Physical layer processing of timestamps and MAC security

摘要

A physical layer device provides both timestamp processing and security processing. The timestamp processing may be PTP processing according to IEEE Std. 1588 and/or OAM processing according to ITU-T Recommendation Y.1731. The security processing may be MACsec processing according to IEEE Std. 802.1AE. The timestamp processing may delay some packets to avoid impairing accuracy of timing information. For example, the accuracy of timing information could be impaired when a packet containing the timing information is delay due to additional bits added to a preceding packet to include a security tag and integrity check value.

主权项

1. A method performed by a physical layer communication device implemented using electronic circuitry, the method comprising:
receiving a packet for transmission; determining whether the packet is a packet that is to receive timestamp processing; if the packet is to receive timestamp processing, determining a value indicative of a time of transmission of the packet to a communication network; if the packet is to receive timestamp processing, inserting the value indicative of the time of transmission in to the packet; if the packet is to receive timestamp processing, after determining the value indicative of the time of transmission, and after inserting the value indicative of the time of transmission into the packet, delaying the packet for a time interval to avoid having the packet incur a variable delay during subsequent processing due to Media Access Control Security (MACsec) processing of a prior packet, wherein the time interval is based on a time of transmission of a maximum number of bits that may be added to the prior packet for the MACsec processing; and transmitting the packet over the communication network.