Patent ID: 7809969

Claim:
A system, comprising: a multi-lane serial link coupling a first device to a second device; the first device coupled to the link, the first device comprising logic to: transition one or more transmitting lanes of the link from a fully operational power state to a low power state; keep one or more transmitting lanes of the link in the fully operational power state; transmit data across the link on just the one or more transmitting lanes of the link kept in the fully operational power state; and send one or more communication packets to the second device indicating it is capable of at least transitioning one or more transmitting lanes from the fully operational power state to the low power state, keeping one or more transmitting lanes in the fully operational power state, and transmitting data across the link on just the one or more transmitting lanes of the link kept in the fully operational power state; and the second device comprising logic to: detect the transition of the one or more lanes of the link from the fully operational power state to the low power state; upon detection, modify its data receiving capabilities to receive data on just the one or more transmitting lanes of the link kept in the fully operational power state; and send one or more communication packets to the first device indicating it is capable of at least detecting the transition of one or more lanes from the fully operational power state to the low power state, and upon detection, modifying its data receiving capabilities to receive data on just the one or more transmitting lanes of the link kept in the fully operational power state.