Method and system for near continuous data rate limit adjustment via a plurality of link variables in an energy efficient network

• US 8,724,464 B2
• Filed: 10/01/2008
• Issued: 05/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Diab, Wael William
• Primary Examiner(s): Sheikh, Ayaz
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHAU, PETER P
• Application Number:
  US12/243,443
• Publication Number:
  US 20090154455A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,050 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/235
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control

Abstract

Aspects of a method and system for near continuous data rate limit adjustment via a plurality of link variables in an energy efficient network. In this regard, power consumption of a network device may be controlled by enabling and/or disabling one or more components in the network device based on an adjustment of a plurality of data rate variables that control a data rate limit at which the network device may communicate. Exemplary data rate variables may comprise a number of active channels of a network link over which the network device communicates, a symbol rate on an Ethernet link over which said network device communicates, an inter-frame gap time on an Ethernet link over which said network device communicates, a signal constellation utilized for representing signals on an Ethernet link over which said network device communicates.

Claims

1. A method for networking, comprising:

determining, by a network device that is coupled to a network link, a data rate for traffic that is transmitted over said network link by said network device; and

adjusting, by said network device during active operation of said network link, a transmission data rate used by said network device on said network link based on said determined data rate, said adjusting being based on a selection of a unique set of values for a plurality of transmission mode variables, wherein a first of said plurality of transmission mode variables is a signal constellation variable having a first defined range of constellation sizes that corresponds to a first range of variation of a transmission rate by said network device based on an adjustment of said first transmission mode variable, said first defined range of constellation sizes including a first signal constellation and a second signal constellation that is used with a disabled error correction function, said second signal constellation being smaller than said first signal constellation, and wherein a second of said plurality of transmission mode variables has a second defined range of values that corresponds to a second range of variation of a transmission rate by said network device based on an adjustment of said second transmission mode variable, wherein said adjusting of said transmission data rate reduces a power consumption of said network device.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein one of said plurality of transmission mode variables is a number of active channels over which said network device communicates.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein one of said plurality of transmission mode variables is a symbol rate used by said network device.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein one of said plurality of transmission mode variables is an inter-frame gap time used by said network device.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said first signal constellation is a 128-DSQ (double square quadrature amplitude modulation) signal constellation and said second signal constellation is an 8-DSQ signal constellation.

6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising disabling a low density parity check encoding when said 8-DSQ signal constellation is selected.

7. A network device, the network device comprising:

one or more circuits configured to;

determine a data rate for traffic that is transmitted over a network link by said network device; and

adjust, during active operation of said network link, a transmission data rate used by said network device on said network link based on said determined data rate, said adjusting being based on a selection of a unique set of values for a plurality of transmission mode variables, wherein a first of said plurality of transmission mode variables is a signal constellation variable having a first defined range of constellation sizes that corresponds to a first range of variation of a transmission rate by said network device based on an adjustment of said first transmission mode variable, said first defined range of constellation sizes including a first signal constellation and a second signal constellation that is used with a disabled error correction function, said second signal constellation being smaller than said first signal constellation, and wherein a second of said plurality of transmission mode variables has a second defined range of values that corresponds to a second range of variation of a transmission rate by said network device based on an adjustment of said second transmission mode variable, wherein said adjusting of said transmission data rate reduces a power consumption of said network device.

8. The network device according to claim 7, wherein one of said plurality of transmission mode variables is a number of active channels over which said network device communicates.

9. The network device according to claim 7, wherein one of said plurality of transmission mode variables is a symbol rate used by said network device.

10. The network device according to claim 7, wherein one of said plurality of transmission mode variables is an inter-frame gap time used by said network device.

11. The network device according to claim 7, wherein said first signal constellation is a 128-DSQ (double square quadrature amplitude modulation) signal constellation and said second signal constellation is an 8-DSQ signal constellation.

12. The network device according to claim 11, wherein said one or more circuits are further operable to disable a low density parity check encoding when said 8-DSQ signal constellation is selected.

13. A non-transitory machine-readable storage having stored thereon, a computer program having at least one code section for networking, the at least one code section being executable by a network device for causing the network device to perform steps comprising:

determining a data rate for traffic that is transmitted over a network link by said network device; and

adjusting, during active operation of said network link, a transmission data rate used by said network device on said network link based on said determined data rate, said adjusting being based on a selection of a unique set of values for a plurality of transmission mode variables, wherein a first of said plurality of transmission mode variables is a signal constellation variable having a first defined range of constellation sizes that corresponds to a first range of variation of a transmission rate by said network device based on an adjustment of said first transmission mode variable, said first defined range of constellation sizes including a first signal constellation and a second signal constellation that is used with a disabled error correction function, said second signal constellation being smaller than said first signal constellation, and wherein a second of said plurality of transmission mode variables has a second defined range of values that corresponds to a second range of variation of a transmission rate by said network device based on an adjustment of said second transmission mode variable, wherein said adjusting of said transmission data rate reduces a power consumption of said network device.

14. The non-transitory machine-readable storage according to claim 13, wherein one of said plurality of transmission mode variables is a number of active channels over which said network device communicates.

15. The non-transitory machine-readable storage according to claim 13, wherein one of said plurality of transmission mode variables is a symbol rate used by said network device.

16. The non-transitory machine-readable storage according to claim 13, wherein one of said plurality of transmission mode variables is an inter-frame gap time used by said network device.

17. The non-transitory machine-readable storage according to claim 13, wherein said first signal constellation is a 128-DSQ (double square quadrature amplitude modulation) signal constellation and said second signal constellation is an 8-DSQ signal constellation.

18. The non-transitory machine-readable storage according to claim 17, wherein the at least one code section being executable by said machine further causes the machine to disable a low density parity check encoding when said 8-DSQ signal constellation is selected.