Intel Corporation

Xircom, Inc.

Jay Arnold Foster

Daniel Richard Monroe

Eric K Henderson

Richard S Butler

A GPRS controller interface communicates commands, events and data between two communication devices using a GPRS transport layer (GTL). In one embodiment, communication devices may include a host and a baseband controller of a modem that communicate over a serial link. Command event and data packets may be framed and multiplexed for transmission over the link. The framing includes, among other things, adding a flag to identify command and event packets from data packets, and a sequence number to help ensure synchronization. A first logical channel may be utilized for command packets including AT modem commands. A second logical channel may be utilized for outbound data packets. A third logical channel may be utilized for event packets, and a fourth logical channel may be utilized for inbound data packets. GTL commands may initiate an initialization or resynchronization of the GCI layer and may be generated, for example, in response to sequence number errors of check-byte errors.

System and method to communicate between a host and a modem

A method and apparatus for reducing power consumption of an auto-negotiating ethernet transceiver by enabling a driver for the transceiver to alternate between a typical higher-power energy consumption mode to a lower-power energy consumption mode when a network link is no longer detected by the transceiver. A new algorithm is included within the driver which is activated by the driver detecting the absence of the network link. The driver causes the portable computer to send instructions to the ethernet transceiver so that the transceiver continues to check for the network link. If the network link is not detected, the driver causes the ethernet transceiver to power down into a lower power consumption mode for a specific period of time. After the period of time has elapsed, the driver causes the ethernet transceiver to enter a normal higher power consumption mode during which the ethernet transceiver again checks for the network link. This process repeats itself until the portable computer is shut down or the network link is reestablished.

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Austin, TX, United States of America

Jay Arnold Foster