| Patent application number | Description | Published |
|---|
| 20090154465 | Method And System For Asymmetric Operation In A Network Node In An Energy Efficient Ethernet Network - An Ethernet network comprising multi-rate link partners that may be operable to communicate symmetrically and/or asymmetrically via any of a plurality of channels. The multi-rate link partners may monitor one or more factors that may affect their power consumption and/or energy efficiency. During operation, an uplink and/or downlink communication rate may be configured, based on the monitoring, to enable asymmetrical data rate operation. The monitored factors may comprise prior or current data rates, bit error rate, packet error rate, latency, queued data and/or tasks, for example. The multi-rate link partners may comprise a twisted pair PHY, an optical PHY or a backplane PHY. In order to reduce power consumption and/or improve energy efficiency, one or more of the uplink communication rate and/or the downlink communication rate may be lowered. The power consumption may be reduced for a multi-rate PHY, a host computer and/or a MAC controller. | 06-18-2009 |
| 20090245274 | Apparatus and method for auto-negotiation in a communication system - A communication system includes a first device and a second device that can advertise multiple capabilities using communication links. A first type of auto-negotiation between the first and second devices is performed using a first communication link between the devices. A second communication link between the devices is used to facilitate a second type of auto-negotiation. For example, the first communication link can include pairs A and B of an IEEE Std. 802.3 four twisted pair cable. The second communication link can include pairs C and D of the cable. | 10-01-2009 |
| 20100034213 | Apparatus and Method for Communicating Arbitrarily Encoded Data Over a 1-Gigabit Ethernet - The invention allows data originating according to a first communications standard to be transmitted over a physical layer using a second communications standard. According to an embodiment of the invention, a data stream is received from a physical transmission medium that uses particular first communications standard. Next, a data type identification (DTID) is appended to each byte in the data stream, thereby creating a technology independent data stream having a particular bit rate. This bit rate is then matched to a different bit rate that corresponds to a second communications standard. The technology independent data stream is then transmitted over a physical transmission medium that uses the second communications standard. | 02-11-2010 |
| 20100067521 | Internet protocol telephone system - An internet protocol telephone includes a substrate having an input and an output that are capable of being connected to the internet protocol (IP) network. A relay is disposed on the substrate and is connected between the input and the output of the substrate. The relay includes first and second native FETs that have a threshold voltage of approximately zero volts. Therefore, the relay is nominally turned-on, even when little or no voltage (or power) is applied to the IP telephone substrate, as during the discovery mode of IP telephone operation. During discovery mode, The IP phone is configured to be responsive to extended link pulses and block data packets that are associated with legacy devices. Data packets have a higher signal duration and are more continuous than extended link pulses. The IP phone includes a switchable ground that is connected to the gates of the native devices, and is controlled by a rectifier and filter circuit that are connected to the substrate input. If the IP phone receives legacy data packets during discovery mode, then the high signal duration and continuous nature of the data packets are sufficient to cause the rectifier to generate a rectified signal having sufficient amplitude to activate the switchable ground, so as to ground the gates of the native devices and therefore turn-off the native devices. Therefore, the data packets are rejected and are not passed back to the switch. Extended link pulses have a frequency that is too low to generate a rectified signal that is sufficient to activate the switchable ground, and therefore the native devices remain turned-on. Accordingly, the extended link pulses are passed back to the switch. | 03-18-2010 |
| 20100080111 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ETHERNET SWITCHING, CONVERSION, AND PHY OPTIMIZATION BASED ON LINK LENGTH IN AUDIO/VIDEO SYSTEMS - Aspects of a method and system for Ethernet Switching, Conversion, and PHY optimization based on link length in Audio/Video Systems are provided. In this regard, the length of a link over which a first communication device communicates with a second communication device may be determined and Ethernet PHY's residing in the communication devices may be configured based on the determination. One or both of the communication devices may comprise an Ethernet switch operable to switch packetized audio and/or video content. The packetized audio and/or video may be switched between the configured Ethernet PHY and one or more other Ethernet PHYs. Audio and/or video data may be received via the one or more corresponding Ethernet PHYs, the received audio and/or video data may be reformatted to be compatible with an audio and/or video interface, and the reformatted audio and/or video data may be transmitted via the audio and/or video interface. | 04-01-2010 |
| 20100226387 | Apparatus and Method for Implementing A Suspend Mode In An Ethernet-Based Communications System - The present invention describes a communications system having a first link partner and a second link partner that are connected by a communications link having at least four pairs of conductors. According to IEEE Standard 802.3 (e.g. Ethernet) for 1000Base-T, a data link is maintained (in a period absent data transmission) by sending idle signals over four pairs of conductors of the cable to maintain a logical connection. This idle signal scheme is replaced with an alternate idle signaling scheme that uses only two pairs of conductors to maintain a logical connection and therefore can operate with using lower power. The other two pairs of conductors of the four pairs of conductors are unused to maintain a logical connection absent data transfer, and therefore can be used to implement a Suspend Mode of operation. During Suspend Mode, the physical layer of each link partner powers down unnecessary circuitry so as to operate in a low power environment. To initiate the Suspend Mode, idle signals are sent on one of the un-used pairs of the conductors mentioned above. To exit Suspend mode, idle signals are sent on respective conductors simultaneously. | 09-09-2010 |
| 20110217873 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR A CONNECTOR WITH INTEGRATED POWER OVER ETHERNET FUNCTIONALITY - Aspects of a method and system for a connector with integrated power over Ethernet functionality are provided. In this regard, one or more circuits and/or processors that reside within and/or on a connector may be operable to manage a supply power that is delivered over a cable based on characteristics of the connector and/or characteristics of the cable. The cable may carry the supply power while concurrently carrying data communications. The one or more circuits and/or processors may be operable to source and sink the supply power. The one or more circuits and/or processors may be operable to control which one or more conductors of the cable are utilized for conveying the supply power. | 09-08-2011 |
| 20120015552 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR A CONFIGURABLE CONNNECTOR FOR ETHERNET - Aspects of a method and apparatus for a configurable connector for Ethernet are provided. In this regard, a configurable Ethernet connector residing in an Ethernet enabled communication device may couple the communication device to one or more twisted pairs and enable communication of Ethernet frames over the twisted pair(s). Conductors of each of the twisted pairs may make contact with adjacent pins of the configurable Ethernet connector. A size and shape of the configurable Ethernet connector may enable housing of more than 48 instances of the configurable Ethernet connector in a single standard size one rack unit face plate of a 19-inch rack. The configurable Ethernet connector may provide mechanical and electrical indications that enable a device coupled to the configurable Ethernet connector to determine configuration information of the configurable Ethernet connector. The information may indicate presence or absence of various components within and/or on the configurable Ethernet connector. | 01-19-2012 |
