Ethernet Interface Segmentation for Multi-Rate Resource Sharing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current Ethernet interface solutions struggle with low utilization of transmission medium performance due to the difficulty in sharing hardware resources and interworking between interfaces with different rates, leading to increased development costs and complexity.

Innovation Solution

The Ethernet interface is divided into two functional parts: one dependent on the medium access control (MAC) rate and another independent of it, allowing for modularization and resource reuse, with a data block distribution module facilitating efficient data processing across different rates.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a new Ethernet interface rate is designed to be compatible with previous electrical and optical interfaces, then interface compatibility is improved, but transmission medium utilization deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinterface compatibilityVSAvoidtransmission medium utilization

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The interface is divided into two independent functional parts: a first functional part implementing MAC rate-dependent processing and a second functional part implementing MAC rate-independent processing. This segmentation allows each part to operate independently, enabling the MAC layer to work at different rates while the physical layer maintains optimal transmission medium utilization, thus resolving the contradiction between compatibility and transmission efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Device complexity

If hardware resources are shared among interfaces with different rates, then device complexity is reduced, but resource sharing difficulty increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehardware resource sharingVSAvoidinterworking between different rates

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The second functional part is designed to be rate-independent and can handle multiple MAC rates (25G, 50G, 100G, 200G, 400G, 800G) universally. This multi-functional design allows the same hardware resources to be shared across different interface rates without requiring rate-specific configurations, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining full interworking capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Productivity

If optical module performance is fully utilized, then transmission efficiency is improved, but development cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoptical module performance utilizationVSAvoiddevelopment cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The interface architecture enables dynamic rate adaptation where the MAC layer can operate at different rates (25G, 50G, 100G, 200G, 400G, 800G) while the physical layer maintains optimal transmission medium utilization. This dynamic design allows full utilization of optical module performance across different scenarios without requiring separate development for each rate, thereby reducing overall development costs while maintaining high transmission efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS20250286652A1Interface, electronic device, and communication system

Publication Date: 2025.09.11 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD

AI summary

An interface includes a first functional part and a second functional part. The first functional part is configured to implement processing dependent on a medium access control (MAC) rate, and the second functional part is configured to implement processing independent of the MAC rate.