Abstract: A method and apparatus for transmitting information compatible with IEEE 802.3, 10BASE-T, 100BASE-TX, and Ethernet LAN standards across a service interface in the Physical Layer which is architected to reduce pin count in multi-port Physical Layer Devices. The service interface architecture allows specification of a four channel PHY device in a PLCC package or a six channel PHY device in a PLCC package and reduces the interface connection requirement of a twelve channel MAC device to 56 pins from a worst case 216 pins for 802.3 standard MII implementations. The interface utilizes a single, constant rate system clock and a single transmission path per channel that operates at constant speed while supporting both 10 Mb/s and 100 Mb/s data rates.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for transmitting waveshape information compatible with IEEE 802.3, 10BASE-T, Ethernet LAN standards across a service interface commercially implemented in a single speed, physical layer device compatible with IEEE 802.3, and 100BASE-X Ethernet LAN standards. The method and apparatus provide support for dual speed, 10/100 Mb/s physical layer devices. The coding of the 10BASE-T information across the physical layer device service interface is based on the observation that all legitimate 10BASE-T waveforms on the medium can be represented by a small group of edge shapes clocked at 20 MHz. This alternate, compact coding of 10BASE-T information is mapped over a service interface implementation which can alternately carry 100BASE-X code-bit information to provide dual speed, 10/100 Mb/s IEEE standards compliant performance, but does not necessarily adhere to the architectural boundaries and signaling primitives defined in the IEEE 802.3 standard.