Patent ID: 8649398
Filing Date: 2014-02-11
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A packet network interface apparatus, comprising: a media access control (MAC) module for constructing a packet for transmission over a packet network; a physical coding sublayer (PCS) module for encoding the packet for transmission over a physical interface; and an inter packet gap module coupled between the MAC module and the PCS module for directly transferring data to the PCS module while maintaining an inter packet gap by deleting or inserting idle characters, said inter packet gap module comprising at least one memory module for temporary storage of packet data; wherein the PCS module is configured and arranged to provide a signal to the inter packet gap module in response to the PCS module inserting an alignment block, the inter packet gap module is configured and arranged to delete idle characters in response to the signal from the PCS module, the PCS module is configured without a rate adapting FIFO, and the packet network interface apparatus is configured without a physical media independent interface between the MAC module and the PCS module.