Automatic data rate and power adjustment on communications uplink based on communications activity on communications downlink

A network device, comprising:

• uplink interface circuitry for coupling to a communications uplink to which an upstream link partner can be coupled;
• downlink interface circuitry for coupling to a communications downlink to which a downstream link partner can be coupled, the communications uplink and communications downlink forming part of a communications path between the upstream link partner and the downstream link partner;
• and
• monitoring and control circuitry operative:
• (1) in a first operating condition in which the communications uplink is configured as an Ethernet link operated at a first data rate and uplink interface circuitry in the IP telephone is operated at a corresponding first power consumption, to detect that the downstream link partner has reduced communications activity on the communications path, in response to detecting that the downstream link partner has reduced communications activity on the communications path, to perform a modified auto-negotiation with the upstream link partner via Ethernet link to transition the communications uplink from the first data rate to a second data rate, the second data rate of the communications uplink being a slower rate relative to the first data rate of the communications uplink in the first operating condition, and in response to performing the modified auto-negotiation with the upstream link partner to switch to a second operating condition in which the communications uplink is operated at the second data rate and the uplink interface circuitry is operated at a corresponding second power consumption, the second power consumption being lower than the first power consumption;
• and
• (2) in the second operating condition, to detect that the downstream link partner has increased communications activity on the communications path and in response to switch to the first operating condition.

A method of operating a system having a plurality of devices coupled to communications links, comprising:

• detecting, by a wireless access point, a downstream link partner of the plurality of devices on the communications links having reduced communications activity relative to a first data rate in a first operating condition, the communications links being configured as Ethernet links operated at the first data rate;
• performing, by a wireless access point, modified auto-negotiations with an upstream link partner in real time to change a data rate on a communications uplink from the first data rate to a second data rate, the second data rate being slower than the first data rate, in order to reduce power consumption;
• in response to performing modified auto-negotiations, reducing, by the wireless access point, the data rate on the communications uplink from the first data rate to the second data rate in a second operating condition, the second data rate of the communications uplink being slower relative to the first data rate of the communications uplink;
• in response to reducing the data rate, reducing, by the wireless access point, a power consumption of uplink communications circuitry of the wireless access point from a first power consumption level to a second power consumption level in the second operating condition, the second power consumption level being lower than the first power consumption level;
• and
• detecting, by the wireless access point in the second operating condition, the downstream link partner of the plurality of devices on the communications links having increased communications activity on a communications link and in response switching to the first operating condition.