Patent ID: 7443798

Claim:
An apparatus for use in a communication system having a plurality of nodes, the apparatus comprising: a first node, the first node comprising a transmitter configured for communication with a receiver of a second node and a receiver configured for communication with a transmitter of the second node; the first node being operative: (i) to receive in the first node receiver from the transmitter of the second node, responsive to a signal transmitted by the transmitter of the first node to the receiver of the second node, information specifying an adjustment to one or more equalization parameters of the transmitter of the first node, and (ii) to adjust the one or more equalization parameters in accordance with the received information; wherein the information specifying an adjustment to one or more equalization parameters of the transmitter of the first node comprises a request command transmitted utilizing a link services command format of one of at least a first type and a second type, the request command comprising a command code and a parameter field specifying a particular action; wherein if the link services command format is of the first type, the request command is inserted in a frame header; and wherein if the link services command format is of the second type, the request command is inserted in a frame payload.