System and method for controlling flow of data through a buffer to increase time a bridge is in a low power state

A method comprising:

• via a buffer, transferring data to or receiving the data from a plurality of devices, wherein the data is received at the buffer during a gathering mode and forwarded from the buffer during a forwarding mode, wherein the buffer is connected to the plurality of devices via a bus, and wherein the data includes first data and second data;
• receiving a first transfer request for the first data;
• operating a bridge to transfer the first data, wherein the bridge is configured to operate in an active state and a low power state, wherein the bridge is in the active state while the buffer is in the forwarding mode and in the low power state while the buffer is in the gathering mode;
• transitioning from the forwarding mode to the gathering mode subsequent to transferring the first data,
• maintaining the buffer in the gathering mode until a predetermined number of transfer requests have been received, wherein each of the predetermined number of transfer requests corresponds to a respective portion of the second data,
• determining whether a first condition exists including determining whether the predetermined number of transfer requests for the second data have been received;
• if the first condition exists, transferring the second data from the buffer to a host system via the bridge or transitioning the buffer from the gathering mode to the forwarding mode to forward the second data from the buffer to the one or more of the plurality of devices;
• while the buffer is in the forwarding mode, consecutively transferring the respective portions of the second data via the bridge or the buffer such that no idle period exists between consecutive ones of the transfers of the respective portions of the second data, wherein the idle period refers to a temporary period when the bridge ceases transferring the second data and the buffer ceases forwarding the second data;
• determining whether a second condition exists;
• and
• based on whether the second condition exists, transitioning the buffer from the forwarding mode to the gathering mode.