Robust electromagnetic compatibility performance for in-vehicle Ethernet PHYs utilizing time division duplexing

An Ethernet transceiver in an in-vehicle network, comprising:

• a media access control (MAC) controller;
• and
• a physical layer (PHY) device comprising:
• a transmit buffer configured to buffer a plurality of frames of first media independent interface (MII) data received from the MAC controller over a first path and to cause the MAC controller to pause transmission of the plurality of frames of first MII data to the transmit buffer before being filled;
• a receive buffer configured to buffer a plurality of frames of second MII data for transmission to the MAC controller over a second path;
• a transmitter configured to convert a first frame from among the plurality of frames of first MII data buffered by the transmit buffer from a first-bit packet stream to a second-bit packet stream, the second-bit packet stream having fewer bits than the first-bit packet stream, to map the second-bit packet stream to a plurality of first bit streams, and to multiplex the plurality of first bit streams into a first single stream to form a transmit signal for transmission over a single pair of cables to a second Ethernet transceiver in the in-vehicle network during a first transmit time of a time-division duplex (TDD) frame;
• a receiver configured to demultiplex a receive signal received over the single pair of cables from the second Ethernet transceiver during a second transmit time of the TDD frame from a second single stream to a plurality of second bit streams, to map the plurality of second bit streams to a third-bit packet stream, and to convert the third-bit packet stream to a fourth-bit packet stream, the third-bit packet stream having fewer bits than the fourth-bit packet stream, to provide a second frame from among the plurality of frames of second MII data to the receive buffer for buffering;
• and
• a time-division duplex (TDD) controller configured to adapt a duration of time the transmitter transmits the transmit signal during the first transmit time of the TDD frame over the single pair of cables to the second Ethernet transceiver.

A physical layer (PHY) device, comprising:

• a transmit buffer configured to buffer a plurality of frames of first media independent interface (MII) data received from a media access control (MAC) controller over a first path and to cause the MAC controller to pause transmission of the plurality of frames of first MII data to the transmit buffer before being filled;
• a receive buffer configured to buffer a plurality of frames of second MII data for transmission to the MAC controller over a second path;
• a transmitter configured to convert a first frame from among the plurality of frames of first MII data buffered by the transmit buffer from a first-bit packet stream to a second-bit packet stream, the second-bit packet stream having fewer bits than the first-bit packet stream, to map the second-bit packet stream to a plurality of first bit streams, and to multiplex the plurality of first bit streams into a first single stream to form a transmit signal for transmission over a single pair of cables to a second Ethernet transceiver in an in-vehicle network during a first transmit time of a time-division duplex (TDD) frame;
• a receiver configured to receive a receive signal received over the single pair of cables from the second Ethernet transceiver during a second transmit time of the TDD frame, to demultiplex the receive signal from a second single stream to a plurality of second bit streams, to map the plurality of second bit streams to a third-bit packet stream, and to convert the third-bit packet stream to a fourth-bit packet stream, the third-bit packet stream having fewer bits than the fourth-bit packet stream, to provide a second frame from among the second plurality of frames of MII data to the receive buffer for buffering;
• and
• a TDD controller configured to control when the transmitter starts transmitting the transmit signal during the first transmit time of the TDD frame over the single pair of cables to the second Ethernet transceiver and a duration of the first transmit time of the TDD frame in which the transmitter transmits the transmit signal over the single pair of cables to the second Ethernet transceiver.