Media Access Control Device for High Efficiency Ethernet Backplane
A improved Media Access Control (MAC) module specification is presented. The MAC module specification includes configurable support for: a reduced minimum packet size, a reduced inter-frame-gap size, a reduced preamble, receive and transmit clock generation. Benefits may be derived from protocol overhead reductions. Processors adhering to the improved MAC module specification may exchange information at improved bandwidth efficiencies by directly interconnecting respective MAC modules to one another.
1 - 7 . (canceled)
8 . A Media Access Control (MAC) module comprising means for protocol overhead reductions.
9 . A MAC module as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the means for protocol overhead reduction further includes a short frame generator.
10 . A MAC module as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the short frame generator further includes a short frame generation enabler.
11 . A MAC module as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the means for protocol overhead reduction further includes a short frame receiver.
12 . A MAC module as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the short frame receiver further includes a short frame reception enabler.
13 . A MAC module as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the means for protocol overhead reduction further includes a short inter-frame-gap generator.
14 . A MAC module as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the short inter-frame-gap generator further comprises a byte removal specifier, specifying a number of bytes to be removed from the inter-frame-gap.
15 . A MAC module as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the means for protocol overhead reduction farther includes a preamble compressor.
16 . A MAC module as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the preamble compressor further includes a preamble compression enabler.