Patent ID: 7906973

Claim:
A physical layer module (PHY), comprising: a control module that selectively generates a cable-test enable signal to test a cable including four pairs of twisted wire; and a cable-test module that tests the cable based on the cable-test enable signal, wherein the cable-test module (i) transmits test signals on the four pairs at a first time, (ii) receives return signals, and (iii) determines that the cable is not faulty when: the return signals received on a first pair and a second pair of the four pairs have an amplitude less than a first predetermined amplitude; and the return signals received on a third pair and a fourth pair of the four pairs have an amplitude greater than a second predetermined amplitude and are received substantially contemporaneously, and wherein the cable-test module determines that the cable is faulty due to a short-circuit in at least one of the first pair and the second pair when: the return signals on at least one of the first pair and the second pair are received before the return signals are received on at least one of the third and the fourth pair; and the return signals received on at least one of the first pair and the second pair have an amplitude greater than the second predetermined amplitude.