Advanced single-chip USB-to-Ethernet controller with a Dual-PHY mode capacity for Ethernet PHY or USB-to-Rev-MII Bridging

• US 20090175283A1
• Filed: 01/07/2008
• Published: 07/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ASIX Electronics Corporation
• Original Assignee: ASIX Electronics Corporation
• Inventors: Lin, Chih-Tsung, Chan, Yung-Ta, Kang, Chin-Chia, JAN, Hsun-Yao
• Granted Patent: US 7,961,746 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/401
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4045 where the bus bridge performs an extender function

Abstract

This invention relates to a single-chip USB-to-Ethernet controller that can operate either as a standalone USB-to-Ethernet controller integrated circuit chip in one mode, or the Ethernet PHY or the USB-to-Rev-MII Bridging chip in another mode, namely Dual-PHY mode, to interface with an external Network Microcontroller'"'"'s Ethernet MAC for providing Ethernet and USB Device interface in a network communication system and to provide a mechanism for auto-detection and auto-selection between the Ethernet interface and USB Device interface through some Station Management Register access wherein the Network Microcontroller'"'"'s Ethernet MAC can access two PHY devices through the same Station Management Interface.

Claims

1. A network communication system, comprising:

an Ethernet PHY (physical layer) interface connecting through transformer and RJ-45 connector to Ethernet network by Ethernet cable;

an Ethernet MAC (Media Access Controller) interface connecting to said Ethernet PHY interface;

a USB-to-Ethernet bridge (Universal Serial Bus to Ethernet) interface connecting to said Ethernet MAC;

a packet buffer connecting to said USB-to-Ethernet bridge interface;

a USB PHY/SIE (Serial Interface Engine) interface connecting to said USB-to-Ethernet bridge interface; and

a Station Management interface connecting to said USB PHY/SIE interface, said Ethernet PHY interface and Ethernet network, wherein said system operates as a USB-to-Ethernet controller.

2. A network communication system in accordance with claim 1, further comprises:

a Station Management interface connecting to said USB PHY/SIE interface, said Ethernet PHY interface and Ethernet network, wherein said system operates as a USB-to-Ethernet controller or as a USB-to-Reverse-MII (USB-to-Reverse-Media Independent Interface) Bridging or Ethernet PHY in Dual-PHY mode;

a PM (PHY mode) Station Management Register including a PM_Control (PHY mode control) register in said PM Station Management Register;

a Network Microcontroller'"'"'s Ethernet MAC (Media Access Controller) driver initializing an Embedded Ethernet PHY to power-on state by accessing said PM_Control register in said PM Station Management Register through a MDC (Management Data Clock) and MDIO (Management Interface) lines,

wherein said Station Management interface provides a mechanism for auto-detection and auto-selection between external Ethernet interface and USB Device interface through Station Management Register access wherein the Network Microcontroller'"'"'s Ethernet MAC access said USB PHY/SIE interface and said Ethernet PHY interface through the same Station Management interface.

3. A network communication system in accordance with claim 2, further comprises

a network microcontroller connecting to said Station Management interface;

a Rev-MII (Reverse Media Independent Interface) type Station Management interface connected to said network microcontroller;

said Ethernet MAC (Media Access Controller) interface connecting to said Rev-MII interface; and

a MUX (multiplexer) controlled by said PM Station Management Register to select an Ethernet PHY'"'"'s MII (Media Independent Interface) interface or a Rev-MII interface.

4. A network communication system in accordance with claim 3 further comprises two sets of Station Management Register:

an Embedded Ethernet PHY'"'"'s Station Management Register and said PM Station Management Register for mode configuration and link status monitoring.

5. A network communication system in accordance with claim 4, wherein said Embedded Ethernet PHY'"'"'s Station Management Register or said PM Station Management Register selected via a MUX (multiplexer) to communicate with said Network Microcontroller'"'"'s Ethernet MAC through said Station Management Interface via said MDC and said MDIO lines.

6. A network communication system in accordance with claim 5, wherein bit field from said PM Station Management Register is controlled by said Network Microcontroller'"'"'s Ethernet MAC through the MDC and MDIO lines to select an active data path between Ethernet PHY'"'"'s MII signals and USB-to-Rev-MII Bridging'"'"'s MII signals.

7. A network communication system, comprising:

a network microcontroller connecting to a Station Management interface;

a Rev-MII (Reverse Media Independent Interface) type Station Management interface connected to a network microcontroller;

an Ethernet MAC (Media Access Controller) interface connecting to said Rev-MII interface;

a USB-to-Ethernet bridge interface connecting to said Ethernet MAC;

a packet buffer connecting to said USB-to-Ethernet bridge interface;

a USB PHY/SIE (Serial Interface Engine) interface connecting to said USB-to-Ethernet bridge interface;

an Ethernet PHY (physical layer) interface connecting through transformer and RJ-45 connector to Ethernet network by Ethernet cable;

a PM (PHY mode) Station Management Register;

a MUX (multiplexer) controlled by said PM Station Management Register to select said Ethernet PHY interface or said Rev-MII interface; and

a Station Management interface connecting to said USB PHY/SIE interface, Ethernet PHY'"'"'s MII interface and Ethernet network.

8. A network communication system in accordance with claim 7, wherein said system operates as a USB-to-Ethernet controller or as a USB-to-Reverse-MII (USB-to-Reverse-Media Independent Interface) Bridging or Ethernet PHY in Dual-PHY mode.

9. A network communication system in accordance with claim 8, wherein said network communication system further comprise a MUX (multiplexer) controlled by said PM Station Management Register to select said Ethernet PHY'"'"'s MII (Media Independent Interface) interface or said Rev-MII interface.

10. A network communication system in accordance with claim 8, further comprises:

a Station Management interface connecting to said USB PHY/SIE interface, said Ethernet PHY interface and Ethernet network.

wherein said system operates as a USB-to-Ethernet controller in Dual-PHY mode;

a PM_Control (PHY mode control) register in said PM Station Management Register;

a Network Microcontroller'"'"'s Ethernet MAC (Media Access Controller) driver initializing an Embedded Ethernet PHY to power-on state by accessing said PM_Control register in said PM Station Management Register through MDC (Management Data Clock) and MDIO (Management Interface) lines,

wherein said Station Management interface provides a mechanism for auto-detection and auto-selection between external Ethernet interface and USB Device interface through Station Management Register access wherein the Network Microcontroller'"'"'s Ethernet MAC access said USB PHY/SIE interface and said Ethernet PHY interface through the same Station Management interface.

11. A network communication system in accordance with claim 10, further comprises two sets of Station Management Register:

an Embedded Ethernet PHY'"'"'s Station Management Register and said PM Station Management Register for mode configuration and link status monitoring.

12. A network communication system in accordance with claim 11, wherein said Embedded Ethernet PHY'"'"'s Station Management Register or said PM Station Management Register selected via a MUX (multiplexer) to communicate with said Network Microcontroller'"'"'s Ethernet MAC through said Station Management Interface via said MDC and said MDIO lines.

13. A network communication system in accordance with claim 11, wherein bit field from said PM Station Management Register is controlled by said Network Microcontroller'"'"'s Ethernet MAC through the MDC and MDIO lines to select an active data path between Ethernet PHY'"'"'s MII signals and USB-to-Rev-MII'"'"'s signals.

14. A network communication system, comprising:

a network microcontroller connecting to a Station Management interface;

said Station Management interface connecting to a USB (Universal Serial Bus) PHY (physical layer) interface, an Ethernet PHY interface and Ethernet network, wherein said system operates as a USB-to-Ethernet controller in Dual-PHY mode;

two sets of Station Management Registers;

an Embedded Ethernet PHY'"'"'s Station Management Register and a PM (PHY mode) Station Management Register for mode configuration and link status monitoring;

a PM_Control (PHY mode control) register in said PM Station Management Register; and

a Network Microcontroller'"'"'s Ethernet MAC (Media Access Controller) driver initializing an Embedded Ethernet PHY to power-on state by accessing said PM_Control register in said PM Station Management Register through MDC (Management Data Clock) and MDIO (Management Interface) lines,

wherein said Station Management interface provides a mechanism for auto-detection and auto-selection between external Ethernet interface and USB Device interface through Station Management Register access wherein the Network Microcontroller'"'"'s Ethernet MAC access a USB PHY/SIE interface and an Ethernet PHY interface through said Station Management interface.

15. A network communication system in accordance with claim 14, wherein said Network Microcontroller'"'"'s Ethernet MAC driver reads auto-negotiation result from said Embedded Ethernet PHY and then sets said Ethernet MAC to operate at same speed.

16. A network communication system in accordance with claim 15, further comprises:

an Ethernet PHY interface connecting through transformer and RJ-45 connector to Ethernet network by Ethernet cable;

an Ethernet MAC interface connecting to said Ethernet PHY interface;

a USB-to-Ethernet bridge (Universal Serial Bus to Ethernet) interface connecting to said Ethernet MAC;

a packet buffer connecting to said USB-to-Ethernet bridge interface;

a USB PHY/SIE (Serial Interface Engine) interface connecting to said USB-to-Ethernet bridge interface; and

a Station Management interface connecting to said USB PHY/SIE interface, said Ethernet PHY interface and Ethernet network, wherein said system operates as a USB-to-Ethernet controller.

17. A network communication system in accordance with claim 16, wherein said further comprises:

a Rev-MII (Reverse Media Independent Interface) type Station Management interface connected to a network microcontroller; and

a MUX (multiplexer) controlled by said PM Station Management Register to select said Ethernet PHY'"'"'s MII interface or said Rev-MII interface,

wherein said system operates as a USB-to-Ethernet controller or as a USB-to-Reverse-MII (USB-to-Reverse-Media Independent Interface) Bridging or Ethernet PHY in Dual-PHY mode.

18. A network communication system in accordance with claim 17, wherein said network microcontroller'"'"'s Ethernet MAC driver periodically polls said two sets of Station Management Register by reading Basic Mode Status Register (BMSR) of said Ethernet PHY'"'"'s Station Management Register and PM_BMSR of said PM Station Management Register, or upon receiving the interrupt triggered by the change of link status from either Ethernet interface or USB Device interface to check for Ethernet or USB cable connection and link status.

19. A network communication system in accordance with claim 18, wherein said network Microcontroller'"'"'s Ethernet MAC driver selects either Embedded Ethernet PHY or USB-to-Rev-MII Bridging interface as an active data path based on a link status bit of Basic Mode Status Register (BMSR) of said Ethernet PHY and said PHY mode Basic Mode Status Register (PM_BMSR).

20. A network communication system in accordance with claim 19, wherein said network Microcontroller'"'"'s Ethernet MAC driver selects to change the active data path upon detecting cable connection and link status change of currently selected or non-selected path.