Patent ID: 6459705
Filing Date: 2002-10-01
Classification: H04L,Y02D

Abstract:
In a host computer system that includes a host computer connected to an external computer network via an external network interface, and wherein the external network interface includes a host computer physical layer that provides a connection to the external computer network, a host computer media access control layer connected to the host computer through a media independent interface and an isolation block connected to the media independent interface between the host computer physical layer and the host computer media access control layer, the isolation block being activated when the host computer enters a sleep state such that the host computer media access control layer is disconnected from the host computer physical layer and a network interface is connected to the host computer physical layer, the network interface comprising:a network interface media access control layer connected to the media independent interface; a network interface buffer manager coupled to the network interface media access control layer; and a network interface buffer memory coupled to the network interface buffer manager, the network interface buffer manager being configured to transfer frame data between the network interface buffer memory and the media independent interface via the network interface media access control layer.