The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 06, 2000
Filed:
Apr. 20, 1998
David M Allmond, Carrollton, TX (US);
Laura E Whitmire, Carrollton, TX (US);
Ahmad Nouri, Carrollton, TX (US);
Thao Minh Hoang, Carrollton, TX (US);
Hieu M Hoang, Flower Mound, TX (US);
Arthur T Bennett, Coppell, TX (US);
Compaq Computer Corporation, Houston, TX (US);
Abstract
A communication protocol detection system for enabling a network system to detect and interface one or more network devices each operating according to at least one of a plurality of different communication protocols. In one embodiment, a network interface card (NIC) is capable of operating according to one of two different communication protocols, such as the 10Base-T and 100Base-TX Ethernet Standards. The NIC includes two corresponding transceivers, where the transceivers are interfaced to a network connector for interfacing an external network device. Control logic initially enables the 10Base-T transceiver to determine if link pulses are detected. If link pulses are detected, the 100Base-T transceiver is enabled to determine if it detects the link pulses. If so, the 100Base-T transceiver is used to establish communications, and if not, the 10Base-T transceiver is used. Preferably, the 100Base-T transceiver is re-enabled a predetermined number of times to determine if the network device is a 100 Mbps device. In another embodiment, a repeater includes a plurality of interface circuits, each including a plurality of transceivers. Each of the transceivers of each of the interface circuits of each port is connected to a corresponding repeater module through an array of buses. Control logic enables the transceivers one at a time within each interface circuit and correspondingly monitors the corresponding link signal. When an enabled transceiver detects link pulses, that transceiver is used to establish communications. If a link signal indicates termination of communications, enabling of the transceivers one at a time is resumed.