US 12,255,755 B2
Ethernet device with safety features at the physical layer and method for a bi-directional data transfer between two ethernet devices
Benedikt Schonlau, Chemnitz (DE); Felix Neumärker, Dresden (DE); Sebastian Höppner, Dresden (DE); Markus Winter, Dresden (DE); and Stephan Hartmann, Coswig (DE)
Assigned to SILICONALLY GMBH, Dresden (DE)
Appl. No. 18/549,714
Filed by SILICONALLY GMBH, Dresden (DE)
PCT Filed Sep. 16, 2022, PCT No. PCT/EP2022/075745
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Sep. 8, 2023,
PCT Pub. No. WO2024/056184, PCT Pub. Date Mar. 21, 2024.
Prior Publication US 2024/0333552 A1, Oct. 3, 2024
Int. Cl. H04L 12/40 (2006.01); H04L 49/55 (2022.01)
CPC H04L 12/40176 (2013.01) [H04L 49/555 (2013.01)] 21 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An ethernet device with safety features at the physical layer, comprising:
a first ethernet physical layer access device comprising:
a first PCS/PMA unit for accessing a first ethernet channel;
a first media independent interface port for ethernet data communication;
a second media independent interface port for ethernet data communication; and
a first media independent interface switch, which in a first operating state connects the first media independent interface port to the PCS/PMA unit and in a second operating state connects the first media independent interface port to the second media independent interface port;
a second ethernet physical layer access device comprising:
a second PCS/PMA unit for accessing a second ethernet channel;
a third media independent interface port for ethernet data communication;
a fourth media independent interface port for ethernet communication; and
a second media independent interface switch, which in a first operating state connects the second PCS/PMA unit to the third media independent interface port and in a second operating state connects the second PCS/PMA unit to the fourth media independent interface port;
wherein the second media independent interface port of the first ethernet physical layer access device is connected to the fourth media independent interface port of the second ethernet physical layer access device;
wherein the first ethernet physical layer access device further comprises a first physical layer safety mechanism unit for detecting a safety problem of the physical layer of the first ethernet channel;
wherein the first physical layer safety mechanism unit is connected to the first media independent interface switch and to the second media independent interface switch for switching the first media independent interface switch and the second media independent interface switch from the first operating states to the second operating states if said safety problem has been detected by the first physical layer safety mechanism unit.