MAC filtering on ethernet PHY for wake-on-LAN
View Patent ↗To improve Wake-on-LAN (WOL) functionality of a device, a Media Access Control (MAC) address filtering function may be implemented in the device's Ethernet physical layer (ePHY) block. When the ePHY detects a WOL frame, the MAC filtering function in the ePHY may perform address comparison between the MAC address associated with the device, and the MAC address contained in the WOL frame. Performing the MAC address comparison within the ePHY allows the main system components, such as the main SOC and other components to remain in standby mode (or sleep mode) until a MAC address match has been determined. Therefore, the main system components do not need to be rebooted every time the device receives a WOL frame, only when there is a match between the MAC address of the system and the MAC address contained in the detected WOL packet.
1. A device comprising:
a main network controller block having an associated device Media Access Control (MAC) address, and configured to enter a low-power mode when so instructed; and
an Ethernet physical layer (ePHY) block wherein the ePHY block is separately powered from the main network controller block and the ePHY block comprises a first register, and wherein the main network controller block is configured to write the device MAC address into the first register when the device initially boots up;
the ePHY block is configured to:
detect a Wake-On-LAN (WOL) packet comprising a target MAC address, while the main network controller block is in low-power mode;
compare the target MAC address with the device MAC address; and
generate an interrupt signal to initiate a boot up of the main network controller block if the main network controller block is in the low-power mode and the comparison indicates that the target MAC address matches the device MAC address.
2. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a boot processing unit, wherein the ePHY block is further configured to transmit the interrupt signal to a boot processing unit.
3. The device of claim 2 , wherein the ePHY block is configured to transmit the interrupt signal to the boot processing unit via a dedicated interrupt pin of the boot processing unit.
4. The device of claim 2 , wherein the boot processing unit is configured to initiate the boot up of the main network controller block in response to receiving the interrupt signal.
5. The device of claim 4 , wherein the main network controller block is configured to remain in the low-power mode if the main network controller block is in the low-power mode, unless the boot processing unit initiates the boot up of the main network controller block.
6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the main network controller block is configured to write the device MAC address into the first register prior to the main network controller block entering the low-power mode.
7. A method for performing a Wake-On-LAN (WOL) of a device comprising a main network controller block residing in a low-power mode, and having an associated device Media Access Control (MAC) address, the method comprising:
an Ethernet physical layer (ePHY) block in the device detecting a WOL packet comprising a target MAC address, wherein the ePHY block is separately powered from the main network controller block;
the ePHY block comprises a first register, and wherein the main network controller block is configured to write the device MAC address into the first register when the device initially boots up;
the ePHY block comparing the target MAC address with the device MAC address; and
the ePHY block initiating a boot up of the main network controller block in response to said comparing indicating that that the target MAC address matches the device MAC address.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein said initiating comprises the ePHY block generating an interrupt signal and transmitting the interrupt signal to a boot up processor.
9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising the boot up processor instructing the main network controller block to exit the low-power mode.
10. The method of claim 7 , further comprising the main network controller block writing the device MAC address into the ePHY block prior to the main network controller block entering the low-power mode.
11. A method for performing a Wake-On-LAN (WOL) of a device comprising a main network controller block residing in a low-power mode, and having an associated device Media Access Control (MAC) address, the method comprising:
an Ethernet physical layer (ePHY) block in the device detecting a WOL packet comprising a target MAC address, wherein the ePHY block is separately powered from the main network controller block;
the ePHY block comprises a first register, and wherein the main network controller block is configured to write the device MAC address into the first register when the device initially boots up;
the ePHY block comparing the target MAC address with the device MAC address; and
the main network controller block remaining in the low-power mode in response to said comparing indicating that that the target MAC address does not match the device MAC address.
12. A system comprising:
a first device;
one or more additional devices, each of the one or more additional devices having a unique Media Access Control (MAC) address;
a local area network (LAN) connection configured to couple the one or more additional devices and the first device together in a LAN;
wherein the first device is configured to transmit a Wake-On-LAN (WOL) packet comprising a target MAC address over the LAN connection;
wherein a second device of the one or more other additional devices is configured to receive the WOL packet; and
wherein the second device comprises a main network controller block and a first Ethernet physical layer (ePHY) block wherein the ePHY block is separately powered from the main network controller block and the ePHY block is configured to store the unique MAC address of the second device in a first register when the second device initially boots up;
the ePHY block is configured to:
detect the WOL packet;
compare the target MAC address with the unique MAC address of the second device; and
initiate a boot up of the second device when:
the second device, including the main network controller block, resides in low-power mode when the WOL packet is detected by the first ePHY block; and the comparison indicates that the target MAC address matches the unique MAC address of the second device.
13. The system of claim 12 , wherein, the second device is configured to remain in the low-power mode when: the second device resides in the low-power mode when the WOL packet is detected by the first ePHY block; and the comparison indicates that the target MAC address does not match the unique MAC address of the second device.
14. The system of claim 12 , wherein the first ePHY block is configured to store the unique MAC address of the second device in the first register prior to the main network controller block entering the low-power mode.
15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the first register is programmable by another component of the second device to store the unique MAC address of the second device.
16. The system of claim 12 , wherein each device of the one or more additional devices is configured to receive the WOL packet; and wherein each given device of the one or more additional devices comprises a respective ePHY block configured to: detect the WOL packet; compare the target MAC address with the unique MAC address of the given device; and initiate a boot up of the given device when: the given device resides in low-power mode when the WOL packet is detected by the respective ePHY block of the given device; and the comparison indicates that the target MAC address matches the unique MAC address of the given device.
17. The system of claim 16 , wherein, each given device of the one or more additional devices is configured to remain in the low-power mode when: the given device resides in the low-power mode when the WOL packet is detected by the respective ePHY block of the given device; and the comparison indicates that the target MAC address does not match the unique MAC address of the given device.
18. The system of claim 12 , wherein the one or more additional devices comprise one or more of: a printer; a computer; a digital display/television; a Blu-Ray player; a DVD player; a set-top box; a digital recording device; or a video game console.
19. The system of claim 12 , wherein the first device is a computer.