Architecture
1414
SPNU503C – March 2018
Copyright © 2018, Texas Instruments Incorporated
EMAC/MDIO Module
Table 28-1. EMAC and MDIO Signals for MII Interface
Signal
Type
Description
MII_TXCLK
I
Transmit clock (MII_TXCLK). The transmit clock is a continuous clock that provides the timing reference for
transmit operations. The MII_TXD and MII_TXEN signals are tied to this clock. The clock is generated by
the PHY and is 2.5 MHz at 10 Mbps operation and 25 MHz at 100 Mbps operation.
MII_TXD[3-0]
O
Transmit data (MII_TXD). The transmit data pins are a collection of 4 data signals comprising 4 bits of
data. MTDX0 is the least-significant bit (LSB). The signals are synchronized by MII_TXCLK and valid only
when MII_TXEN is asserted.
MII_TXEN
O
Transmit enable (MII_TXEN). The transmit enable signal indicates that the MII_TXD pins are generating
nibble data for use by the PHY. It is driven synchronously to MII_TXCLK.
MII_COL
I
Collision detected (MII_COL). In half-duplex operation, the MII_COL pin is asserted by the PHY when it
detects a collision on the network. It remains asserted while the collision condition persists. This signal is
not necessarily synchronous to MII_TXCLK nor MII_RXCLK.
In full-duplex operation, the MII_COL pin is used for hardware transmit flow control. Asserting the MII_COL
pin will stop packet transmissions; packets in the process of being transmitted when MII_COL is asserted
will complete transmission. The MII_COL pin should be held low if hardware transmit flow control is not
used.
MII_CRS
I
Carrier sense (MII_CRS). In half-duplex operation, the MII_CRS pin is asserted by the PHY when the
network is not idle in either transmit or receive. The pin is deasserted when both transmit and receive are
idle. This signal is not necessarily synchronous to MII_TXCLK nor MII_RXCLK.
In full-duplex operation, the MII_CRS pin should be held low.
MII_RXCLK
I
Receive clock (MII_RXCLK). The receive clock is a continuous clock that provides the timing reference for
receive operations. The MII_RXD, MII_RXDV, and MII_RXER signals are tied to this clock. The clock is
generated by the PHY and is 2.5 MHz at 10 Mbps operation and 25 MHz at 100 Mbps operation.
MII_RXD[3-0]
I
Receive data (MII_RXD). The receive data pins are a collection of 4 data signals comprising 4 bits of data.
MRDX0 is the least-significant bit (LSB). The signals are synchronized by MII_RXCLK and valid only when
MII_RXDV is asserted.
MII_RXDV
I
Receive data valid (MII_RXDV). The receive data valid signal indicates that the MII_RXD pins are
generating nibble data for use by the EMAC. It is driven synchronously to MII_RXCLK.
MII_RXER
I
Receive error (MII_RXER). The receive error signal is asserted for one or more MII_RXCLK periods to
indicate that an error was detected in the received frame. This is meaningful only during data reception
when MII_RXDV is active.
MDIO_CLK
O
Management data clock (MDIO_CLK). The MDIO data clock is sourced by the MDIO module on the
system. It is used to synchronize MDIO data access operations done on the MDIO pin. The frequency of
this clock is controlled by the CLKDIV bits in the MDIO control register (CONTROL).
MDIO_D
I/O
Management data input output (MDIO_D). The MDIO data pin drives PHY management data into and out
of the PHY by way of an access frame consisting of start of frame, read/write indication, PHY address,
register address, and data bit cycles. The MDIO_D pin acts as an output for all but the data bit cycles at
which time it is an input for read operations.