Physical layer and data link interface with adaptive speed
First Claim
1. A MAC comprising:
- at least one PHY-to-MAC port to receive signals indicative of PHY-to-MAC words; and
at least one MAC-to-PHY port to transmit signals indicative of MAC-to-PHY words;
wherein the PHY-to-MAC words include slow mode PHY-to-MAC words, wherein a slow mode PHY-to-MAC word received by the MAC from a PHY includes a transmit cycle field to indicate whether the MAC is to provide data in a next MAC-to-PHY word transmitted by the MAC to the PHY subsequent to the MAC receiving the slow mode PHY-to-MAC word.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A word-based interface between a MAC and a PHY, allowing for variable pin counts, variable PHY and MAC data speeds, and variable numbers of connected PHYs. The word-based interface allows for the PHY to provide PHY-to-MAC words to the MAC, and for the MAC to provided MAC-to-PHY words to the PHY, where the PHY-to-MAC words are synchronized with the MAC-to-PHY words. Data and commands are provided in fields of the words, and may be time multiplexed over the interface. Circuits within the MAC and PHY allow for the MAC to detect if a PHY is present, the number of active pins, and the number of PHYs connected. The reset and synchronization signals are integrated into a single reset/sync signal. Identification data is exchanged between the MAC and PHY so that the proper device driver for the PHY may be loaded independently of the BIOS.
53 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A MAC comprising:
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at least one PHY-to-MAC port to receive signals indicative of PHY-to-MAC words; and at least one MAC-to-PHY port to transmit signals indicative of MAC-to-PHY words; wherein the PHY-to-MAC words include slow mode PHY-to-MAC words, wherein a slow mode PHY-to-MAC word received by the MAC from a PHY includes a transmit cycle field to indicate whether the MAC is to provide data in a next MAC-to-PHY word transmitted by the MAC to the PHY subsequent to the MAC receiving the slow mode PHY-to-MAC word. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A PHY to transmit and receive signals propagated on a medium, and to communicate with a MAC via PHY-to-MAC words and MAC-to-PHY words, the PHY comprising:
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at least one MAC-to-PHY port to receive signals indicative of the MAC-to-PHY words; and at least one PHY-to-MAC port to transmit signals indicative of the PHY-to-MAC words;
wherein the PHY-to-MAC words include slow mode PHY-to-MAC words, wherein a slow mode PHY-to-MAC word transmitted by the PHY and received by the MAC includes a transmit cycle field to indicate whether the MAC is requested by the PHY to provide data for transmission on the medium in a next MAC-to-PHY word transmitted by the MAC to the PHY subsequent to the MAC receiving the slow mode PHY-to-MAC word. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A computer system comprising:
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a MAC; and a PHY to receive and transmit signals propagated on a medium and connected to the MAC so that the MAC provides MAC-to-PHY words to the PHY and the PHY provides PHY-to-MAC words to the MAC; wherein the PHY-to-MAC words and the MAC-to-PHY words are synchronously paired so that the MAC provides one MAC-to-PHY word to the PHY while the PHY provides one PHY-to-MAC word to the MAC; wherein the PHY-to-MAC words include slow mode PHY-to-MAC words having a transmit cycle field; wherein if the transmit cycle field of a first slow mode PHY-to-MAC word is set to a first value, the first slow mode PHY-to-MAC word being synchronously paired with a first MAC-to-PHY word, then the MAC is requested by the PHY to provide transmit data in a second MAC-to-PHY word for transmission over the medium, where the second MAC-to-PHY word succeeds the first MAC-to-PHY word, and if the transmit cycle field of the first slow mode PHY-to-MAC word is set to a second value different from the first value, then the MAC is requested by the PHY not to include transmit data in the second MAC-to-PHY word. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification