Ethernet MAC Port Bandwidth Allocation via Time-Division Multiplexing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing Ethernet transmission apparatuses face limitations in supporting multiple MAC ports efficiently, leading to underutilization of physical layer interface bandwidth due to a mismatch between required bandwidth and available bandwidth, especially at higher data rates like 50 Gbps or 150 Gbps.
Innovation Solution
A transmission apparatus and method that allows multiple Ethernet MAC ports to be connected to a single or multiple physical layer interfaces using a connection device with a time-division interconnect bus or space-division switching matrix, enabling adjustable bandwidth allocation and flexible timeslot allocation to optimize bandwidth usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If one MAC port is connected to one physical layer interface, then the connection is simple and reliable, but the bandwidth utilization is low when the required bandwidth does not match the interface capacity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple MAC ports to share a single physical layer interface through time-division multiplexing. The connection device combines data from multiple MAC ports in different timeslots and transmits them through one physical interface, thereby improving bandwidth utilization while maintaining connection reliability through the structured TDM framework
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the physical interface bandwidth into multiple timeslots, with each timeslot allocated to different MAC ports. This segmentation allows precise control over bandwidth allocation to each MAC port, eliminating waste while maintaining reliable connections through dedicated time slots
2Productivity
If the MAC port rate increases by tenfold to meet increasing network traffic demand, then the bandwidth capacity increases, but the flexibility to support varying bandwidth requirements is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic bandwidth allocation where the connection device can flexibly assign different numbers of timeslots to different MAC ports based on their actual traffic requirements. This dynamic adjustment allows the system to adapt to varying bandwidth demands while maintaining high overall productivity through efficient resource utilization
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of bandwidth allocation from fixed to variable by allowing the number of timeslots per MAC port to be adjusted. This parameter change enables the system to support various bandwidth requirements (e.g., 50 Gbps, 60 Gbps, 150 Gbps) without being constrained by fixed interface rates
3Loss of energy
If multiple MAC ports are supported by one physical interface using time-division multiplexing, then the bandwidth utilization increases, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a connection device as an intermediary between MAC ports and the physical interface. This intermediary handles the complex time-division multiplexing operations, including data combination, timeslot management, and synchronization, thereby achieving high bandwidth utilization while isolating the complexity within the connection device
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of the present invention provide a transmission apparatus, a connection device, and a method, where the apparatus includes N Ethernet Medium Access Control MAC ports, where each Ethernet MAC port is corresponding to a first MII interface, K Ethernet physical layer interfaces, where each Ethernet physical layer interface is corresponding to a second MII interface, and a connection device, where both N and K are positive integers; where the connection device is configured to control a time-division interconnect bus in the connection device or a time-division space-division switching matrix in the connection device to implement a connection between a timeslot of the first MII interface and a timeslot of the second MII interface, where the N Ethernet MAC ports and the K Ethernet physical layer interfaces are separately connected to the connection device by using the first MII interfaces and the second MII interfaces.