Patent ID: 8306011

Claim:
A device, comprising: a processor coupled to a communication line via a physical layer unit, the physical layer unit configured to generate a communication line transmit clock signal and a multi-frame transmission synchronization signal; and a transmit media access controller (MAC) coupled to the physical layer unit wherein the transmit MAC is configured to receive the multi-frame transmission synchronization signal and the communication line transmit clock signal, and in response to scan, during a single multi-frame transmission period, multiple transmit MAC memory entry groups within the transmit MAC to retrieve transmission instructions and in response to enable access to the communication line; wherein each transmit MAC memory entry group stores transmission instructions that control a transmission of a frame; wherein during the single multi-frame transmission period the transmit MAC accesses one transmit MAC memory entry group at least two times; wherein the processor is configured to generate the transmission instructions; and wherein the processor receives a processor clock signal that differs from the communication line transmit clock signal.