Synchronization signal detection for high-speed ethernet connections

Apparatus for synchronizing a master node and a slave node on a high-speed Ethernet connection, the apparatus comprising:

• master transceiver circuitry configured to:
• send a first plurality of synchronization pulse units from the master node, and
• receive a second plurality of synchronization pulse units that are sent by slave transceiver circuitry in the slave node in response to receipt at the slave node of at least one synchronization pulse unit from the first plurality of synchronization pulse units;
• monitoring circuitry at the master node configured to monitor for receipt of a first synchronization pulse unit, from the second plurality of synchronization pulse units, having a predetermined characteristic, and to monitor for receipt of at least one further synchronization pulse unit, from the second plurality of synchronization pulse units, having the predetermined characteristic;
• and
• controller circuitry configured to recognize receipt of the second plurality of synchronization pulse units upon receipt of first synchronization pulse unit having the predetermined characteristic and receipt of the at least one further synchronization pulse unit having the predetermined characteristic, and the first synchronization pulse unit and the at least one further synchronization pulse unit meet one of (a) a first temporal spacing condition or (b) a second temporal spacing condition that is an integer multiple of the first temporal spacing condition.