Communication apparatus

Abstract

A communication apparatus is configured to execute testing of whether or not the responding module is correctly responding to the plurality of commands transmitted and received between a transmission module and a reception module, the testing being performed via a loop-back mode transmission and reception path configured such that the reception module receives the command transmitted by the transmission module; and during the testing, following procedure is performed, which includes: transmitting the specific command by the transmission module; receiving the specific command by the reception module via the transmission and reception path; deactivating reception of the specific command; and transmitting a command different from the specific command subsequent to transmitting the specific command by the transmission module.

1 . A communication apparatus comprising:
 a transmission module configured to transmit a command;   a reception module configured to receive the command;   a responding module configured to respond so as to switch over a communication state of communication with the transmission module and the reception module from a first state, in which transmission and reception of the command is stopped, to a second state, in which transmission and reception of the command is routinely performed, when a plurality of the commands in a specific sequence are transmitted and received by the transmission module and the responding module;   a testing module configured to execute testing of whether or not the responding module is correctly responding to the plurality of commands transmitted and received between the transmission module and the reception module, the testing being performed via a loop-back mode transmission and reception path configured such that the reception module receives the command transmitted by the transmission module; and   a controller configured to control the transmission module and the reception module, during the testing being executed by the testing module, to operate in procedure comprising:   transmitting the specific command by the transmission module;   receiving the specific command by the reception module via the transmission and reception path;   deactivating reception of the specific command; and   transmitting a command different from the specific command subsequent to transmitting the specific command by the transmission module.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a generation module configured to generate a command to be transmitted by the transmission module in the first state, 
 wherein, during the testing executed by the testing module, the transmission module is configured to transmit the command generated by the generation module, and the reception module is configured to receive the transmitted command as a leading command from the plurality of commands for switching over the communication state from the first state to the second state. 
 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 ,
 wherein, during the testing executed by the testing module, the controller is configured to act as if the reception module has received the leading command from the plurality of commands for switching over the communication state from the first state to the second state.   
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the testing executed by the testing module is testing of command transmission and reception relating to OOB sequence of a SATA standard, wherein the first state is either PARTIAL status or SLUMBER status, the second state is PHYRDY status, and the specific command is COMWAKE command.   
     
     
         5 . A communication method performed by a communication apparatus comprising:
 a transmission module configured to transmit a command;   a reception module configured to receive the command,   the communication method comprising;   responding so as to switch over a communication state of communication of the transmitting and the receiving from a first state, in which transmission and reception of the command is stopped, to a second state, in which transmission and reception of the command is routinely performed, when a plurality of the commands in a specific sequence are transmitted and received;   executing testing of whether or not responding is correctly performed in response to the plurality of commands transmitted and received, the testing being performed via a loop-back mode transmission and reception path configured such that the transmitted command is received,   wherein during the testing, a procedure is performed, the procedure comprising:   transmitting the specific command;   receiving the specific command via the transmission and reception path;   deactivating reception of the specific command; and   transmitting a command different from the specific command subsequent to transmitting the specific command.   
     
     
         6 . A communication apparatus comprising:
 a transmission module configured to transmit a command; and   a reception module configured to receive the command,   wherein, when executing a testing of whether or not responding is correctly performed in response to a plurality of commands transmitted and received in a specific sequence between the transmission module and the reception module for switching over a communication state of communication with the transmission module and the reception module, the testing being performed via a loop-back mode transmission and reception path configured such that the transmitted command is received, the transmission module transmits a command that is different from a command to be transmitted in response to the received specific command for a single time during the testing.