Patent ID: 8876411

Claim:
A method for performing power management in an active optical cable (AOC), the method comprising: providing an AOC comprising an optical fiber cable and first and second plugs secured to proximal and distal ends, respectively, of the optical fiber cable, the optical fiber cable having at least a first transmit optical fiber having proximal and distal ends and at least a first receive optical fiber having proximal and distal ends, the first and second plugs having first and second plug housings configured to mate with first and second sockets, respectively; in a first optical-to-electrical and electrical-to-optical (OE/EO) conversion module of the first plug, converting a first optical signal passing out of the proximal end of the receive optical fiber into a first electrical signal; in a first electrical power and signal (EPS) detection circuit of the first plug, detecting the first electrical signal and outputting a first electrical output signal; in a first controller of the first plug, performing a power management algorithms that processes the first electrical output signal to determine which of a plurality of different predetermined signal types is currently being detected by the first EPS detection circuit; with the first controller, initially placing the first plug in SLEEP states when the first plug is plugged into the first socket, wherein the first plug uses a first level of electrical power when the first plug is in the SLEEP state; with the first controller, placing the first plug in a WAIT state when a first signal type of the different predetermined signal types is being detected by the first EPS detection circuits, wherein the WAIT state corresponds to a second level of electrical power used by the first plug that is higher than the first level of electrical power; with the first controller, placing the first plug in a Low Frequency Periodic Signaling (LFPS) state when a second signal type of the different predetermined signal types is being detected by the first EPS detection circuit, wherein the LFPS state corresponds to a third level of electrical power used by the first plug that is higher than the second level of electrical power; and with the first controller, placing the first plug in an ACTIVE state when a third signal type of the different predetermined signal types is being detected by the first EPS detection circuits, wherein the ACTIVE state corresponds to a fourth level of electrical power used by the first plug that is higher than the third level of electrical power.