Abstract: A physical-layer device includes a cable measurement module, a data rate module and a physical-layer device core. The cable measurement module measures characteristics of a cable. The data rate module (i) selects a data rate divisor N based on the characteristics of the cable, and (ii) reduces a rate of a first clock based on the data rate divisor N, where N is greater than 1. The physical-layer device core includes: a transmit module that transmits first signals over the cable at a data rate of M/N Gbps based on the rate of the first clock, where M is an integer; and a receive module that receives second signals over the cable at the data rate of M/N Gbps based on the rate of the first clock. The first and second signals conform to 1000BASE-T when M=1. The first and signals conform to 10GBASE-T when M=10.

Abstract: A system including a summer, a comparator, a zero-crossing module, and a control module. The summer is configured to (i) receive a data input signal, and (ii) generate an equalized signal in response to the data input signal. The comparator is configured to generate a recovered data signal in response to the equalized signal. The zero-crossing module is configured to generate a zero-crossing signal in response to the equalized signal. The control module is configured to generate eye information in response to i) the recovered data signal and ii) the zero-crossing signal. The eye information includes characteristic data associated with the recovered data signal, and the characteristic data when plotted provides an eye diagram.

Abstract: A system including a first module configured to receive first data at an adaptable rate over a first electrical interface. The system further includes a nibble replicator module configured to generate second data in response to the first data by selectively expanding each nibble of the first data into a byte of the second data. The system also includes a repeater module configured to generate third data in response to the second data by selectively outputting each block of the second data multiple times in the third data. The system further includes a delimiter injection module configured to generate output data on a plurality of lanes in response to the third data by outputting delimiter symbols on a predetermined one of the plurality of lanes. The system also includes a second module configured to transmit the output data at a predetermined cumulative rate over a second electrical interface.

Abstract: A network interface including: a medium access control device configured to operate at a first power state during an inactive power mode, and operate at a second power state during an active power mode; a physical layer device including (i) an energy detect module configured to detect energy on a medium during the inactive power mode, and (ii) an energy save module configured to time a first pre-determined period subsequent to the energy detect module detecting energy on the medium. The medium access control device is further configured to, subsequent to the energy detect module detecting energy on the medium, transition to the second power state of the active power mode, and communication with the medium access control device via the medium is enabled subsequent to expiration of the first pre-determined period.

Abstract: A physical-layer device (PHY) having corresponding methods comprises: a data rate module to select a data rate divisor N, where N is at least one of a positive integer, or a real number greater than, or equal to, 1; and a PHY core comprising a PHY transmit module to transmit first signals a data rate of M/N Gbps, and a PHY receive module to receive second signals at the data rate of M/N Gbps; wherein the first and second signals conform to at least one of 1000BASE-T, wherein M=1, and 10GBASE-T, wherein M=10.

Abstract: A transmitter including a plurality of input lanes, a substitutor module, and an interleaver module. The plurality of input lanes is configured to receive input symbols including data symbols and idle symbols, wherein the input symbols are arranged into columns of concurrently received input symbols, and wherein each of the columns includes one input symbol from each of the plurality of input lanes. The substitutor module is configured to, at intervals, replace one of the columns with a column of alignment symbols. The substitutor module is further configured to replace an immediately subsequent one of the columns with a column of disposable symbols; and replace one or more immediately subsequent ones of the columns with columns of boundary symbols uninterrupted by disposable symbols. The interleaver module is configured to interleave symbols from the substitutor module between a first transmit lane and a second transmit lane.

Abstract: A network device including a physical layer (PHY) device and an autonegotiation module. The PHY device is configured to interface with N cable pairs, where N is greater than 1. The PHY device includes a cable test module configured to diagnose a short circuit in one of the N cable pairs. The autonegotiation module is configured to i) selectively perform autonegotiation to establish a link with a link partner at one of a first link speed and a second link speed that is lower than the first link speed, and ii) select between the first link speed and the second link speed in response to the cable test module diagnosing the short circuit.

Abstract: A system and method for generating a frequency rich spectrum in a data stream is disclosed. A network interface comprises a substitutor module, a symbol replacement module, and an encoder module. The substitutor module replaces idle streams in a first data stream with alignment symbols, boundary symbols and disposable symbols to generate a second data stream. The symbol replacement module receives the second data stream, generates random data, and replaces one or more of the disposable symbols in the second data stream with the random data in order to generate a third data stream. The encoder module encodes the third data stream.

Abstract: A first device comprising: a pin interface having a plurality of pins; a data signal transmitter configured to respectively transmit, to a second device, a first plurality of data signals over a first set of pins of the plurality of pins of the pin interface; an encoder configured to generate a first encoded control signal based on having encoded a first plurality of control signals; and a control signal transmitter configured to transmit, to the second device, the first encoded control signal over a first pin of the plurality of pins of the pin interface, wherein the first pin is not of the first set of pins.

Abstract: A physical layer device includes a serial media independent interface (SMII). The SMII includes a first terminal configured to receive a first data stream. The first data stream is received at the first terminal in accordance with a first frequency. The SMII further includes a transmit circuit configured to (i) sample, on a rising edge of a clock, the first data stream received at the first terminal to generate a second data stream to be transmitted from the physical layer device, and (ii) sample, on a falling edge of the clock, the first data stream received at the first terminal to generate a third data stream to be transmitted from the physical layer device. Each of the second data stream and the third data stream has a second frequency, and the first frequency is twice the second frequency.

Abstract: A signal receiver includes a data recovery module that generates an equalized data signal and a recovered data signal based on a data input signal. An error module generates an error information signal based on the equalized data signal and an error threshold signal. An eye measurement control module generates an eye characteristic signal based on the recovered data signal and the error information signal.

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 network device includes a media access control (MAC) device that transmits a first data stream at a first data rate, the first data stream including first symbols having M bits. A translator converts the first data stream to a second data stream at a second data rate. The translator includes a data appender that appends N bits to the first symbols in the first data stream to generate second symbols having M+N bits. A data duplicator duplicates the second symbols X times to produce the second data stream at the second data rate. M and X are integers greater than one, and N is greater than or equal to zero.

Abstract: A network device including a receiver, a counter, and a trigger. The receiver is configured to receive idle code groups or false carriers from a remote device. The idle code groups indicate that there is no data to be sent from the remote device, and the false carriers indicate a fault. The counter is configured to count the at least one of the idle code groups or the false carriers detected during a predetermined period. The trigger is configured to (i) assert a first signal if the counter exceeds a predetermined threshold during the predetermined period to resynchronize the network device to the remote device and (ii) count a number of times the first signal is asserted without bringing down a link between the network device and the remote device.

Abstract: A physical layer interface for a switch. The physical layer interface includes an auto-negotiation circuit, a transceiver, and a serial interface. The auto-negotiation circuit is configured to negotiate a first data transmission rate with a network client. The transceiver is configured to communicate with the network client at the data transmission rate. The serializer interface is configured to communicate with a media access controller (MAC) at a second data transmission rate that is different than the first data transmission rate.

Abstract: A physical layer device comprises an interface that communicates with a media access control (MAC) device. A first circuit attempts to establish a first link using a first transceiver over a first medium. A second circuit attempts to establish a second link using a second transceiver over a second medium that is different than the first medium. A media selector communicates with the interface and the first and second circuits and that enables data flow from the first medium to the MAC device using the interface when the first link is established first. A preferred medium selector communicates with the media selector and is configurable in one of a plurality of medium preference states.

Abstract: A physical layer device includes a transceiver module that communicates with a medium. An autonegotiation module autonegotiates one of N link capabilities with a link partner that advertises one of the link capabilities, where N is an integer greater than or equal to two. The autonegotiation module selects the advertised link capability of the link partner.

Abstract: A network interface including: a medium access control device configured to operate at a first power state during an inactive power mode, and operate at a second power state during an active power mode; a physical layer device including (i) an energy detect module configured to detect energy on a medium during the inactive power mode, and (ii) an energy save module configured to time a first pre-determined period subsequent to the energy detect module detecting energy on the medium. The medium access control device is further configured to, subsequent to the energy detect module detecting energy on the medium, transition to the second power state of the active power mode, and communication with the medium access control device via the medium is enabled subsequent to expiration of the first pre-determined period.

Abstract: A physical layer (PHY) device including a first encoder, a second encoder, and a selector. The first encoder is configured to receive a first data stream at a first data rate, encode the first data stream using a first type of encoding, and output a first encoded data via a plurality of outputs. The second encoder is configured to receive a second data stream at a second data rate, encode the second data stream using a second type of encoding, and output a second encoded data via an output. The selector includes a first set of inputs and a second set of inputs. The first set of inputs is configured to receive the plurality of outputs of the first encoder, and each input of the second set of inputs is configured to receive the output of the second encoder.

Abstract: A physical layer (PHY) device including a first transmitter, a first analog-to-digital converter (ADC) module, and a control module. The first transmitter is configured to transmit a first pulse on a first conductor of a first pair of conductors of a cable. The first ADC module is configured to generate a first set of outputs, in response to the transmission of the first pulse, by sampling an input from a second conductor of the first pair of conductors a plurality of times at a predetermined time interval. The control module is configured to determine a first distance from the PHY device to (i) an open-circuit, (ii) a short-circuit, or (iii) a termination of the first pair of conductors based on the first set of outputs.