Reduced pin count media independent interface
AssigneeCisco Technology, Inc.
InventorsStewart Findlater, James R. Rivers, David H. Yen, Brian Petersen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system and method are disclosed for providing a method of communicating between a media access control (MAC) layer and a physical (PHY) layer. The method includes sending a 100 MHz time-division multiplexed signal on a receive data line and sending a time-division multiplexed receive control signal on a receive control line. A 100 MHz time-division multiplexed signal is sent on a transmit data line and a time-division multiplexed transmit control signal is sent on a transmit control line.
Claims33
A method of communicating between a media access control layer (MAC) and a physical layer (PHY), comprising:
- receiving a first time-division multiplexed signal on a receive data pin;
- receiving a plurality of time-division multiplexed receive control signals on a single receive control pin;
- sending a second time-division multiplexed signal on a transmit data pin;
- sending a plurality of time-division multiplexed transmit control signals on a single transmit control pin,
- wherein the receive control signals include a receive data valid signal and a receive error signal time-division multiplexed together on the single receive control pin and the transmit control signals include a synchronization (SYNC) signal a transmit enable signal and a transmit error signal time-division multiplexed together on the single transmit control pin.
An interface between a first media access control layer and a second media access control layer, comprising:
- a time-division multiplexed receive data pin;
- a time-division multiplexed receive control pin for receiving different functional types of receive control signals including a receive data valid signal and a receive error signal that are time-division multiplexed together on the receive control pin;
- a time-division multiplexed transmit data pin;
- and
- a time-division multiplexed transmit control pin for transmitting different functional types of transmit control signals including a synchronization (SYNC) signal, a transmit enable signal and transmit error signal that are time-division multiplexed together on the transmit control pin.
A media access control layer to physical layer interface comprising:
- a common clock;
- a time-division multiplexed receive data pin;
- a time-division multiplexed receive control pin for receiving different functional types of receive control signals including a receive data valid signal and a receive error signal time-division multiplexed together on the receive control pin;
- a time-division multiplexed transmit data pin;
- a time-division multiplexed transmit control pin for transmitting different functional types of transmit control signals including a synchronization (SYNC) signal, a transmit enable signal and a transmit error signal time-division multiplexed together on the transmit control pin.
An apparatus communicating between a media access control layer (MAC) and a physical layer (PHY), comprising:
- means for receiving a first time-division multiplexed signal on a receive data pin;
- means for receiving a plurality of time-division multiplexed receive control signals on a single receive control pin;
- means for sending a second time-division multiplexed signal on a transmit data pin;
- means for sending a plurality of time-division multiplexed it control signals on a single transmit control pin,
- wherein the receive control signals include a receive data valid signal and a receive error signal time-division multiplexed together on the single receive control pin and the transmit control signals include a synchronization (SYNC) signal, a transmit enable signal and a transmit error signal time-division multiplexed together on the single transmit control pin.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.