Integrated circuit and method for processing synchronized network frames using a hardware synchronization circuit
AssigneeNXP B.V.
InventorsHubertus Gerardus Hendrikus Vermeulen, Nicola Concer
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Abstract
In an embodiment, an integrated circuit (IC) device is disclosed. In the embodiment, the IC device includes an Ethernet frame processor, at least one Ethernet port coupled to the Ethernet frame processor, and a hardware synchronization circuit coupled to the Ethernet frame processor and to the at least one Ethernet port, the hardware synchronization circuit including a controller, a local clock, a media-independent peripheral coupled to the controller, and a media-dependent peripheral coupled to the media-independent peripheral, wherein power can be provided to the hardware synchronization circuit independent of the Ethernet frame processor.
Claims20
An integrated circuit (IC) device, the IC device comprising:
- an Ethernet frame processor;
- at least one Ethernet port coupled to the Ethernet frame processor;
- and
- a hardware synchronization circuit coupled to the Ethernet frame processor and to the at least one Ethernet port, the hardware synchronization circuit comprising:
- a controller;
- a local clock coupled to the controller;
- a media-independent peripheral coupled to the controller;
- and
- a media-dependent peripheral coupled to the media-independent peripheral;
- wherein power can be provided to the hardware synchronization circuit independent of the Ethernet frame processor.
A method for processing synchronized network frames, the method comprising:
- powering up a hardware synchronization circuit;
- receiving an IEEE 802.1AS frame;
- determining if the IEEE 802.1AS frame requires processing by a microcontroller;
- powering up the microcontroller, processing the IEEE 802.1AS frame using the microcontroller if the IEEE 802.1AS frame requires processing by a microcontroller, and powering down the microcontroller;
- and
- processing the IEEE 802.1AS frame using a hardware synchronization circuit if the IEEE 802.1AS frame does not require processing by a microcontroller.
An automobile Ethernet network, the network comprising:
- at least one switch, the switch configured with a hardware synchronization circuit and coupled to a microcontroller;
- at least one end node, the end node coupled to the switch, a microcontroller, and a transceiver within which a hardware synchronization circuit is configured;
- and
- a time-sensitive Ethernet device coupled to the microcontroller that is coupled to the end node;
- wherein the network is synchronized using IEEE 802.1AS;
- and
- wherein IEEE 802.1AS functions are performed by the hardware synchronization circuit in the switch and in the transceiver within the end node while the microcontrollers coupled to the switch and end node remain powered off.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.