Standby mode for use in a device having a multiple channel physical layer
View Patent ↗The present invention provides a way of placing a physical layer device into a standby mode. After a link is established between multiple devices, a determination is made whether the device has data to transmit or whether a standby request was received from a link partner. If a standby request was received or the device has no data to transmit, standby mode is entered. In standby mode, unneeded circuitry is powered down. A transmitter in a channel and a receive path in a separate channel remain powered. While operating in standby mode, the PHY layer continuously transmits a standby code on the one or more channels that are not powered down. Standby mode is discontinued when a transceiver has data to transmit or when energy is detected on the powered down channels. Standby mode is also discontinued when no standby code is received, indicating a disconnect between devices.
1. A transceiver including a physical layer (PHY), the PHY comprising:
a transmitter configured to transmit data;
a PHY control coupled to the transmitter, wherein the PHY control is configured to:
initiate a standby mode in response to determining that a period of time during which the transceiver has no data to transmit exceeds a value of a wait timer; and
in response to initiating the standby mode:
transmit a standby code on a channel of the PHY to maintain a link between the transceiver and a remote transceiver, and
initiate powering down a circuit in the transceiver.
2. The transceiver of claim 1 , wherein the PHY control is further configured to:
establish the link between the transceiver and the remote transceiver.
3. The transceiver of claim 1 , wherein the PHY is further configured to:
operate in a normal mode before initiating the standby mode.
4. The transceiver of claim 1 , wherein the PHY control is further configured to:
initiate the standby mode in response to receiving a standby request.
5. The transceiver of claim 1 , wherein the PHY control is configured to:
in response to initiating the standby mode: initiate powering down the transmitter, and initiate powering down a receive path.
6. The transceiver of claim 1 , wherein the PHY control is further configured to:
determine whether the standby mode should be discontinued; and
in response to determining that the standby mode should be discontinued:
initiate ending transmission of the standby code, and initiate powering up the circuit.
7. The transceiver of claim 1 , wherein the PHY control is further configured to:
discontinue the standby mode in response to determining that the transceiver has data to transmit.
8. The transceiver Of claim 1 , wherein the PHY control is further configured to:
discontinue the standby mode in response to determining that energy is detected on a powered down channel.
9. The transceiver of claim 1 , wherein the PHY control is further configured to:
discontinue the standby mode in response to determining that an idle signal was received from the remote transceiver.
10. The transceiver of claim 1 , wherein the PHY control is further configured to:
determine whether an idle signal was received from the remote transceiver;
determine whether a standby signal was received from the remote transceiver; and
in response to determining that the idle signal and the standby signal were not received, initiate re-establishing the link between the transceiver and the remote transceiver.
11. The transceiver of claim 1 , wherein the PHY control comprises:
a standby module configured to:
determine whether the PRY is operating in the standby mode, and control an operation of the PHY while the PHY is operating in the standby mode.
12. A method, comprising:
initiating a standby mode for a transceiver in response to determining that a period of time during which the transceiver has no data to transmit exceeds a value of a wait timer; and
in response to initiating the standby mode:
transmitting a standby code on a channel to maintain a link between the transceiver and a remote transceiver, and
initiating powering down a circuit in the transceiver.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the initiating the powering down the circuit in the transceiver comprises:
initiating powering down a transmitter; and
initiating powering down a receive path.
14. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
determining whether the standby mode should be discontinued; and
in response to determining that the standby mode should be discontinued:
initiating ending transmission of the standby code, and initiating powering up the circuit.
15. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
discontinuing the standby mode in response to determining that:
the transceiver has data to transmit,
energy is detected on a powered down channel, or
an idle signal was received from the remote transceiver.
16. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
determining whether an idle signal was received from the remote transceiver;
determining whether a standby signal was received from the remote transceiver; and
in response to determining that the idle signal and the standby signal were not received, initiating re-establishing the link between the transceiver and the remote transceiver.
17. A transceiver, comprising:
a transmitter; and
a control module configured to:
initiate a standby mode in response to:
receiving a standby request, or
determining that a period of time during which the transceiver has no data to transmit exceeds a value of a wait timer;
in response to initiating the standby mode:
transmit a standby code to maintain a link between the transceiver and a remote transceiver, and
initiate powering down a circuit in the transceiver; and
discontinue the standby mode in response to:
determining that the transceiver has data to transmit, or
determining that energy is detected on a powered down channel.
18. The transceiver of claim 17 , wherein the control module is configured to:
in response to initiating the standby mode:
initiate powering down the transmitter, and
initiate powering down a receive path.
19. The transceiver of claim 17 , wherein the control module is further configured to:
determine whether the standby mode should be discontinued; and
in response to determining that the standby mode should be discontinued:
initiate ending transmission of the standby code, and
initiate powering up the circuit.
20. The transceiver of claim 17 , wherein the control module is further configured to:
determine whether an idle signal was received from the remote transceiver;
determine whether a standby signal was received from the remote transceiver; and
in response to determining that the idle signal and the standby signal were not received, initiate re-establishing the link between the transceiver and the remote transceiver.