Communication system employing a network of power managed transceivers that can generate a clocking signal or enable data bypass of a digital system associated with each transceiver

Abstract

A communication system is provided for interconnecting a network of digital systems. The communication system includes a communication line and a transceiver placed between the communication line and each digital system. The transceiver includes a receiver which can be selectively powered down whenever activity within the communication line ceases. The external conductors extending from each transceiver integrated circuit to an associated digital system are minimal, and the status of a clock/status signal conductor will indicate if the digital system is in a low power state (no clocking signal) or whether the digital system will be in a normal or protected clocking state. When a communication system is initially started, activity within the communication line will not lock the recovery circuits of the transceiver and, therefore, the transceiver will forward the received signal back out the transceiver without causing that signal to enter the associated digital system. In this manner, the latching/delay circuitry of the digital system is bypassed and the initial activity within the communication line can be sent quickly through all nodes of the communication system for rapid start-up procedures.