Wake-on-frame for frame processing devices
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An apparatus, comprising:
- a media access control (MAC) layer comprising a central processing unit (CPU) that performs routing related processing on packets prior to sending the packets to one or more destination devices; and
a physical (PHY) layer comprising a switch configured to send packets to the CPU;
wherein the switch comprises an egress port register that includes a wake-on-frame enable bit that is capable of being set or cleared by the CPU; and
wherein the switch is further configured to;
wait for a new packet to be received for the CPU;
when a new packet is received and the wake-on-frame enable bit is set,(i) set an interrupt bit in the egress port register to cause an interrupt signal to be sent to the CPU, such that receiving the interrupt signal will cause the CPU to wake up; and
(ii) hold the packet in a queue;
when the wake-on-frame enable bit is clear, send the packet to the CPU.
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Abstract
Systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with wake-on-frame mechanisms are described. According to one embodiment, an apparatus includes a packet source configured to send packets to a frame processing device and a wake-on-frame mechanism that is selectable by the frame processing device between an enabled state and a disabled state. If the wake-on-frame mechanism is in the enabled state, a packet source that has a frame to send to the frame processing device sends a wake signal to the frame processing device prior to sending the packet. The packet source sends the packet to the frame processing device after receiving a ready signal from the frame processing device.
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Citations
10 Claims
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1. An apparatus, comprising:
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a media access control (MAC) layer comprising a central processing unit (CPU) that performs routing related processing on packets prior to sending the packets to one or more destination devices; and a physical (PHY) layer comprising a switch configured to send packets to the CPU; wherein the switch comprises an egress port register that includes a wake-on-frame enable bit that is capable of being set or cleared by the CPU; and wherein the switch is further configured to; wait for a new packet to be received for the CPU; when a new packet is received and the wake-on-frame enable bit is set, (i) set an interrupt bit in the egress port register to cause an interrupt signal to be sent to the CPU, such that receiving the interrupt signal will cause the CPU to wake up; and (ii) hold the packet in a queue; when the wake-on-frame enable bit is clear, send the packet to the CPU. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A method, comprising:
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operating in a first state in which a switch that is part of a physical (PHY) layer of a device waits for a new packet from an originating device that is sent to a CPU that is part of a media access (MAC) layer of the device, where the CPU performs routing related processing on packets prior to sending the packets to destination devices, and further where the switch comprises an egress port register that includes a wake-on-frame enable bit that indicates whether the CPU is in an active state or an inactive state; when a packet is received and the wake-on-frame enable bit indicates that the CPU is in the inactive state, transitioning to a second state in which the switch; sets an interrupt bit in the egress port register to cause an interrupt signal to be sent to the CPU, such that receiving the interrupt signal will cause the CPU to wake up; and holds the packet in a queue; when the wake-on-frame enable bit indicates that the CPU is in the active state, transition ing to a third state in which the switch sends the packet to the CPU. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8)
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9. A router device comprising:
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a media access control (MAC) layer comprising a CPU configured to perform routing related processing on packets intended for respective network devices in an Ethernet network; and a physical (PHY) layer comprising; an Ethernet switch configured to receive a packet for processing by the CPU, wherein the Ethernet switch includes a plurality of egress ports configured to send packets to the CPU; wherein the egress ports comprise associated registers that include i) a wake-on-frame enable bit that is capable of being set and cleared by the CPU and ii) a wake-on-frame interrupt bit that, when set by the Ethernet switch, causes an interrupt signal to be sent to the CPU, such that receiving the interrupt signal will cause the CPU to wake up, wherein the CPU is configured to (i) set the wake-on-frame enable bit prior to entering a low power consumption state, and (ii) clear the wake-on-frame enable bit in response to receiving a wake-on-frame interrupt signal and entering a normal operating state; and wherein the Ethernet switch is configured to; wait for a new packet; when a packet is received and the wake-on-frame enable bit is set, (i) set the wake-on-frame interrupt bit and (ii) hold the packet in a queue; when the wake-on-frame enable bit is cleared by the CPU, send the packet to the CPU. - View Dependent Claims (10)
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Specification