What does the idle state signify in a transceiver?

The idle state in a transceiver signifies that the device is ready to receive signals. When a transceiver is in this state, it is not currently transmitting data, which allows it to quickly respond to incoming transmissions. This contrasts with the sleeping mode, where the transceiver may be powered down or in a low-energy state and not ready to communicate.

In the idle state, the transceiver is prepared to immediately process any incoming data, making it a key operational state for effective communication within a network. Being ready to transmit typically refers to the device actively preparing to send information, which does not characterize the idle state. Therefore, the true nature of the idle state is its readiness to receive data, confirming that option C is the correct representation of the transceiver's idle state functionality.