Dynamically modulating link width

An apparatus comprising:

• a hardware local port having control logic to receive from a remote port a remote width capability during a link initialization, the remote width capability to correspond to the remote port and including a plurality of supported link widths, compare the remote width capability to a local width capability of the local port, select a common link map that the remote port and the local port can support, and operate a link between the local port and the remote port at a plurality of link widths in accordance with the remote width capability without an additional link initialization or negotiation between the local port and the remote port, wherein the control logic is to establish a first link width for the link based on the remote width capability and the local width capability, select a second link width based on the remote width capability and an operating condition of the local port and modulate the link to the second link width to be narrower than the first link width when the operating condition is a power saving condition, to place a portion of the local port in a low power state after modulating the link to the second link width, and to transmit data to the remote port at the second link width after the modulation of the link to the second link width if a predetermined amount of time has elapsed after the remote port has been notified of the second link width, the predetermined amount of time including a first period corresponding to an amount of time for a link layer of the remote port to relay the second link width to a physical layer of the remote port and a second period corresponding to an amount of time for the physical layer of the remote port to complete multiplexer switching in support of the second link width.

A system comprising:

• a remote port;
• a link coupled to the remote port, the link unidirectional;
• and
• a local port coupled to the link, the local port including control logic to receive from the remote port training data of a training sequence including a remote width capability during a link initialization, the remote width capability to correspond to the remote port and including a plurality of supported link widths, compare the remote width capability to a local width capability of the local port, and select a common link map that the remote port and the local port can support and operate the link at a plurality of link widths based on the common link map without an additional link initialization or negotiation between the local port and the remote port, wherein the control logic is to establish a first link width for the link and select a second link width responsive to an operating condition change of the local port, modulate the link to the second link width, thereafter detect an empty transaction queue of the local port associated with an active part of the link, and based on the determination of the empty transaction queue, place an active link portion of the local port in an intermediate power state, wherein a reactivation latency time of the intermediate power state is smaller than a reactivation latency time of a low power state, wherein the control logic is further to transmit data to the remote port at the second link width after the modulation of the link to the second link width if a predetermined amount of time has elapsed after the remote port has been notified of the second link width, the predetermined amount of time including a first period corresponding to an amount of time for a link layer of the remote port to relay the second link width to a physical layer of the remote port and a second period corresponding to an amount of time for the physical layer of the remote port to complete multiplexer switching in support of the second link width.