System and method for energy savings on a PHY/MAC interface for energy efficient ethernet

• US 8,127,164 B2
• Filed: 01/30/2009
• Issued: 02/28/2012
• 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: Diab, Wael William, Powell, Scott, Baumer, Howard
• Primary Examiner(s): STIGLIC, RYAN M
• Application Number:
  US12/362,763
• Publication Number:
  US 20090204827A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,124 Days
• Field of Search: 713/320
• US Class Current: 713/324
• 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, 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, wherein said subrating comprises reducing said interface to a zero rate.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said transitioning comprises lowering a link rate using a subset physical layer device technique.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said transitioning comprises entering into a low power idle mode.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting a control signal to said media access control device indicating a need for transitioning of said interface into a low power consumption mode.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said control signal is transmitted using in-band signaling.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said control signal is transmitted using out-of-band signaling.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said control signal is transmitted using register-based communication.

8. 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, wherein said subrating comprises turning off said interface.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said transitioning comprises lowering a link rate using a subset physical layer device technique.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein said transitioning comprises entering into a low power idle mode.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising transmitting a control signal to said media access control device indicating a need for transitioning of said interface into a low power consumption mode.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein said control signal is transmitted using in-band signaling.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein said control signal is transmitted using out-of-band signaling.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein said control signal is transmitted using register-based communication.

15. 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, wherein said subrating comprises turning off one or more channels in said interface.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said transitioning comprises lowering a link rate using a subset physical layer device technique.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein said transitioning comprises entering into a low power idle mode.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising transmitting a control signal to said media access control device indicating a need for transitioning of said interface into a low power consumption mode.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein said control signal is transmitted using in-band signaling.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein said control signal is transmitted using out-of-band signaling.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein said control signal is transmitted using register-based communication.

22. 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, wherein said subrating comprises turning off lanes in a XAUI interface.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein said transitioning comprises lowering a link rate using a subset physical layer device technique.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein said transitioning comprises entering into a low power idle mode.

25. The method of claim 22, further comprising transmitting a control signal to said media access control device indicating a need for transitioning of said interface into a low power consumption mode.

26. The method of claim 22, wherein said control signal is transmitted using in-band signaling.

27. The method of claim 22, wherein said control signal is transmitted using out-of-band signaling.

28. The method of claim 22, wherein said control signal is transmitted using register-based communication.