Method and system for energy efficient signaling for 100mbps Ethernet using a subset technique
First Claim
1. A method for networking, the method comprising:
- configuring an Ethernet PHY to communicate over a twisted-pair network link in compliance with 1GBASE-T or 10GBASE-T standards based on a successful completion of an autonegotiation process between said Ethernet PHY and a link partner;
after said configuration, communicating by said Ethernet PHY with said link partner using four twisted pairs in said twisted-pair network link; and
reducing, in response to a low link utilization condition, a number of twisted pairs of said twisted-pair network link over which said Ethernet PHY communicates with said link partner to less than four and reducing a size of a signal constellation utilized by said Ethernet PHY to encode data, said reduced signal constellation being a subset of a signal constellation used by said Ethernet PHY when communicating using four twisted pairs, such that said Ethernet PHY communicates at, 100 Mbps.
7 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Aspects of a method and system for energy efficient signaling for 100 mbps Ethernet using a subset are provided. In this regard, a network device enabled to communicate over a network link at 1 Gbps or faster may be configured to communicate over the network link at, or approximately at, 100 Mbps by reducing a number of active channels over which the network device communicates and/or reducing a size of a signal constellation utilized by the network device to encode data. The device may communicate according to 1GBASE-T or 10GBASE-T standards. The number of active channels may be reduced to a single bidirectional channel or two unidirectional channels. The signal constellation may be reduced to two or three levels. One or more components of the network device may be unnecessary for recovering data when communicating at 100 Mbps and may thus be powered down, or placed into a lower power mode.
-
Citations
21 Claims
-
1. A method for networking, the method comprising:
-
configuring an Ethernet PHY to communicate over a twisted-pair network link in compliance with 1GBASE-T or 10GBASE-T standards based on a successful completion of an autonegotiation process between said Ethernet PHY and a link partner; after said configuration, communicating by said Ethernet PHY with said link partner using four twisted pairs in said twisted-pair network link; and reducing, in response to a low link utilization condition, a number of twisted pairs of said twisted-pair network link over which said Ethernet PHY communicates with said link partner to less than four and reducing a size of a signal constellation utilized by said Ethernet PHY to encode data, said reduced signal constellation being a subset of a signal constellation used by said Ethernet PHY when communicating using four twisted pairs, such that said Ethernet PHY communicates at, 100 Mbps. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
-
-
10. A system for networking, the method comprising:
-
one or more circuits for use in an Ethernet PHY, said one or more circuits being configured to; configure an Ethernet PHY to communicate over a twisted-pair network link in accordance with a first signal constellation defined by one of 1GBASE-T or 10GBASE-T based on a successful completion of an autonegotiation process between said Ethernet PHY and a link partner; after said configuration, communicate by said Ethernet PHY with said link partner using four twisted pairs in said twisted-pair network link; and reduce, in response to a low link utilization condition, a number of twisted pairs of said twisted-pair network link over which said Ethernet PHY communicates with said link partner to less than four such that said Ethernet PHY communicates at, or approximately at, 100 Mbps using a second signal constellation that is produced by reducing a size of said first signal constellation, said second signal constellation being a subset of said first signal constellation. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
-
-
19. A method for networking, the method comprising:
-
configuring an Ethernet PHY to communicate at a first link rate over four twisted pairs in accordance with a defined first signal constellation based on a successful completion of an autonegotiation process between said Ethernet PHY and a link partner; and reconfiguring, without a further autonegotiation process, said Ethernet PHY in response to a low link utilization condition, said reconfiguration enabling said Ethernet PHY to communicate at a second link rate lower than said first link rate using less than four twisted pairs and a second signal constellation that is produced by reducing a size of said first signal constellation, said second signal constellation being a subset of said first signal constellation. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
-
Specification