Patent · US Expired

Method of testing a network device through a medium independent interface (MII)

US6937571B1 · kind B1 · utility

11Cited by
24References
36Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJun 19, 2000
Grant dateAug 30, 2005
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 14, 2023

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04L43/50
  • WIPO fieldDigital communication
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A method of testing a network physical layer device (PHY) having a media independent interface (MII) includes sending information between the PHY and a tester along the data buses of the MII. The information may be sent in the form of special frames, the special frames being sent from the tester to the PHY including an identifier. The PHY includes means for detecting the identifier, for extracting control information from the special frames, and for using the control information to execute write operations to and read operations accessing the memory registers of the PHY, and for sending information to the tester. The information may be passed between the PHY at an exemplary rate of 100 Mb/sec.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.