US 12,113,643 B2
Sleep signaling handshake for ethernet
Hon Wai Fung, Newark, CA (US); and Dance Wu, Palo Alto, CA (US)
Assigned to Marvel Asia Pte Ltd, Singapore (SG)
Filed by Marvell Asia Pte Ltd, Singapore (SG)
Filed on Nov. 6, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/502,963.
Application 18/502,963 is a continuation of application No. 17/490,638, filed on Sep. 30, 2021, granted, now 11,811,551.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/085,692, filed on Sep. 30, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2024/0073059 A1, Feb. 29, 2024
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. H04L 12/40 (2006.01); H04L 12/10 (2006.01)
CPC H04L 12/40039 (2013.01) [H04L 12/10 (2013.01); H04L 12/40013 (2013.01); H04L 12/40045 (2013.01); H04L 2012/40273 (2013.01)] 21 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A first communication device, comprising:
a physical layer (PHY) processor comprising a transceiver, the PHY processor being configured to perform PHY functions associated with a communication link including transmitting information to a second communication device via a communication medium corresponding to the communication link and receiving information from the second communication device via the communication medium, wherein the PHY processor is configured to transition between an active mode and a low power mode; and
a controller having a timer, the controller being configured to:
in response to determining that the PHY processor is to transition to the low power mode, enter a first logic state in which the controller i) controls the PHY processor to transmit a first sleep request to the second communication device via the communication medium, ii) starts the timer, and iii) controls the PHY processor to continue to transmit data and/or idle symbols to the second communication device while in the first logic state,
in response to i) determining that the second communication device transmitted a second sleep request corresponding to the first sleep request, and ii) the earlier of a) the timer expiring, and b) determining that the second communication device quieted a transmitter of the second communication device after transmitting the second sleep request, transition from the first logic state to a second logic state in which the controller controls the PHY processor to quiet a transmitter of the first communication device as part of transitioning the PHY processor to the low power mode, and
control the PHY processor to transition to the low power mode after transitioning to the second logic state.