Method and apparatus for inserting idle bytes in a data stream
AssigneeMarvell International Ltd.
InventorWilliam Lo
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In a method of transferring a plurality of data packets from a media access control (MAC) layer device to a physical layer (PHY) device, interpacket gaps (IPGs) having a number NI=Nblock*n−(p mod Nblock) of idle bytes are inserted between packets, where p is an integer denoting a length of a data packet in bytes, Nblock is a blocking size in bytes, and n is an integer initialized to one and incremented every time q data bytes of the data packet are transferred. The parameter n is reset to one in connection with each IPG insertion.
Claims20
A method of transferring, from a media access control (MAC) layer device to a physical layer (PHY) device, a plurality of data packets, the method comprising:
- setting, at the MAC layer device, a parameter n to have an initial value of one;
- transferring, from the MAC layer device to the PHY device via a media-independent interface, the plurality of data packets, including incrementing the parameter n for every q data bytes that are transferred, wherein q is a finite integer;
- and
- for each data packet transferred,
- setting, at the MAC layer device, a number of idle bytes NI of an interpacket gap (IPG) having NI=Nblock*n−(p mod Nblock) idle bytes, wherein p is an integer denoting a length of the data packet in bytes and Nblock is a blocking size in bytes,
- inserting, by the MAC layer device, the NI bytes of the IPG after data bytes in the data packet are transferred in order to create a time gap between the data packet and a subsequent data packet, and
- resetting, at the MAC layer device, the parameter n to one.
An apparatus, comprising:
- a media access control (MAC) layer device;
- a physical layer (PHY) device coupled to the MAC layer device;
- wherein the MAC layer device includes one or more integrated circuit devices configured to:
- set a parameter n to have an initial value of one,
- transfer, from the MAC layer device to the PHY device via a media-independent interface, a plurality of data packets,
- increment the parameter n for every q data bytes that are transferred, wherein q is a finite integer, and
- for each data packet transferred,
- set a number of idle bytes NI for an interpacket gap (IPG) having NI=Nblock*n−(p mod Nblock) idle bytes, wherein p is an integer denoting a length of the data packet in bytes and Nblock is a blocking size in bytes,
- insert the NI bytes of the IPG after data bytes in the data packet are transferred in order to create a time gap between the data packet and a subsequent data packet, and
- reset the parameter n to one.
A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having computer program instructions stored thereon that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to implement a method of transferring, from a media access control (MAC) layer device to a physical layer (PHY) device, a plurality of data packets, the method comprising:
- setting a parameter n to have an initial value of one;
- transferring, from the MAC layer device to the PHY device via a media-independent interface, the plurality of data packets, including incrementing the parameter n for every q data bytes that are transferred, wherein q is a finite integer;
- and
- for each data packet transferred,
- setting a number of idle bytes NI of an interpacket gap (IPG) having NI=Nblock*n−(p mod Nblock) idle bytes, wherein p is an integer denoting a length of the data packet in bytes and Nblock is a blocking size in bytes,
- inserting the NI bytes of the IPG after data bytes in the data packet are transferred in order to create a time gap between the data packet and a subsequent data packet, and
- resetting the parameter n to one.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.