System and method for optical layer management in optical modules and remote control of optical modules
OwnerAlexander Ivan Soto, Walter Glen Sotoinventors
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Abstract
A system and method for managing the optical layer network data communications of an optical fiber data network by an optical transceiver module is disclosed. The management of the optical layer network data communications comprising data link layer functions or layer 2 functions in an OSI model. Benefits include reduction in reduced cost of network deployments from consolidation of network equipment, such as switches, and reduction in power consumed as well as enabling point-to-multipoint network connections from previously only point-to-point network connection.
Claims25
A pluggable optical transceiver module configured to removably couple to an optical module port of a switch, router or media adapter, the pluggable optical transceiver module comprising:
- a protocol processor that includes a control module and an adaptation unit, wherein the control module is configured to manage the transmission and reception of optical data link layer communications based on at least one optical data link layer address and wherein the adaption unit is electrically coupled to the control module and wherein the adaption unit includes an Ethernet Media Access Control (MAC) configured to enable Ethernet communications to the switch, router or media adapter and the adaptation unit is configured to process the transmission and reception of Open Systems Interconnect (OSI) Layer 3 communications;
- an optical fiber interface port disposed to removably couple one or more optical fibers to the pluggable optical transceiver module;
- an electrical network interface port electrically coupled to the Ethernet MAC of the adaptation unit of the protocol processor and disposed for electrically coupling the pluggable optical transceiver module to the switch, router or media converter;
- a bidirectional optical assembly optically coupled to the optical fiber interface port, the bidirectional optical assembly being electrically coupled to the control module of the protocol processor and configured for transmitting optical communication signals through the optical fiber interface port responsive to electrical signals received from the control module of the protocol processor and further configured to convey an electrical communication signal to the control module of the protocol processor responsive to receiving an optical communication signal through the optical fiber interface port, whereby
- the pluggable optical transceiver module is disposed to communicate using OSI Layer 3 communications.
A method of communicating from an optical transceiver module for an optical network, the optical transceiver module having a pluggable form factor and adapted to removably couple to an optical module port of a switch, router or media converter, the method comprising:
- receiving a first electrical signal through an electrical network interface port of the optical transceiver module;
- processing the first electrical signal using an Ethernet address associated to the optical transceiver module to de-encapsulate the first electrical signal to produce a first payload data;
- processing the first payload data in accordance with an Open Systems Interconnect (OSI) Layer 3 protocol and wherein the first payload data includes an OSI Layer 3 network address associated to the optical transceiver module
- receiving a second electrical signal through the electrical network interface port of the optical transceiver module;
- processing the second electrical signal according to an Ethernet protocol to de-encapsulating the second electrical signal to produce a second payload data;
- encapsulating the second payload data into a first optical data link layer frame including a first optical data link layer address;
- converting the first optical data link layer frame to a first optical communication signal;
- and
- transmitting the first optical communication signal through an optical interface port of the optical transceiver module.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.