Multi-speed serial interface for media access control and physical layer devices
AssigneeMarvell International Ltd.
InventorsWilliam Lo, Nafea Bishara
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A network device includes a media access control (MAC) device that transmits a first data stream at a first data rate, the first data stream including first symbols having M bits. A translator converts the first data stream to a second data stream at a second data rate. The translator includes a data appender that appends N bits to the first symbols in the first data stream to generate second symbols having M+N bits. A data duplicator duplicates the second symbols X times to produce the second data stream at the second data rate. M and X are integers greater than one, and N is greater than or equal to zero.
Claims19
A network device comprising:
- a media access control (MAC) device configured to transmit a first data stream at a first data rate, the first data stream including first symbols having M bits;
- and
- a translator configured to convert the first data stream to a second data stream at a second data rate, wherein the translator includes:
- a data appender configured to append N bits to the first symbols in the first data stream to generate second symbols having M+N bits, and
- a data duplicator configured to duplicate the second symbols X times to produce the second data stream at the second data rate, wherein M and X are integers greater than one, and N is greater than or equal to one.
A method for operating a network device, the method comprising:
- transmitting a first data stream at a first data rate, wherein the first data stream includes first symbols having M bits;
- and
- converting the first data stream to a second data stream at a second data rate by:
- appending N bits to the first symbols in the first data stream to generate second symbols having M+N bits, and
- duplicating the second symbols X times to produce the second data stream at the second data rate, wherein M and X are integers greater than one, and N is greater than or equal to one.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.