Patent ID: 8326975

Claim:
A power-saving network apparatus, for maintaining a connection with a remote network apparatus through a physical line in a normal state, an idle state, and a low power state, the power-saving network apparatus comprising: a media access controller (MAC), for generating output packets according to output digital signals and processing input packets of the remote network apparatus; and a physical layer circuit (PHY), coupled to the MAC and to the remote network apparatus through the physical line, the PHY comprising: a transmitter executing the operations of: when the transmitter enters the normal state, transmitting a local data signal to the remote network apparatus according to the output packets of the MAC; when the transmitter enters the idle state, transmitting a local idle signal to the remote network apparatus; when the transmitter enters the low power state, transmitting a local indication signal to the remote network apparatus to notify the remote network apparatus to enter the low power state, wherein the local indication signal is different from the local idle signal to avoid the remote network apparatus treating the local indication signal as the local idle signal; and entering the idle state or the normal state from the low power state in response to at least one of a first predetermined period and a transmitting enable signal; and a receiver executing the operations of: when the receiver lies in the normal state, transmitting the input packets to the MAC of the power-saving network apparatus according to a remote data signal of the remote network apparatus; when the receiver lies in the idle state, receiving a remote idle signal of the remote network apparatus; when the receiver receives a remote indication signal of the remote network apparatus, entering the low power state, wherein the remote indication signal is different from the remote idle signal to avoid the receiver treating the remote indication signal as the remote idle signal; and entering the idle state or the normal state from the low power state in response to at least one of a second predetermined period and a wake-up signal.