Patent ID: 11971841
Assignee: INTEL CORPORATION
Field: Computer technology (Electrical engineering)
Classification: CPC G  Y | IPC G

Claim 11:
12. A method comprising:
receiving particular data at a first interface of an adapter device, wherein the first interface is based on a link-layer-to-PHY interface standard, and the particular data is based on the link-layer-to-PHY interface standard and indicates a request to transition to an active link state defined in a state machine;
sending a request sideband signal on a second interface of the adapter device, wherein the second interface couples the adapter device to a PHY device, the second interface comprises a data channel and a separate sideband channel, the PHY device comprises a plurality of physical connectors to implement a physical layer of a link, and the request sideband signal is to be sent to another adapter device coupled to the PHY device and indicates a request to enter the active link state;
receiving an acknowledgement sideband signal on the sideband channel of the second interface from the other adapter device to acknowledge the request to enter the active link state;
sending a signal on the first interface to indicate that the adapter device is prepared to receive link layer data to communicate on the link;
receiving the link layer data; and
transmitting the link layer data on the data channel of the second interface to transmit the link layer data to the other adapter device over the PHY device based on entry to the active link state.