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US6011799A
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Method and apparatus for managing external physical layer devices
Assignee: GlobalFoundries Inc
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Filing: 1997-12-18
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Granted: 2000-01-04
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Expires: 2017-12-18
Abstract
Abstract Every external physical layer device coupled to a multiport data communication switch is polled in succession to determine status and control information relating to the external physical layer device. The polling procedure performed automatically at regular time intervals is interleaved with management accesses to the external PHYs initiated by a host processor. The host management access may be performed to write or read management data to or from a particular register in a particular external physical layer device.
Inventors
- 👤 Denise Kerstein
- 👤 Philip Simmons
- 👤 Ian Lam
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 16:08
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04L; H04L49/00; H04L49/30; H04L49/3009; G; G06; G06F; G06F13/00; G06F13/14; G06F13/16; G06F13/1605; G06F13/20; G06F13/24; G11; G11C; G11C11/00; G11C11/21; G11C11/34; G11C11/40; G11C11/41; G11C11/412; H04L12/00; H04L12/28; H04L12/46; H04L12/4641; H04L41/00; H04L41/02; H04L41/0213; H04L47/00; H04L47/50; H04L47/62; H04L47/622; H04L47/6225; H04L49/10; H04L49/103; H04L49/20; H04L49/201; H04L49/25; H04L49/253; H04L49/255; H04L49/3027; H04L49/35; H04L49/351; H04L49/354; H04L49/50; H04L49/55; H04L49/552; H04L49/555; H04L49/90; H04L49/901; H04L49/9047; H04L49/9063; H04L49/9068; H04L49/9073; H04L49/9078; H04L49/9084; H04Q; H04Q3/00; H04Q3/42; H04Q3/54; H04Q3/545; H04Q3/54575; H04Q3/54591; H04L12/02; H04L12/16; H04L12/18; H04L12/1863; H04L12/4645; H04L12/467; H04L49/3054; H04L49/40; H04Q2213/00; H04Q2213/1316; H04Q2213/13162
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
91 words
A data communication system controlled by a host processor and having multiple ports coupled to external physical layer devices, comprising: a management data interface for automatically polling said physical layer devices at regular time intervals, and a management access register responsive to said host processor for storing management access information to support host management accesses to said physical layer devices initiated by said host processor, wherein said management data interface is responsive to the management access information from said management access register to alternate said polling with said host management accesses.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
91 words
A data communication system controlled by a host processor and having multiple ports coupled to external physical layer devices, comprising: a management data interface for automatically polling said physical layer devices at regular time intervals, and a management access register responsive to said host processor for storing management access information to support host management accesses to said physical layer devices initiated by said host processor, wherein said management data interface is responsive to the management access information from said management access register to alternate said polling with said host management accesses.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
40 words
The system of claim 1, wherein said management access register is responsive to address data and management data provided by said host processor to support writing said management data into an external physical layer device corresponding to said address data.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
33 words
The system of claim 2, wherein said address data comprises address of the external physical layer device to be accessed and address of a register to be accessed in said external physical device.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
36 words
The system of claim 1, wherein said management access register is responsive to address data provided by said host processor to support reading management data from an external physical layer device corresponding to said address data.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
21 words
The system of claim 4, wherein said management access register receives said management data read from said external physical layer device.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
20 words
The system of claim 1 further comprising a PCI interface for interfacing said host processor to said management access register.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
40 words
The system of claim 1, wherein said management data interface supplies each of said external physical layer devices with a management data clock (MDC) and a management data input/output (MDIO) signal to provide said polling and said host management accesses.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
24 words
The system of claim 7, wherein said MDIO signal carries address and management data provided by said host processor for said host management accesses.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
31 words
The system of claim 1, wherein said management data interface provides automatic polling of status registers in said external physical layer devices to determine status of said external physical layer devices.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
37 words
The system of claim 9, wherein said management data interface provides host management accesses to write management data into selected registers of said external physical layer devices to alter operating parameters of said external physical layer devices.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
78 words
A method of managing external physical layer devices coupled to ports of a data communication switch controlled by a host processor, comprising the steps of: automatically polling said external physical layer devices at regular time intervals, supplying an access register in said data communication switch with management access information provided by said host processor to support management accesses to said external physical layer devices, and alternating said polling with said management accesses to said external physical layer devices.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
78 words
A method of managing external physical layer devices coupled to ports of a data communication switch controlled by a host processor, comprising the steps of: automatically polling said external physical layer devices at regular time intervals, supplying an access register in said data communication switch with management access information provided by said host processor to support management accesses to said external physical layer devices, and alternating said polling with said management accesses to said external physical layer devices.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 11, wherein said management accesses are initiated by said host processor to write management data into a selected register in a selected physical layer device.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 12, wherein said management access information contains said management data and addresses of said selected register and said selected physical layer device.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 11, wherein said management accesses are initiated by said host processor to read management data from a selected register in a selected physical layer device.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 14, wherein said management access information contains addresses of said selected register and said selected physical layer device.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 15, wherein said management data read from said selected register is stored in said access register before reading by said host processor.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 11, wherein a management data clock (MDC) and a management data input/output (MDIO) signal are used to provide said polling and said management accesses.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-01-03 | 2003-07-05 | 2004-01-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-01-03 | 2007-07-05 | 2008-01-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-01-03 | 2011-07-05 | 2012-01-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |