System and Method for Using Energy Efficiency Network Refresh Signals for Exchanging Link Partner and Device Information

摘要

A system and method for using energy efficiency network refresh signals for exchanging link partner and device information. Energy savings can be realized through a usage of a energy saving state such as a low power idle (LPI) mode. In one embodiment, refresh signals used during the LPI mode can be used to encode information or state within the refresh signals. In general, such encoded information enables link partners to exchange information that would otherwise need to wait until the link partners have transitioned from an energy saving state back to the active state. In various examples, the messaging during the energy saving state can be used to facilitate synchronization during the energy saving state, transitions from the energy saving state, etc.