Ethernet cable insertion detection

Tamir,

The 'init_ethernet' gets called during the initialisation of the TCPnet. The Keil implementation (through conditional compilation) configures the PHY and MAC.

If auto-discrimination is selected, the routine waits for either 1) success or 2) a large timeout. If success, then fine. If timeout, then assume some fixed parameters and continue as it sees fit.

My code triggers the auto-discrimination of the PHY (if that is the required option) and then exits. The timeslot is then called periodically to check the status of the PHY. If a new connection is made, it reads the parameters and sets the MAC accordingly. If a connection is lost, it re-triggers an auto-negotiation.

The timeslot also takes a snapshot of Ethernet parameters (speed, duplex, connection). These details are available through a 'status' call so I can check them within the main application.

I used a timeslot (that is called from the same task that maintains the TCP) because I do not know what the TCPnet does internally [thanks to the crazy pricing of Keil's TCPnet sourcecode!] and I did not want to interfere with it's workings. It could have been done in ways other than a timeslot, but I think it all turned out rather neat. I need to do a little more checking, but so far it looks like a worthwhile effort.

Sorry, but I think code is too big to post here.

Tamir,

The 'init_ethernet' gets called during the initialisation of the TCPnet. The Keil implementation (through conditional compilation) configures the PHY and MAC.

If auto-discrimination is selected, the routine waits for either 1) success or 2) a large timeout. If success, then fine. If timeout, then assume some fixed parameters and continue as it sees fit.

My code triggers the auto-discrimination of the PHY (if that is the required option) and then exits. The timeslot is then called periodically to check the status of the PHY. If a new connection is made, it reads the parameters and sets the MAC accordingly. If a connection is lost, it re-triggers an auto-negotiation.

The timeslot also takes a snapshot of Ethernet parameters (speed, duplex, connection). These details are available through a 'status' call so I can check them within the main application.

I used a timeslot (that is called from the same task that maintains the TCP) because I do not know what the TCPnet does internally [thanks to the crazy pricing of Keil's TCPnet sourcecode!] and I did not want to interfere with it's workings. It could have been done in ways other than a timeslot, but I think it all turned out rather neat. I need to do a little more checking, but so far it looks like a worthwhile effort.

Sorry, but I think code is too big to post here.

IB Shy,

I get it more or less. Just one more thing: what exactly do you mean by "timeslot" ?

I use the word timeslot to describe a function that is called repeatedly from a supervisory loop.

My TCPnet supervisory loop is similar to the following:

static TASK void TaskTcpPoll(void)
{
  for (;;)
  {
      ETHERNET_Timeslot();     // Maintain the Ethernet link

      main_TcpNet();           // Maintains the TCP

      TCPCLIENT_Timeslot();    // Maintain the TCP client(s)

      TCPSERVER_Timeslot();    // Maintain the TCP server(s)

      UDPSERVER_Timeslot();    // Maintain the UDP server(s)
    }

    os_dly_wait(1);            // Wait a while
  }
}

Thanks a lot for your help!