Communication interface and method for seamless asymmetric communication over multilane communication link
AssigneeHuawei Technologies Co., Ltd.
InventorSujan Pandey
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A communication interface is used at a first end of a communication link and includes a number of communication lanes. The communication interface includes a logic configured to cooperate with another communication interface at a second end of the communication link to send data to the second end over the communication lanes. The logic is configured to store a communication lane status for an awake communication lane, and upon detecting that the communication lane status for the awake communication lane is changed to a first determined status: to stop sending data over the awake communication lane, change an asleep communication lane into a new awake communication lane, and inform the communication interface at the second end.
Claims17
A communication interface for use at a first end of a communication link comprising a number of communication lanes greater or equal to two, the communication interface comprising a buffer, a gate, and a processor, the processor configured to:
- cooperate with another communication interface at a second end of the communication link to send data to the second end over one awake communication lane amongst the communication lanes, and to not sent data over at least one asleep communication lane amongst the communication lanes being in a sleep mode
- store a communication lane status for the awake communication lane;
- and
- upon detecting that the communication lane status for the awake communication lane has changed to a first determined status:
- stop sending data over the awake communication lane;
- change the asleep communication lane into a new awake communication lane;
- inform the communication interface at the second end that the new awake communication lane will be used to send data;
- and
- send data to the second end over the new awake communication lane
- wherein, for each given communication lane amongst all awake communication lanes and all asleep communication lanes, the buffer is configured to receive data to be transmitted, over the given communication lane, to a corresponding buffer in the other communication interface at the second end, and the gate is configured to open or close an input in the buffer of the data to be transmitted over the given communication lane, to the corresponding buffer in the other communication interface at the second end, and
- control the gate depending on the communication lane status of the given communication lane.
A method of communication over a communication link comprising a number of communication lanes greater or equal to two, and having a first end and a second end, the method comprising:
- sending data from the first end to second end over one awake communication lane amongst the communication lanes, and not sending data over at least one asleep communication lane amongst the said communication lanes being in a sleep mode;
- storing, at the first end, a communication lane status for the awake communication lane;
- and
- detecting, at the first end, that the communication lane status for the awake communication lane has changed to a first determined status, and upon detecting, at the first end, that the communication lane status for the said awake communication lane has changed to the determined status:
- stopping sending data over the awake communication lane;
- changing the asleep communication lane into a new awake communication lane;
- informing another communication interface at the second end that the new awake communication lane will be used to send data;
- and
- sending data to the second end over the new awake communication lane;
- and
- for each given communication lane amongst all awake communication lanes and all asleep communication lanes, inputting, in a buffer at the first end, data to be transmitted, over the given communication lane, to a corresponding buffer at the second end, and controlling a gate at the first end to open or close an input in the buffer of the data to be transmitted over the given communication lane, to the corresponding buffer at the second end, depending on the communication lane status of the given communication lane.
A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing program code, which upon being executed by one or more processors, provide for performance of a method of communication over a communication link comprising a number of communication lanes greater or equal to two, and having a first end and a second end, the method comprising:
- sending data from the first end to second end over one awake communication lane amongst the communication lanes, and not sending data over at least one asleep communication lane amongst the said communication lanes being in a sleep mode;
- storing, at the first end, a communication lane status for the awake communication lane;
- and
- detecting, at the first end, that the communication lane status for the awake communication lane has changed to a first determined status, and upon detecting, at the first end, that the communication lane status for the said awake communication lane has changed to the determined status:
- stopping sending data over the awake communication lane;
- changing the asleep communication lane into a new awake communication lane;
- informing another communication interface at the second end that the new awake communication lane will be used to send data;
- and
- sending data to the second end over the new awake communication lane;
- and
- for each given communication lane amongst all awake communication lanes and all asleep communication lanes, inputting, in a buffer at the first end, data to be transmitted, over the given communication lane, to a corresponding buffer at the second end, and controlling a gate at the first end to open or close an input in the buffer of the data to be transmitted over the given communication lane, to the corresponding buffer at the second end, depending on the communication lane status of the given communication lane.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.