Patent ID: 8713338

Claim:
A signal generator circuit for reducing power consumption of out-of-band message communications between a first device, in which the signal generator circuit resides, and a second device in operative communication with the first device, the signal generator circuit comprising: a switching circuit; and a controller coupled to the switching circuit, the switching circuit and controller being connected in a transmitter data path of the first device, the controller being operative: to receive a reference clock signal; to receive at least a first control signal indicative of a request for the first device to send an out-of-band message to the second device, when the first device is in a first mode of operation; to generate an output control signal, the output control signal being operative as a function of the at least first control signal to selectively power up the switching circuit and a transmitter driver while remaining functional blocks in a transmitter portion of the first device remain powered off during the first mode; and to generate an output data signal, the output data signal comprising the out-of-band message supplied to the transmitter driver, via the switching circuit, for transmission to the second device during the first mode; wherein an established connection is maintained between the first and second devices without a need to power up substantially all of the transmitter portion of the first device when the first device is in the first mode of operation, and wherein upon assertion of the first control signal during the first mode, the controller powers up the switching circuit and the transmitter driver, and upon de-assertion of the first control signal during the first mode, the controller is operative to power down the switching circuit and transmitter driver.