Patent ID: 6850526

Claim:
An apparatus for extending the transmission range of a UTOPIA interface, said apparatus comprising: a) a first UTOPIA extension device, said first UTOPIA extension device having a-i) a first UTOPIA interface emulator adapted to be coupled to one of an ATM layer device, and a LINK layer device, a-ii) a first link controller coupled to said first UTOPIA interface emulator, a-iii) a first media transceiver coupled to said first link controller and adapted to be coupled to a transmission cloud; and b) a second UTOPIA extension device, said second UTOPIA extension device having b-i) a second UTOPIA interface emulator adapted to be coupled to a PHY layer device, b-ii) a second link controller coupled to said second UTOPIA interface emulator, and b-iii) a second media transceiver coupled to said second link controller and adapted to be coupled to said transmission cloud, wherein said second link controller cooperates with said first link controller to control the flow of data between the PHY layer device and the one of an ATM layer device and a LINK layer device.