Classifications

• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04L41/00—Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
  • H04L41/24—Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks using dedicated network management hardware
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04L49/00—Packet switching elements
  • H04L49/25—Routing or path finding in a switch fabric
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04L49/00—Packet switching elements
  • H04L49/35—Switches specially adapted for specific applications
  • H04L49/351—Switches specially adapted for specific applications for local area network [LAN], e.g. Ethernet switches
  • H04L49/352—Gigabit ethernet switching [GBPS]

Definitions

• the invention relates to the field of network ports management. More specifically, it relates to a method for using a single network port as a multipurpose network port.
• the invention discloses a method for activating a service on a principal device being connected, via a port connector comprising a set of pins, to a device suitable to provide an Ethernet service to the principal device, the set of pins having a first subset and a second subset of pins, wherein the first and the second subset of pins have no pins in common.
• the method comprises the steps of: sensing always in an initial state for a Fast Ethernet service at the first subset pins and for a second service at the second subset of pins; detecting which of the Fast Ethernet service and the second service is signaled on the first and the second subset of pins; in case the second service is detected, then selecting the second subset of pins and activating the second service on the principal device; and in case the Fast Ethernet service is detected, then disabling the second service, selecting the first subset and second subset of pins and activating the Fast Ethernet service; and further, if a Gigabit Ethernet service is possible, enabling the Gigabit Ethernet service, instead of the fast Ethernet service, on the port connector comprising the first and second subset. Detection of the Fast Ethernet service starts in particular by enabling the fast Ethernet service followed by enabling the Gigabit Ethernet if Gigabit Ethernet capabilities are advertised during the Fast Ethernet detection.
• the second service is an xDSL and/or a PSTN service and the port connector is an 8P8C modular connector or a RJ45 connector as used for Ethernet, xDSL and/or PSTN services.
• the principal device comprises a selector component, which always switches the second subset of pins to the second service after switching on the principal device, and which switches to both first and second subset of pins when the Fast Ethernet service is detected for enabling the Gigabit Ethernet service, if Gigabit Ethernet capabilities are possible.
• the second service is therefore initially in a listing/detection mode after switching on the principal device.
• the method switches always to the initial state in which the second subset of pins for the second service is selected, if synchronization of a selected service is lost.
• the second service is in listening/detection mode.
• an error condition is reported to a user of the principle device and both the Fast Ethernet service and the second service are disabled.
• An apparatus according to the invention comprises a port connector for connecting a device suitable to provide services to the apparatus, the port connector comprising a set of pins, the set of pins having a first and a second subset of pins, wherein the first and the second subset of pins having no pins in common.
• the apparatus comprises further detectors for detecting which of a first and a second service is signaled on the first and the second subset of pins and for activating the detected first or second service on the apparatus, and a selector component for selecting a third service on the apparatus, in case neither the first or second service is detected, wherein the third service requires a third set of pins of the port connector comprising the first and second subset of pins.
• the first service is a Fast Ethernet service
• the third service is a Gigabit Ethernet service, wherein it is detected whether Fast Ethernet or the second service is enabled, and in the case neither Fast Ethernet nor the second service is detected, then the Gigabit Ethernet service is selected.
• the port connector is for example an 8P8C modular connector or a RJ45 connector.
• the second service is in particular an xDSL and/or a PSTN service.
• the selector component always switches the second subset of pins to the second service after switching on the apparatus, and which switches to the Gigabit Ethernet service when neither Fast Ethernet nor the second service is detected.
• the selector component switches always to an initial state in which the second subset of pins for the second service is selected, if synchronization of a selected service is lost. This is in order to enable detection of the second service again after the link is lost.
• the apparatus is in particular a residential gateway.
• Fig.1 represents a flow diagram of the present invention
• Fig.2 shows the hardware configuration of a residential gateway illustrating an exemplary embodiment.
• the principal device is in this example a residential gateway 201 , as illustrated in Figure 2.
• the residential gateway 201 comprises hardware features, namely:
• An RJ45 port connector 208 also known as Ethernet or 8P8C connector
• a selector component 207 controlled by the residential gateway to be able to automatically choose between the various available interfaces
• a voice circuit 202 e.g. for a PSTN service
• the rest of Board Real estate 203 of the gateway 201 comprising a CPU and controllers.
• a RJ45 connector 209 is connected to the RJ45 port connector 208.
• the pins of the RJ45 port connector 208 that can be used as multi-purpose pins are pins 4,5,7 and 8.
• the amount of multi-purpose pins used depends on the interfaces that are multiplexed. In the present exemplary embodiment, pins 4 and 5 are used, that is two multi-purpose pins. Depending on the nature of the access technologies that can be connected to the RJ45 port connector 208, one, two, three or four multi-purpose pins may be used.
• a service provider offers multiple types of services to his end customers.
• those services are WAN (Wide Area Network) technologies, such as: - Ethernet
• the RJ45 connector 209 and the RJ45 port connector 208 have each eight pins.
• the residential gateway has a selector component 207.
• This selector component 207 enables to select services to be activated on the residential gateway 201 among the following services: Fast Ethernet, Gigabit Ethernet, PSTN only, PSTN+xDSL or xDSL only.
• the Fast Ethernet service is detectable on pins 1 ,2,3 and 6 of the RJ45 port connector 208. Once Fast Ethernet is detected, the system will also know if the port can be used for Gigabit Ethernet as well. If Gigabit functionality is possible then the Fast Ethernet service will be switched to a Gigabit service that is activated on the eight pins of the RJ45 port connector 208.
• the selector component 207 has two selection modes: the first selection mode is "xDSL (+PSTN) mode” and the second selection mode is "Gigabit mode".
• pins 4 and 5 of the RJ45 port connector 208 are linked with the voice circuit 202 and the xDSL AFE 205 of the residential gateway 201 , and pins 1 , 2, 3, 6, 7 and 8 of the RJ45 port connector 208 are linked to the Ethernet circuit 206 of the residential gateway 201.
• the eight pins 1 -8 of the RJ45 port connector 208 are connected to the Ethernet circuit 206 of the residential gateway 201 .
• the pins 1 , 2, 3 and 6, 7 and 8 of the RJ45 port connector 208 stay connected to the Ethernet circuit 206 of the residential gateway 201.
• the Ethernet circuit 206 of the residential gateway 201 enables to detect the signaling of an Ethernet service, via the pins 1 , 2, 3 and 6 of the RJ45 port connector 208.
• a resulting advantage is the use of one port instead of two ports.
• the selector component 207 is set on "XDSL
• (+PSTN) mode In the "xDSL (+PSTN) mode" setting, the voice circuit 202 of the residential gateway 201 enables to detect the signaling of a PSTN service conveyed via pins 4 and 5 of the RJ45 port connector 208.
• the initial state is started for example when the residential gateway 201 is switched on, or after the residential gateway 201 has lost synchronization in one of its selection states.
• the transmit part of the xDSL AFE (Analog Front End) 205 of the residential gateway 201 is disabled in the initial state and the receive part of the xDSL AFE 205 is enabled. This prevents signals from being driven onto the RJ45 port connector 208, while it is still allowed for the receive part of the xDSL AFE to detect if there is an xDSL service available.
• Ethernet circuit 206 is enabled in the initial state S1 and uses the pins 1 , 2 and 3, 6 to detect Fast Ethernet, e.g. 10/100Mbit Ethernet signals.
• the voice circuit 202, the receive part of the xDSL AFE 205 and the Ethernet circuit 206 of the residential gateway sense
• a selection state S3 follows.
• the Ethernet circuit 206 of the residential gateway 201 detects Fast Ethernet signals on pins 1 , 2, 3 and 6, Case 1 , the xDSL and PSTN hardware of the residential gateway 201 is disabled, and the Ethernet circuit 206 changes the configuration mode of the selector component 207 to "Gigabit mode": “Gigabit mode” of the selector component 207 is then enabled, and the Ethernet link is initialized. Then, the user waits for the Ethernet link to set. Once this link is set, the user is advised that the final state is "Ethernet”. If the synchronization is lost, then the selector component 207 returns to its initial state S1 in which xDSL+PSTN sensing is enabled.
• the selector component 207 When the voice circuit of the residential gateway 201 detects PSTN signals during the selection state S3, Case 2, then the selector component 207 is kept on the "xDSL +PSTN mode" setting. Two options are then possible: there is xDSL on top of the PSTN signal or not. If xDSL signals are detected by the xDSL AFE 205, the xDSL AFE 205 will enable it's transmitter to synchronize itself with an xDSL transceiver of a DSL provider connected to the residential gateway 201 via the RJ45 connector. The user is advised via an indicator that xDSL is trying to synchronize and is asked to not disconnect the cable. The Ethernet interface with the Ethernet circuit 206 is then set to disabled.
• xDSL signals are not detected, that is, when no handshake has been detected by the DSL AFE after X seconds, the user is advised via an indicator that the PSTN service is activated and that the xDSL service is not activated. However xDSL may keep on trying to synchronize. When after X seconds after starting the initial state S1 , no PSTN signals or
• the xDSL AFE 205 of the residential gateway will look for xDSL signals, Case 3.
• the transmitter of the xDSL AFE 205 is enabled and tries to synchronize itself with the xDSL transceiver for Y seconds.
• the user is advised via an indicator not to unplug the cable. If the xDSL AFE 205 can finalize xDSL synchronization, the user is advised via an indicator that xDSL is activated.
• the final selected interface is then set to "DSL only" and the Ethernet interface is set to disabled. In case synchronization is lost after some time, the residential gateway 201 returns to the initial state S1 .
• the xDSL AFE 205 switches off. The user is advised that he can plug in an Ethernet device at this time.
• the residential gateway 201 waits for X seconds for any PSTN or Ethernet signal, before trying to initialize xDSL again.
• an error state "Error” is flagged toward the user with an indication to unplug the cable and check wiring.
• the residential gateway 201 halts the detection process then into an error state, when no signal is detected during Z seconds. After Z seconds of no signal, step S5, the residential gateway 201 starts again with the detection state S2.
• the residential gateway 201 After detection and selection of one of the cases 1-3, the residential gateway 201 remains in a hold state S4. In case synchronization is lost during the hold state S4 for anyone of the cases 1 -3, the residential gateway 201 returns to the initial state S1 , step S6.
• the invention has the advantage that more than one service can be provided on the principal device via a single port, wherein for all possible situations it is avoided that a dangerously higher voltage is connected to the Ethernet circuit 206, for example a 48 V voltage as provided by the POTS service via pins 4 and 5.
• the amount of connectors of the principal device is reduced therefore, wherein the selection mechanism is automated, meaning limited constraints for the user. Also, unused interfaces are clearly defined after selection and are powered off to save power.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Signal Processing (AREA)
• Computer Networks & Wireless Communication (AREA)
• Telephonic Communication Services (AREA)
• Small-Scale Networks (AREA)
• Data Exchanges In Wide-Area Networks (AREA)
• Communication Control (AREA)

Priority Applications (6)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=47594448

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (7)

Cited By (1)

Families Citing this family (1)

Citations (3)

Family Cites Families (8)

• 2012
  • 2012-12-20 EP EP12306641.7A patent/EP2747397A1/en not_active Withdrawn
• 2013
  • 2013-12-18 US US14/654,497 patent/US20150312170A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2013-12-18 BR BR112015015030A patent/BR112015015030A2/pt not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2013-12-18 KR KR1020157016102A patent/KR20150098628A/ko not_active Withdrawn
  • 2013-12-18 CN CN201380066940.4A patent/CN104871519A/zh active Pending
  • 2013-12-18 EP EP13810950.9A patent/EP2936789A1/en not_active Withdrawn
  • 2013-12-18 JP JP2015548503A patent/JP2016502364A/ja not_active Withdrawn
  • 2013-12-18 WO PCT/EP2013/077203 patent/WO2014096076A1/en not_active Ceased

Patent Citations (3)

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