whether the physical medium is a wired medium or a wireless; and a fifth means to download a further communications protocol into said second means in response to a communications protocol being used by the physical layer device. - View Dependent Claims (21)
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Specification