Patent ID: 7227845

Claim:
In a communication system, wherein a controller and a communication resource are in communication via a communication link, a method for enabling a communication resource reset, the method comprising: providing a physical layer element within the communication resource, the physical layer element being operatively coupled to the communication link; monitoring a link parameter via the physical layer element, the link parameter being associated with the communication link, and wherein the communication link is an Ethernet link; and restoring the communication resource to an initial state in response to a trigger event so that the controller is operable to reestablish communication with the communication resource, the trigger event being associated with the link parameter, wherein the step of restoring the communication resource to an initial state in response to a trigger event such that the controller is operable to reestablish communication with the communication resource comprises restoring the communication resource to an initial state in response to a decrease in link speed associated with the communication link from 100 megabits per second (Mb/s) to 10 megabits per second (Mb/s).