Patent ID: 8248954
Filing Date: 2012-08-21
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for communicating data in an Ethernet network including a communication network comprising: a first near end communication port for communicating with the communication network to receive at least one near end data packet and near end local packet and transmitting said at least one near end data packet and near end local packet to a first far end communication port via a data transport network; a second near end communication port for communicating with the communication network to receive at least one near end data packet and near end local packet and transmitting said at least one near end data packet and near end local packet to a second far end communication port via said data transport network; said first near end communication port selectively operable in a first near end enable mode for transmitting and receiving data and a first near end disable mode for being disconnected from the communication network, and said second near end communication port selectively operable in a second near end enable mode for transmitting and receiving data and a second near end disable mode for being disconnected from the communication network; a first near end PHY module having a first PHY input and a first PHY output and being in electrical communication with said first near end communication port for selecting at least one of said enable mode and said disable mode; a second near end PHY module having a second PHY input and a second PHY output and being in electrical communication with said second near end communication port for selecting at least one of said enable mode and said disable mode; a first link loss forward (LLF) module in electrical communication with said first near end PHY module for determining whether said first near end communication port is disconnected from the communication network and for generating a first LLF signal in response to said first near end communication port being disconnected from the communication network; a second LLF module in electrical communication with said second near end PHY module for determining whether said second near end communication port is disconnected from the communication network and for generating a second LLF signal in response to said second near end communication port being disconnected from the communication network; a multiplexer in electrical communication with said first near end PHY module and said second near end PHY module and said data transport network for delivering data packets from said first near end PHY module to a first far end PHY module and for delivering data packets from said second near end PHY module to a second far end PHY module, said multiplexer being selectively operable in a mux transport mode for delivering both of said data packets and said local packets and a mux block transport mode for inhibiting delivery of said data packets while delivering said local packets and; a demultiplexer in electrical communication with said first near end PHY module and said second near end PHY module for delivering said data packets and said local packets to said first near end communication port via said first near end PHY module and for delivering said data packets and said local packets to said second near end communication port via said second near end PHY module, said demultiplexer being selectively operable in a demux transport mode for receiving both of said data packets and said local packets and a demux block transport mode for inhibiting reception of said data packets while communicating said local packets; a first enhanced link loss forward module (ELLF) having a first ELLF input in electrical communication with said first PHY output for determining an error on the communication network and having a first ELLF output in electrical communication with said first PHY input for generating a first links off signal to initiate said first near end disable mode of said first near end communication port and said first far end communication port for a selected time period in response to determining said error on the communication network; said first ELLF module being in electrical communication with said multiplexer and said demultiplexer for generating a first block transport signal to select said mux block transport mode and said demux block transport mode in response to said selected time period expiring; said first ELLF module being in electrical communication with said first LLF module and said multiplexer for detecting a first near end link disconnection between said first near end communication port and said first near PHY module and for generating said first links off signal to disable said first near end communication port and said first far end communication port in response to detecting said first near end link disconnection; said first ELLF module being in electrical communication with a timer for determining a number of successfully communicated local packets communicated from at least one of said first near end device and said second near end device while operating in said block transport mode and for determining whether said number of successfully communicated local packets is contiguously communicated over a selected diagnosis time period; said first ELLF module outputting a first transport signal to said multiplexer to select said transport mode in response to said number of successfully communicated local packets being communicated within said selected diagnosis time period; a second ELLF module in electrical communication with said second near end PHY module for determining said error on the communication network and for generating a second links off signal to disable said second near end communication port and said second far end communication port for a selected time period in response to determining said error on the communication network; said second ELLF module being in electrical communication with said multiplexer and said demultiplexer for generating a second block transport signal to select said mux block transport mode and said demux block transport mode in response to said selected time period expiring; said second ELLF module being in electrical communication with said second LLF module and said multiplexer for detecting a second near end link disconnection between said second near end communication port and said second near PHY module and for generating said second links off signal to disable said second near end communication port and said second far end communication port in response to detecting said second near end link disconnection; said second ELLF module being in electrical communication with said timer for determining a number of successfully communicated local packets communicated from at least one of said second near end device and said second far end device while operating in said block transport mode and for determining whether said number of successfully communicated local packets is contiguously communicated over the selected diagnosis time period; said second ELLF module outputting a second transport signal to said multiplexer to select said transport mode in response to said number of successfully received local packets being received within said selected diagnosis time period; wherein said error on the communication network is based on at least one of a percentage of corrupted packets received by at least one of said first near end communication port and said second near end communication port and a transmission signal level of the communication network; said demultiplexer being in electrical communication with said data transport network for receiving at least one of a far end link loss forward (LLF) signal and a far end block transport signal and a far end remote disable signal and for delivering said far end LLF signal to said first near end PHY module for selecting said first near end disable mode and for delivering said far end LLF signal to said second near end PHY module for selecting said second near end disable mode; a receiver in electrical communication with said demultiplexer and said data transport network for receiving at least one of said far end LLF signal and said far end block transport signal and for detecting a loss of frame (LOF) on said data transport network and for generating a LOF signal in response to detecting said LOF; said first near end PHY module and said second near end PHY module being in electrical communication with said receiver for selecting said first near disable mode and said second near end disable mode, respectively, in response to receiving said LOF signal.