Cable tester
First Claim
1. A physical layer module (PHY), comprising:
- a control module that selectively generates a cable-test enable signal to test a cable including four pairs of twisted wire; and
a cable-test module that tests the cable based on the cable-test enable signal,wherein the cable-test module (i) transmits test signals on the four pairs at a first time, (ii) receives return signals, and (iii) determines that the cable is not faulty when;
the return signals received on a first pair and a second pair of the four pairs have an amplitude less than a first predetermined amplitude; and
the return signals received on a third pair and a fourth pair of the four pairs have an amplitude greater than a second predetermined amplitude and are received substantially contemporaneously, andwherein the cable-test module determines that the cable is faulty due to a short-circuit in at least one of the first pair and the second pair when;
the return signals on at least one of the first pair and the second pair are received before the return signals are received on at least one of the third and the fourth pair; and
the return signals received on at least one of the first pair and the second pair have an amplitude greater than the second predetermined amplitude.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A physical layer module (PHY) of a network device includes a control module and a cable-test module. The control module selectively generates a cable-test enable signal to test a cable including four pairs of twisted wire. The cable-test module tests the cable based on the cable-test enable signal. The cable-test module transmits test signals on the four pairs at a first time and receives return signals. The cable-test module determines that the cable is not faulty when the return signals received on first and second pairs of the four pairs have an amplitude less than a first predetermined amplitude, and when the return signals received on third and fourth pairs of the four pairs have an amplitude greater than a second predetermined amplitude and are received substantially contemporaneously.
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Citations
44 Claims
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1. A physical layer module (PHY), comprising:
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a control module that selectively generates a cable-test enable signal to test a cable including four pairs of twisted wire; and a cable-test module that tests the cable based on the cable-test enable signal, wherein the cable-test module (i) transmits test signals on the four pairs at a first time, (ii) receives return signals, and (iii) determines that the cable is not faulty when; the return signals received on a first pair and a second pair of the four pairs have an amplitude less than a first predetermined amplitude; and the return signals received on a third pair and a fourth pair of the four pairs have an amplitude greater than a second predetermined amplitude and are received substantially contemporaneously, and wherein the cable-test module determines that the cable is faulty due to a short-circuit in at least one of the first pair and the second pair when; the return signals on at least one of the first pair and the second pair are received before the return signals are received on at least one of the third and the fourth pair; and the return signals received on at least one of the first pair and the second pair have an amplitude greater than the second predetermined amplitude. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method used by a physical layer module (PHY) of a network device, the method comprising:
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selectively generating a cable-test enable signal to test a cable that includes four pairs of twisted wire; testing the cable based on the cable-test enable signal, wherein the testing includes; transmitting test signals on the four pairs at a first time; receiving return signals; and determining that the cable is not faulty when; the return signals received on a first pair and a second pair of the four pairs have an amplitude less than a first predetermined amplitude; and the return signals received on a third pair and a fourth pair of the four pairs have an amplitude greater than a second predetermined amplitude and are received substantially contemporaneously, and determining that the cable is faulty due to a short-circuit in at least one of the first pair and the second pair when; the return signals on at least one of the first pair and the second pair are received before the return signals are received on at least one of the third pair and the fourth pair; and the return signals received on at least one of the first pair and the second pair have an amplitude greater than the second predetermined amplitude. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A physical layer module (PHY), comprising:
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control means for selectively generating a cable-test enable signal to test a cable including four pairs of twisted wire; and cable-test means for testing the cable based on the cable test enable signal, wherein the cable-test means (i) transmits test signals on the four pairs at a first time, (ii) receives return signals, and (iii) determines that the cable is not faulty when; the return signals received on a first pair and a second pair of the four pairs have an amplitude less than a first predetermined amplitude; and the return signals received on a third pair and a fourth pair of the four pairs have an amplitude greater than a second predetermined amplitude and are received substantially contemporaneously, and wherein the cable-test means determines that the cable is faulty due to a short-circuit in at least one of the first pair and the second pair when; the return signals on at least one of the first pair and the second pair are received before the return signals are received on at least one of the third pair and the fourth pair; and the return signals received on at least one of the first pair and the second pair have an amplitude greater than the second predetermined amplitude. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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Specification