Abstract: An Ethernet communication device includes a data interface and circuitry. The data interface is configured for communicating with a neighbor device. The circuitry is configured to exchange Ethernet data frames with the neighbor device over the data interface, wherein successive data frames are separated in time by an Inter-Packet Gap (IPG) having at least a predefined minimal duration, and to further exchange with the neighbor device, over the data interface, during the IPG between Ethernet frames exchanged on the data interface, a wake-up/sleep command that instructs switching between an active mode and a sleep mode.

Abstract: An Ethernet Physical layer (PHY) device includes a PHY interface and PHY circuitry. The PHY interface is configured to connect to a physical link. The PHY circuitry is configured to generate layer-1 frames that carry data for transmission to a peer Ethernet PHY device, to insert among the layer-1 frames one or more management frames that are separate from the layer-1 frames and that are configured to control a General-Purpose Input-Output (GPIO) port associated with the peer Ethernet PHY device, to transmit the layer-1 frames and the inserted management frames, via the PHY interface, to the peer Ethernet PHY device over the physical link, for controlling one or more operations of the GPIO port associated with the peer Ethernet PHY device, and to receive, via the PHY interface, one or more verifications acknowledging that the one or more management frames were received successfully at the peer Ethernet PHY device.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable media for a hybrid physical layer that supports data communications using both Ethernet and ASA. Ethernet and ASA are communication standards that are commonly used in automotive environments; however, are not interoperable. The hybrid physical layer supports data communications using both Ethernet and ASA. For example, the hybrid physical layer may be configured into either a first mode of operation to support data communications using Ethernet or a second mode of operation to support data communications using ASA. Devices utilizing the hybrid physical layer can therefore be used with other components that utilize either communication standard.

Abstract: An automotive communication system includes multiple communication devices and a processor. The communication devices are configured to be installed in a vehicle and to communicate with one another over point-to-point Ethernet links. In each Ethernet link, a first communication device serves as a link master that is configured to set a clock signal for the link, and a second communication device serves as a slave that is configured to synchronize to the clock signal set by the first communication device. The communication devices are configured to receive data from sensors and to transmit the data over the Ethernet links. The processor is configured to receive the data from the communication devices over the Ethernet links, to synchronize the data originating from the multiple sensors to a common time-base based on link-specific clock-signal synchronization achieved on each of the links by each link master, and to process the synchronized data.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable media for a segmented ECF that includes multiple filter components to replicate an echo pulse response. The different filter components are used to replicate different portions of the echo pulse response. Each filter components can include filter coefficients of different sizes based on the portions of the echo pulse response that is replicated by the filter component. For example, a filter component that replicates a portion of the echo pulse response that includes a large reflection can include large filter coefficients suitable to replicate the larger reflection. In contrast, a filter component that replicates a portion of the echo pulse response that includes smaller reflections can include smaller filter coefficients that are suitable to replicate the smaller reflection. The output of each of the filter components is combined to replicate the full echo pulse response.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable media for a hybrid physical layer that supports data communications using both Ethernet and ASA. Ethernet and ASA are communication standards that are commonly used in automotive environments; however, are not interoperable. The hybrid physical layer supports data communications using both Ethernet and ASA. For example, the hybrid physical layer may be configured into either a first mode of operation to support data communications using Ethernet or a second mode of operation to support data communications using ASA. Devices utilizing the hybrid physical layer can therefore be used with other components that utilize either communication standard.

Abstract: An automotive communication system includes multiple communication devices and a processor. The communication devices are configured to be installed in a vehicle and to communicate with one another over point-to-point Ethernet links. In each Ethernet link, a first communication device serves as a link master that is configured to set a clock signal for the link, and a second communication device serves as a slave that is configured to synchronize to the clock signal set by the first communication device. The communication devices are configured to receive data from sensors and to transmit the data over the Ethernet links. The processor is configured to receive the data from the communication devices over the Ethernet links, to synchronize the data originating from the multiple sensors to a common time-base based on link-specific clock-signal synchronization achieved on each of the links by each link master, and to process the synchronized data.

Abstract: An automotive Ethernet physical-layer (PHY) transceiver includes an analog Front End (FE) and a digital processor. The FE is configured to receive an analog Ethernet signal over a physical Ethernet link while the Ethernet PHY transceiver is operating in a vehicle, and to convert the received analog Ethernet signal into a digital signal. The digital processor is configured to hold one or more noise profiles that characterize respective predefined noise types of noise signals that are expected to corrupt the received analog Ethernet signal, to classify an actual noise signal present in the digital signal into one of the noise types, using the noise profiles, and in response to deciding that the actual noise signal matches a given noise type among the predefined noise types, to apply a noise mitigation operation selected responsively to the given noise type.

Abstract: An automotive communication system includes multiple communication devices and a processor. The communication devices are configured to be installed in a vehicle and to communicate with one another over point-to-point Ethernet links. In each Ethernet link, a first communication device serves as a link master that is configured to set a clock signal for the link, and a second communication device serves as a slave that is configured to synchronize to the clock signal set by the first communication device. The communication devices are configured to receive data from sensors and to transmit the data over the Ethernet links. The processor is configured to receive the data from the communication devices over the Ethernet links, to synchronize the data originating from the multiple sensors to a common time-base based on link-specific clock-signal synchronization achieved on each of the links by each link master, and to process the synchronized data.

Abstract: An Ethernet communication device includes a data interface and circuitry. The data interface is configured for communicating with a neighbor device. The circuitry is configured to exchange Ethernet data frames with the neighbor device over the data interface, wherein successive data frames are separated in time by an Inter-Packet Gap (IPG) having at least a predefined minimal duration, and to further exchange with the neighbor device, over the data interface, during the IPG between Ethernet frames exchanged on the data interface, a wake-up/sleep command that instructs switching between an active mode and a sleep mode.

Abstract: An Ethernet communication device includes a data interface and circuitry. The data interface is configured for communicating with a neighbor device. The circuitry is configured to exchange Ethernet data frames with the neighbor device over the data interface, wherein successive data frames are separated in time by an Inter-Packet Gap (IPG) having at least a predefined minimal duration, and to further exchange with the neighbor device, over the data interface, during the IPG between Ethernet frames exchanged on the data interface, a wake-up/sleep command that instructs switching between an active mode and a sleep mode.

Abstract: Bidirectionally transmitting data between a first transceiver and a second transceiver over a transmission line includes communicating between the first transceiver and the second transceiver during a bidirectional communication phase within time slots. The time slots include: a plurality of upstream time slots in which the first transceiver transmits data to the second transceiver, a plurality of downstream time slots in which second transceiver transmits data to the first transceiver, wherein the downstream time slots are shorter than the upstream time slots, and a plurality of idle time slots separating adjacent upstream and downstream time slots.

Abstract: An automotive Ethernet physical-layer (PHY) transceiver includes an analog Front End (FE) and a digital processor. The FE is configured to receive an analog Ethernet signal over a physical Ethernet link while the Ethernet PHY transceiver is operating in a vehicle, and to convert the received analog Ethernet signal into a digital signal. The digital processor is configured to hold one or more noise profiles that characterize respective predefined noise types of noise signals that are expected to corrupt the received analog Ethernet signal, to classify an actual noise signal present in the digital signal into one of the noise types, using the noise profiles, and in response to deciding that the actual noise signal matches a given noise type among the predefined noise types, to apply a noise mitigation operation selected responsively to the given noise type.

Abstract: An Ethernet Physical layer (PHY) device includes a PHY interface and PHY circuitry. The PHY interface is configured to connect to a physical link. The PHY circuitry is configured to generate layer-1 frames that carry data for transmission to a peer Ethernet PHY device, to insert among the layer-1 frames one or more management frames that are separate from, the layer-1 frames and that are configured to control a General-Purpose Input-Output (GPIO) port associated with the peer Ethernet PHY device, to transmit the layer-1 frames and the inserted management frames, via the PHY interface, to the peer Ethernet PHY device over the physical link, for controlling one or more operations of the GPIO port associated with the peer Ethernet PHY device, and to receive, via the PHY interface, one or more verifications acknowledging that the one or more management frames were received successfully at the peer Ethernet PHY device.

Abstract: An Ethernet communication device includes a data interface and circuitry. The data interface is configured for communicating with a neighbor device. The circuitry is configured to exchange Ethernet data frames with the neighbor device over the data interface, wherein successive data frames are separated in time by an Inter-Packet Gap (IPG) having at least a predefined minimal duration, and to further exchange with the neighbor device, over the data interface, during the IPG between Ethernet frames exchanged on the data interface, a wake-up/sleep command that instructs switching between an active mode and a sleep mode.

Abstract: Bidirectionally transmitting data between a first transceiver and a second transceiver over a transmission line includes communicating between the first transceiver and the second transceiver during a bidirectional communication phase within time slots. The time slots include: a plurality of upstream time slots in which the first transceiver transmits data to the second transceiver, a plurality of downstream time slots in which second transceiver transmits data to the first transceiver, wherein the downstream time slots are shorter than the upstream time slots, and a plurality of idle time slots separating adjacent upstream and downstream time slots.

Abstract: An automotive communication system includes multiple communication devices and a processor. The communication devices are configured to be installed in a vehicle and to communicate with one another over point-to-point Ethernet links. In each Ethernet link, a first communication device serves as a link master that is configured to set a clock signal for the link, and a second communication device serves as a slave that is configured to synchronize to the clock signal set by the first communication device. The communication devices are configured to receive data from sensors and to transmit the data over the Ethernet links. The processor is configured to receive the data from the communication devices over the Ethernet links, to synchronize the data originating from the multiple sensors to a common time-base based on link-specific clock-signal synchronization achieved on each of the links by each link master, and to process the synchronized data.