Patent ID: 6115389
Filing Date: 2000-09-05
Classification: G01B,G01R,H04B,H04J,H04L

Abstract:
A data communications device comprising:multiple ports for establishing communications links with multiple external link partners, andan auto-negotiation circuit for performing auto-negotiation to select a mode of communication with the external link partners,said auto-negotiation circuit includes:a transmit state machine for performing transmission of link pulses to the link partners,a receive state machine for performing reception of link pulses from the link partners, andan arbitration state machine for coordinating transmission and reception procedures, said transmit, receive and arbitration state machines being shared by all of said multiple ports to support auto-negotiation with the external link partners coupled to all of said multiple ports,wherein each of said multiple ports is assigned with a time slot during which each of said transmit, receive and arbitration state machines performs operations for a corresponding port.