Patent ID: 7672694

Claim:
A power module for selectively powering a receive module in response to receiving a traffic packet using a packet protocol, wherein the receive module has a powered-up state and a powered-down state and wherein the receive module is powered up to send an acknowledgement packet, the power module comprising: determining means for determining if the received packet protocol is a reliable protocol; power control means comprising a processor for controlling power of the receive module; wherein the power control means leaves undisturbed control power such that: a current power state in the receive module is left undisturbed if the receive packet protocol is an unreliable protocol; wherein the power control means powers down the receive module if the receive packet protocol is the unreliable protocol, the receive module being powered down after a first predetermined time that is greater than an idle time of the receive module; and wherein the power control means applies or maintains power from the power module to the receive module for a second predetermined time if the received packet protocol is the reliable protocol, thereby selectively powering the packet protocol receive module to send an acknowledgement, the second predetermined time being greater than the sum of the idle time of the receive module and a retransmission time of the traffic packet.