Abstract: In a method of transferring a plurality of data packets from a media access control (MAC) layer device to a physical layer (PHY) device, interpacket gaps (IPGs) having a number NI=Nblock*n?(p mod Nblock) of idle bytes are inserted between packets, where p is an integer denoting a length of a data packet in bytes, Nblock is a blocking size in bytes, and n is an integer initialized to one and incremented every time q data bytes of the data packet are transferred. The parameter n is reset to one in connection with each IPG insertion.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods and apparatus for performing reverse auto-negotiation, in which one network device establishes a link with another network device at a preferred operating mode (e.g., the lowest speed) common to both devices without linking twice. The physical layer of a local network device (local PHY) may stall the normal auto-negotiation process with the link partner, while receiving the abilities of the link partner. The local PHY may then transmit a signal having only the preferred common operating mode (e.g., the lowest speed) encoded within. The link partner may then conclude that the local PHY is only capable of the preferred common operating mode (e.g., the lowest speed) and a link between the two devices may be established at that common mode.

Abstract: A data translator for a network device including a serializer/deserializer operating at a fixed data rate. The data translator includes a data appender to receive, at a data rate that is less than the fixed data rate, a first data stream to be transmitted from a media access control device to a physical layer device, and append a predetermined number of bits to data in the first data stream to be transmitted from the media access control device to the physical layer device. The data translator further includes a data duplicator to, subsequent to appending the predetermined number of bits to the data in the first data stream, duplicate the data having the appended predetermined number of bits to generate a second data stream at the fixed data rate.

Abstract: A network switch including a physical layer device and a media access controller. The physical layer device includes an auto-negotiation circuit configured to negotiate a first data rate for transmission of data between the physical layer device and a network client external to the network switch, and a first serializer interface configured to receive the first data rate from the auto-negotiation circuit. The media access controller includes a second serializer interface. The first serializer interface of the physical layer device is configured to, based on the negotiated first data rate received from the auto-negotiation circuit, selectively replicate portions of data received from the network client, and transmit the data to the second serializer interface of the media access controller at a second data rate regardless of the first data rate negotiated between the auto-negotiation circuit and the network client. The first data rate and the second data rate are different.

Abstract: A physical-layer circuit including a memory, a physical-layer device and a control circuit. The memory receives data from a media access controller (MAC) at a first rate. The MAC is separate from the physical-layer circuit. The physical-layer device receives the data from the memory and transmits the data from the physical-layer circuit to a peer device. The physical-layer device transfers the data from the memory to the peer device at a second rate. An amount of data stored in the memory is based on a difference between the first and second rates. The second rate is less than the first rate. The control circuit is connected between the memory and the physical layer device. The control circuit monitors the amount of the data stored in the memory and, based on the amount of the data stored in the memory, transmits a frame to the MAC to decrease the first rate.

Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure provide for a cable tester that tests a cable to determine the cable length. The cable tester can include a clock generator that generates a clock that has clock period that is a multiple of the data symbol period and a signal generator that injects the training signal, which can be synchronous with the clock, into the cable. The cable tester can also include a receiver that samples the returned signal from the cable and adaptively filters the returned signal based on the training signal and a controller that determines the cable length from the adaptive filter tap coefficients.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with echo cancellation are described. According to one embodiment, an apparatus includes a cable tester that determines whether a fault in a cable exists by using echo cancellation values.

Abstract: A first network device includes a host and a memory. A media access controller receives data from the host and stores the data in the memory at a first rate. A physical-layer device receives the data from the memory and transmits the data from the first network device to a second network device. The memory is connected between the media access controller and the physical-layer device. An amount of the data stored in the memory is based on the first rate and a second rate at which the physical-layer device transfers the data from the memory to the second network device. The first rate is greater than the second rate. A control circuit, based on an amount of the data stored in the memory, transmits a first frame to the media access controller. The media access controller, in response to the first frame, decreases the first rate.

Abstract: A system including a monitoring module and a controller. The monitoring module is configured to monitor a link. The controller is configured to, in response to the monitoring module determining that the link is up, (i) start a first timer; (ii) indicate that the link is down in response to the monitoring module determining, prior to the first timer expiring, that the link is down; and (iii) indicate that the link is up in response to the monitoring module determining, subsequent to the first time expiring, that the link is up.

Abstract: A receiver including recovery, error, and control modules. The recovery module: receives a data signal and an offset value; based on a coefficient, equalizes the data signal to generate an equalized signal; and generates a recovered signal based on the equalized signal. The recovered signal includes data recovered by the recovery module. The error module generates an error value based on a difference between the equalized signal and a threshold. The control module, based on the offset value, the recovered signal, and the error value: generates the coefficient; determines the threshold; and determines a characteristic of an eye diagram of the recovered signal. The recovered signal has a non-repeating pattern such that overlaid traces of the recovered signal are in a shape of an eye and provide the eye diagram. The overlaid traces include jitter. The control module generates the coefficient to reduce an amount of the jitter.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with auto-negotiating over a single pair PHY are described. According to one embodiment, an apparatus includes a physical layer (PHY) transceiver configured to communicate over a single twisted pair channel. The apparatus includes a setup logic configured to control the PHY transceiver to initiate an auto-negotiation sequence over the single twisted pair channel with a remote device upon detecting a transmission from the remote device on the single twisted pair channel. The auto-negotiation sequence includes an exchange of parameters with the remote device using a half-duplex mode to communicate on the single twisted pair channel.

Abstract: A data processing system including an interface and an encoder. The interface is configured to receive first symbols from one or more ports. The interface is configured to aggregate a predetermined number of the first symbols to provide second symbols. The encoder is configured to (i) generate a header, and (ii) encode the second symbols to generate third symbols, where the header indicates whether the third symbols include a set of control codes. Responsive to the third symbols including the set of control codes, the encoder is configured to generate a pointer for the set of control codes, where the pointer can assume more values than are in the set of control codes.

Abstract: A network interface includes an interleaver module and line drivers. The interleaver module receives symbols on a plurality of input lanes. The symbols are arranged in groups, and each group includes one symbol from each of the plurality of input lanes. The symbols within each group are received concurrently on the plurality of input lanes. The interleaver module also serially outputs the symbols of a first group of the groups onto a first output lane of a plurality of output lanes, serially outputs the symbols of a second group of the groups onto a second output lane of the plurality of output lanes, and serially outputs the symbols of a third group of the groups onto the first output lane. The line drivers drive data based on the plurality of output lanes onto respective lanes of a physical medium.

Abstract: A networking device includes a media access controller, a first rate adaptation layer communicating with the media access controller, a first physical extension module communicating with the first rate adaptation layer, a second physical extension module communicating with the first physical extension module, a second rate adaptation layer communicating with the second physical extension module, and a physical layer device communicating with the second rate adaptation layer. The physical layer device communicates with the second rate adaptation layer using an extended 10 Gbps media independent interface (EXGMII). The EXGMII includes a plurality of signal interconnections, a first mapping of signals of a media independent interface (MII) to the signal interconnections, a second mapping of signals of a 1 Gbps MII (GMII) to the signal interconnections, and a third mapping of signals of a 10 Gbps MII (XGMII) to the signal interconnections.

Abstract: A method for converting a data stream from a first rate to a second rate NA times greater than the first rate, such that the converted data stream conforms to a coding requirement that symbols be arranged in units of symbol length M, includes receiving, at the first rate, a data packet, and an inter-packet gap containing Y1 idle symbols, generating NA repetitions of each data symbol of the data packet, determining whether replicating each symbol of the inter-packet gap NA times would violate the coding requirement, and, at least partially in response to determining that replicating each symbol of the inter-packet gap NA times would violate the requirement, generating greater than or less than Y1*NA idle symbols. The method also includes outputting, at the second rate, the generated NA repetitions of each data symbol and the generated idle symbols.

Abstract: A method for inserting ordered sets into a data stream converted from a first rate to a second rate NA times greater than the first rate, while conforming to a requirement that symbols be arranged in units of symbol length M, includes receiving, at the first rate, a data packet containing data symbols, receiving Y1 symbols of control information, and identifying an ordered set based on the Y1 symbols. The method also includes generating NA repetitions of each data symbol of the data packet, determining whether Y1*NA/M has a non-zero remainder, and, at least partially in response to determining that Y1*NA/M has a non-zero remainder, generating a number of repetitions of the ordered set containing either more or fewer than Y1*NA symbols. The method also includes outputting, at the second rate, the data symbol repetitions and first ordered set repetitions.

Abstract: An IEEE 802.3 compliant physical layer device provides efficient loading of configuration information of the physical layer device. The configuration information is written into a volatile memory in the physical layer device, and then uploaded to at least one EEPROM. The configuration information is downloaded to the volatile memory during startup of the physical layer device. The system controller can also directly access the EEPROMs, bypassing the volatile memory. By providing a bridge between the system controller and the EEPROMs and providing additional bits in the volatile memory of the physical layer device, the system controller can read and write the EEPROMs one byte at a time. During reset time, the content of the EEPROMs is written to registers in the physical layer device to configure the physical layer device.

Abstract: A network device including a physical layer device and a media access controller. The physical layer device includes a first interface, and is configured to receive packets including a first packet and a second packet. The media access controller includes a second interface connected to the first interface of the physical layer device. The physical layer device is configured to: in response to the first packet, generate a power signal; transition at least one of the first interface and the second interface from being powered OFF to being powered ON; and output the power signal to the media access controller. The media access controller is configured to: receive the power signal; in response to the power signal, transition from being powered OFF to being powered ON; and subsequent to being powered ON, receive the second packet from the physical layer device via the first interface and the second interface.

Abstract: A physical layer device configured to interface with a plurality of pairs of wires. The physical layer device includes a cable test module configured to transmit a pulse over the plurality of pairs of wires, measure a reflection of the pulse as received from the plurality of pairs of wires, and determine whether a short circuit exists in one of the plurality of pairs of wires based on the measure of the reflection of the pulse. An autonegotiation module is configured to perform autonegotiation to establish a link at a particular speed over the plurality of pairs of wires. The particular speed at which the link is established over the plurality of pairs of wires is based, at least in part, on whether a short circuit exists in one of the plurality of pairs of wires as determined by the cable test module.

Abstract: A network interface module includes a physical layer module and a data rate module. The physical layer module is configured to transmit first signals to a network device via a cable at a first data rate while conforming to Ethernet baseband characteristics for the first data rate, and at least one of determine a characteristic of the cable, or perform an autonegotiation process with the network device. The data rate module is configured to select a second data rate based on at least one of the characteristic of the cable, or results of the autonegotiation process. The second data rate is slower than the first data rate. The physical layer module is configured to transmit second signals to the network device at the second data rate while conforming to the Ethernet baseband characteristics for the first data rate.