Method and system for 10GBASE-T start-up
Certain aspects for the start-up procedure of transceivers supporting higher data rates over twisted-pair copper cabling are provided for 10 Gbit/sec Ethernet links (10GBASE-T). During a PMA (physical medium attachment) training period of the start-up procedure, long PMA training frames are exchanged periodically between link partners. A significant portion of each PMA training frame consists of known pseudo random sequences simultaneously transmitted over four wire pairs. PMA training frames include an InfoField for exchanging parameters and control information between link partners. For example, the InfoField's payload comprises fields for indicating current transmit power backoff (PBO), next PBO, requested PBO, transition count, control information, and for communicating precoder coefficients. Information in InfoFields is repeated and is not necessary that a link partner decodes every InfoField. For example, by occasionally reading the transition count, a link partner can determine when a change in transmit PBO and/or a state transition is to occur.
1. A method of signaling along a link between Ethernet transceivers, comprising:
performing a training sequence to train a set of link parameters associated with the Ethernet transceivers, wherein the training sequence includes transmitting a plurality of physical medium attachment (PMA) training frames comprising (a) a pseudo random known sequence of binary modulation symbols and (b) control information; and
transmitting physical coding sublayer (PCS) frames along the link based on a trained link parameter.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising maintaining symbol timing and frame synchronization from analyzing the pseudo random known sequences of the PMA training frames.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the control information indicates a current transmit power backoff (PBO) of a transmitting transceiver, a next transmit PBO, or a requested PBO value for a receiving transceiver.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the control information indicates a transition count which provides a remaining number of PMA frames after which a change in characteristics of a signal of a transmitting transceiver will occur.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the change comprises one of a change in transmit power backoff (BPO) of a transmitting transceiver or a transition to a next state in a state diagram of the transmitting transceiver.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the control information includes precoder coefficients.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the control information indicates a current state in a start-up procedure or a status of a receiving transceiver.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the training sequence comprises establishing initial synchronization, setting transmit power levels, adjusting a crosstalk canceller, adjusting an equalizer, or selecting precoding coefficients.
9. A system for setting up communication devices, the system comprising:
one or more circuits of a transceiver operable to perform a training sequence to train a set of link parameters associated with the transceiver and a remote transceiver, wherein the training sequence includes transmitting a plurality of physical medium attachment (PMA) training frames comprising (a) a pseudo random known sequence of binary modulation symbols and (b) control information; and
one or more circuits of the transceiver operable to transmit physical coding sublayer (PCS) frames along a link based on a trained link parameter.
10. The system of claim 9 , further comprising one or more circuits of the transceiver operable to maintain symbol timing and frame synchronization from analyzing the pseudo random known sequences of the PMA training frames.
11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the control information indicates a current transmit power backoff (PBO) of a transmitting transceiver, a next transmit PBO, or a requested PBO value for a receiving transceiver.
12. The system of claim 9 , wherein the control information indicates a transition count which provides a remaining number of PMA frames after which a change in characteristics of a signal of a transmitting transceiver will occur.
13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the change comprises one of a change in transmit power backoff (BPO) of the transmitting transceiver or a transition to a next state in a state diagram of the transmitting transceiver.
14. The system of claim 9 , wherein the control information includes precoder coefficients.
15. The system of claim 9 , wherein the control information indicates a current state in a start-up procedure or a status of a receiving transceiver.
16. The system of claim 9 , wherein the training sequence comprises establishing initial synchronization, setting transmit power levels, adjusting a crosstalk canceller, adjusting an equalizer, or selecting precoding coefficients.
17. A method for setting up communication devices, comprising:
formatting, by a communication device, physical medium attachment (PMA) training frames, wherein a majority portion of each of the PMA training frames is comprised of pseudo random known sequences that are utilized to establish transceiver operations for communication between the communication device and a remote communication device; and
transmitting, from the communication device, the PMA training frames to the remote communication device during a training period over a wired Ethernet link.
18. The method of claim 17 , wherein each of the PMA training frames further comprises control information.
19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the control information comprises precoder coefficients, the method further comprising programming the precoder coefficients in a precoder in each of the communication device and the remote communication device during the training period for the communication between the communication device and the remote communication device.
20. The method of claim 17 , further comprising receiving PMA training frames periodically from the remote communication device after the remote communication device recovers a master clock during the training period.