Advanced single-chip USB-to-ethernet controller with a dual-PHY mode capacity for ethernet PHY or USB-to-rev-MII bridging

A network communication system, comprising:

• a network microcontroller connecting to a Station Management interface;
• a Rev-MII (Reverse Media Independent Interface) type Station Management interface connected to a network microcontroller;
• an Ethernet MAC (Media Access Controller) interface connecting to said Rev-MII interface;
• a USB-to-Ethernet bridge interface connecting to said Ethernet MAC;
• a packet buffer connecting to said USB-to-Ethernet bridge interface;
• a USB PHY/SIE (Serial Interface Engine) interface connecting to said USB-to-Ethernet bridge interface;
• an Ethernet PHY (physical layer) interface connecting through transformer and RJ-45 connector to Ethernet network by Ethernet cable;
• a PM (PHY mode) Station Management Register;
• a MUX (multiplexer) controlled by said PM Station Management Register to select said Ethernet PHY interface or said Rev-MII interface;
• and
• a Station Management interface connecting to said USB PHY/SIE interface, Ethernet PHY's MII interface and Ethernet network.

A network communication system, comprising:

• a network microcontroller connecting to a Station Management interface;
• said Station Management interface connecting to a USB (Universal Serial Bus) PHY (physical layer) interface, an Ethernet PHY interface and Ethernet network, wherein said system operates as a USB-to-Ethernet controller in Dual-PHY mode;
• two sets of Station Management Registers:
• an Embedded Ethernet PHY's Station Management Register and a PM (PHY mode) Station Management Register for mode configuration and link status monitoring;
• a PM_Control (PHY mode control) register in said PM Station Management Register;
• and
• a Network Microcontroller's Ethernet MAC (Media Access Controller) driver initializing an Embedded Ethernet PHY to power-on state by accessing said PM_Control register in said PM Station Management Register through MDC (Management Data Clock) and MDIO (Management Interface) lines,
• wherein said Station Management interface provides a mechanism for auto-detection and auto-selection between external Ethernet interface and USB Device interface through Station Management Register access wherein the Network Microcontroller's Ethernet MAC access a USB PHY/SIE interface and an Ethernet PHY interface through said Station Management interface.