Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a plurality of processors and a spare processor configured to perform respective processing functions. A plurality of first switches is located at respective inputs of the plurality of processors. Each of the plurality of first switches is configured to selectively provide an input signal to a respective one of the plurality of processors and the spare processor. A first multiplexer is located at an input of the spare processor. The first multiplexer is configured to receive the input signals from each of the plurality of first switches and route, to the spare processor, a selected one of the input signals corresponding to a failed one of the plurality of processors. The spare processor is further configured to perform a processing function associated with the failed one of the plurality of processors in response to receiving the selected one of the input signals.

Abstract: A network interface to be implemented with a first network device is configured to autonegotiate a network link with a second network device by advertising a first selector field. The first selector field indicates that the first network device is capable of a first speed. The network interface is further configured to listen for a second selector field advertised by the second network device and stall autonegotiation while listening for the second selector field. The network interface is further configured to, in response to the second selector field indicating that the second network device is capable of communicating over the network link using the first speed, determine a cable length between the first and second network devices. The network interface is further configured to, in response to the cable length being less than a first predetermined threshold, select the first speed for communication over the network link.

Abstract: A first integrated circuit (IC) includes a first set of M serializer/deserializer (SERDES) modules configured to communicate with a first set of M SERDES modules of a switch IC of a switch, respectively, where M is an integer greater than 1. The first IC includes a first set of N SERDES modules configured to communicate with a first set of N ports of the switch, respectively, where N=(M?1). The first IC includes a first set of N multiplexer modules configured to communicate with (i) the N SERDES modules in the first set of N SERDES modules, respectively, and (ii) the M SERDES modules in the first set of M SERDES modules of the first IC. Each of the N multiplexer modules is configured to communicate with a pair of SERDES modules in the first set of M SERDES modules of the first IC.

Abstract: A system including a filter circuit, an error module, and a measurement module. The filter circuit receives, from a network device, an analog signal having jitter, generates an equalized signal based on digital feedback signals and the analog signal, and generates a recovered data signal based on the equalized signal. The recovered data signal includes data transmitted by the network device to the system. The error module generates an error signal based on the equalized signal and a threshold signal. The measurement module generates a multiple signals based on the recovered data signal, and the error signal. The multiple signals include the digital feedback signals and eye characteristic signals. The eye characteristic signals indicate characteristics of an eye diagram of the recovered data signal. The measurement module generates the digital feedback signals such that the eye diagram of the recovered data signal does not include the jitter.

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: 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 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 physical layer interface including an auto-negotiation circuit configured to negotiate a first data transmission rate with a network client; a transceiver configured to communicate with the network client at the first data transmission rate; and a serializer interface configured to communicate with a media access controller at a second data transmission rate that is different than the first data transmission rate. The serializer interface includes a transmitter configured to replicate data received from the network client in response to the first data transmission rate being lower than the second data transmission rate.

Abstract: A network device including a media access control (MAC) device, and a physical layer (PHY) device. The physical layer (PHY) device is in communication with the MAC device via (i) a first serializer/deserializer (SERDES) and (ii) a second SERDES, wherein the first SERDES and the second SERDES operate at a fixed data rate. The MAC device comprises a translator configured to, in response to the MAC device operating at a data rate that is less than the fixed data rate, i) append a predetermined number of bits to data in a first data stream to be transmitted to the PHY device, and ii) 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: An apparatus including a monitoring module, a first timer, and a first circuit. The monitoring module is configured to (i) monitor a link when the link is up and (ii) detect when the link fails. The first timer is configured to expire in a predetermined time after the link fails. The first circuit is configured to generate an indication that the link is down. The first circuit is configured to generate the indication (i) in response to the monitoring module detecting that the link has failed and (ii) before the first timer expires.

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 media selection system includes a plurality of media ports. Each of the plurality of media ports is coupled to a corresponding physical medium, and each of the plurality of media ports is configured to generate an activity signal and a link status signal. A priority storage module is configured to contain priority information, which sets forth a priority for establishing a link through each of the plurality of media ports. A media selector module is configured to select a first media port through which a link will be maintained based on the link status signal generated by each of the plurality of media ports and the priority information. The media selector module is further configured to block all other links through media ports of the plurality of media ports other than the first media port.

Abstract: A switch includes a first IC and a second IC. The first IC includes a first set of (N+1) serializer/deserializer (SERDES) modules communicating with a first set of (N+1) SERDES modules of a switch IC; a first set of N SERDES modules communicating with a first set of N ports; and a first set of N multiplexer modules communicating with (i) the first set of N SERDES modules and (ii) the first set of (N+1) SERDES modules of the first IC. The second IC includes a second set of (N+1) SERDES modules communicating with a second set of (N+1) SERDES modules of the switch IC; a second set of N SERDES modules communicating with a second set of N ports; and a second set of N multiplexer modules communicating with (i) the second set of N SERDES modules and (ii) the second set of (N+1) SERDES modules of the second IC.

Abstract: A system including a media access controller, a rate adaptation layer (RAL), and a physical extension module. The RAL module is configured to communicate with the media access controller using a plurality of signal interconnections. The physical extension module is configured to (i) communicate with the RAL module using XGMII, and (ii) communicate with an external device using a physical extension interface. The RAL module is configured to store (i) a first mapping of 10 Gbps media independent interface (XGMII) signals onto a first subset of the plurality of signal interconnections, and (ii) a second mapping of 1 Gbps media independent interface (GMII) signals onto a second subset of the plurality of signal interconnections. The RAL module is also configured to choose a selected mapping from the first mapping and the second mapping, and communicate with the media access controller over the plurality of signal interconnections according to the selected mapping.

Abstract: Apparatus having corresponding methods and computer programs comprise a first first-in first-out buffer (FIFO) to receive and store data from a media access controller (MAC); a physical-layer device (PHY) to transmit a signal representing the data; and a control circuit comprising a read circuit to transfer the data from the first FIFO to the PHY, and a transmit pause circuit to transmit a pause frame to the MAC when an amount of the data stored in the first FIFO exceeds a predetermined threshold.

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: A network device including a transceiver module, an autonegotiation module, and a cable length estimator. The transceiver module is configured to communicate with a second network device via a wire medium. The autonegotiation module is configured to i) detect a selector field of the second network device, ii) transmit, in response to the selector field of the second network device matching a first predetermined value, a first base page to the second network device via the transceiver module, and iii) transmit, in response to the selector field of the second network device matching a second predetermined value, a second base page to the second network device via the transceiver module. The cable length estimator is configured to, in response to the selector field of the second network device matching the second predetermined value, determine a physical length of the wire medium.

Abstract: A network device includes a substitutor and a transmitter. The substitutor receives input columns of concurrently received input symbols. Each of the input columns includes one input symbol from each of a plurality of parallel input lanes. The substitutor generates output columns corresponding to the input columns, wherein each of the output columns includes one output symbol for each of a plurality of parallel output lanes. The substitutor replaces the output symbols of a selected column of the output columns with alignment symbols. The selected column is immediately followed by a second column, and the second column is immediately followed by a third column. The substitutor replaces the output symbols of the second column with disposable symbols, and replaces the output symbols of the third column with boundary symbols. The transmitter drives data onto a communications medium in response to the output symbols generated by the substitutor module.

Abstract: A physical layer device for a network interface, in which the physical layer device includes a cable-test module and a data processing module. The physical layer module is configured to selectively test a cable connected to the physical layer device and to generate test data. The data processing module includes a first processor configured to process the test data and to generate test results indicating a cable status of the cable. The first processor is configured to selectively communicate the cable status to a second processor of a medium access controller.

Abstract: Apparatus having corresponding methods comprise: a physical-layer input circuit to receive first signals representing first data; a first serializer to transmit a serial stream of the first data; and a magic packet circuit to generate a magic packet signal when the first data includes a magic packet.