Ethernet passive optical network over coaxial (EPoC) system rate mechanism
View Patent ↗An Ethernet passive optical network over coaxial (EPOC) system rate mechanism. A network device is provided that includes a physical layer device (PHY) that is configured for coupling to a coaxial cable, a medium independent interface that facilitates data transmission at 10 Gbit/s or greater, and a reconciliation sublayer that is coupled to the PHY via the medium independent interface. The reconciliation sublayer has a codeword detector that is configured to detect a reserved codeword that is received from the PHY over the medium independent interface. The codeword detector can be configured to forward a rate control signal to a media access control (MAC) based on the detection of the reserved codeword.
1. A network device, comprising:
a physical layer device, deployed as an intermediary between a first network and second network, configured for coupling to a coaxial cable of the first network;
a medium independent interface that facilitates data transmission at 10 Gbit/s or greater via the second network; and
a reconciliation sublayer, coupled to the physical layer device via the medium independent interface, comprising a codeword detector configured to:
detect a reserved codeword received from the physical layer device over the medium independent interface,
forward a rate control signal to a media access control device based on the detection of the reserved codeword to alert the media access control device of an adjustment to a rate of transmission of data from the media access control device to the physical layer device.
2. The network device of claim 1 , wherein the network device is a customer network device.
3. The network device of claim 1 , wherein the network device is a media converter device.
4. The network device of claim 1 , wherein the network device is a Ethernet passive optical network over coaxial (EPOC) network device.
5. The network device of claim 1 , wherein the medium independent interface is a 10 Gbit/s medium independent interface (XGMII).
6. The network device of claim 1 , wherein the medium independent interface is a 40 Gbit/s medium independent interface (XLGMII) or 100 Gbit/s medium independent interface (CGMII).
7. The network device of claim 1 , wherein the reserved codeword is a low power idle (LPI) codeword.
8. A method performed by a network device, comprising:
determining, by a physical layer device in the network device, that an adjustment to a rate of transmission of data from a media access control device to the physical layer device is needed, the media access control device coupled to a reconciliation sublayer that communicates with the physical layer device over a medium independent interface that facilitates data transmission at 10 Gbit/s or greater, the physical layer device coupled to a coaxial cable;
generating, by the physical layer device in response to the determination, a reserved codeword for transmission to the reconciliation sublayer over the medium independent interface;
detecting, by the reconciliation sublayer, a receipt of the reserved codeword over the medium independent interface; and
generating, by the reconciliation sublayer in response to detecting the receipt of the reserved codeword, a rate control signal for transmission to the media access control device to alert the media access control device that an adjustment is needed to a rate of transmission of data from the media access control device to the physical layer device.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the network device is a customer network device.
10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the network device is a media converter device.
11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the Ethernet physical layer device is a Ethernet passive optical network over coaxial (EPOC) network device.
12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the medium independent interface is a 10 Gbit/s medium independent interface (XGMII).
13. The method of claim 8 , wherein the medium independent interface is a 40 Gbit/s medium independent interface (XLGMII) or 100 Gbit/s medium independent interface (CGMII).
14. The method of claim 8 , wherein the reserved codeword is a low power idle (LPI) codeword.
15. A network device, comprising:
a reconciliation sublayer, coupled to a coaxial cable physical layer device via a medium independent interface that facilitates data transmission at 10 Gbit/s or greater, the reconciliation sublayer comprising a codeword detector configured to:
detect a reserved codeword received from the physical layer device over the medium independent interface, and
forward a rate control signal to a media access control device based on the detection of the reserved codeword to alert the media access control device of an adjustment to a rate of transmission of data from the media access control device to the physical layer device.
16. The network device of claim 15 , wherein the medium independent interface is a 10 Gbit/s medium independent interface (XGMII).
17. The network device of claim 15 , wherein the medium independent interface is a 40 Gbit/s medium independent interface (XLGMII) or 100 Gbit/s medium independent interface (CGMII).
18. The network device of claim 15 , wherein the reserved codeword is a low power idle (LPI) codeword.