Method and system for physical signaling between a higher layer and a PHY to manage energy efficient network devices and/or protocols

摘要

In an Ethernet network comprising link partners coupled via an Ethernet link, an energy efficient Ethernet network communication control policy may specify a power level mode. Power level control data may be communicated between a PHY and a MAC via an MII, MDIO or a bus that is not specified by 802.3. A device above a MAC layer device may comprise hardware, software and/or firmware that may communicate the control policy to the PHY layer device and/or MAC layer device. Control data may be inserted within an inter-packet gap, a data packet preamble and/or a Q ordered set and/or may be sent via an out-of-band signal. A response to the control data may be sent via an in band path and/or out of band path. Link partners may enter and/or exit a power mode, for example, a low power idle and/or a sub-rate mode based on the communicated control data.