# US 11,029,749 B2 · Modular chassis with fabric integrated into the line card > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,029,749 B2 - Document ID: US11029749B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/476,678 - Filed: 2017-03-31 - Published: 2017-10-05 - Granted: 2021-06-08 - Earliest claimed: 2016-04-01 - Assignees: Platina Systems Corporation - Applicants: Platina Systems Corp. - Inventors: Frank Szu-Jen Yang; Jason Luo Pang; Mark Tehmin Yin - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11029749B2 ## CPC - G06F 1/3287: by switching off individual functional units in the computer system - G06F 1/183: Internal mounting support structures, e.g. for supporting printed circuit boards - G06F 1/20: Cooling means - G06F 1/305: {in the event of power-supply fluctuations} - G06F 1/3296: by lowering the supply or operating voltage - G06F 13/36: for access to common bus or bus system - G06F 13/4068: {Electrical coupling} - H04L 12/4633: {Interconnection of networks using encapsulation techniques, e.g. tunneling} - H04L 45/507: {Label distribution} - H04L 69/22: Parsing or analysis of headers - Y02D 10/00: Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - Y02D: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES [ICT], I.E. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES AIMING AT THE REDUCTION OF THEIR OWN ENERGY USE ## Abstract In one embodiment, a system includes a number of application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs). At least one of the ASICs is configured to process incoming data packets and outgoing data packets. At least one of the ASICs is configured to move data between a respective networking module and a destination networking module. The system also includes a cable backplane having a number of parallel cables configured to transmit data between the number of ASICs. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system comprising: a plurality of line cards arranged in a switch configuration or a router configuration, each line card having an integrated packet processing functionality and fabric functionality, each line card of the plurality of line cards comprising a plurality of application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), wherein: at least one of the plurality of ASICs is a switch ASIC configured to process data packets incoming to the line card and data packets outgoing from the line card using the integrated packet processing functionality of the plurality of line cards; at least one of the plurality of ASICs is a fabric ASIC configured to move data between the plurality of line cards using only the integrated fabric functionality of the plurality of line cards; and when using the integrated fabric functionality, a fabric ASIC of a first line card of the plurality of line cards is configured to move data between the fabric ASIC of the first line card and a fabric ASIC of a second line card of the plurality of line cards; and a cable backplane coupling the plurality of line cards and having a plurality of parallel cables configured to carry data between the fabric ASIC of the first line card and the fabric ASIC of the second line card using only the integrated fabric functionality of the plurality of line cards. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the ASICs and the cable backplane forms a Clos network. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising a management card that is configured to execute a control plane software through which a user interfaces with the system. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the cable backplane comprises a plurality of micro coaxial cables. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the cable backplane is housed in an enclosure comprising a plurality of vent tubes coupling a front side of the enclosure to a back side of the enclosure. ### Claim 6 A system comprising: a plurality of line cards arranged in a switch configuration or a router configuration, each line card having an integrated packet processing functionality and fabric functionality, each line card of the plurality of line cards comprising: a plurality of application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), wherein: at least one of the plurality of ASICs is a switch ASIC configured to process incoming data packets and outgoing data packets using the integrated packet processing functionality of the plurality of line cards; and at least one of the plurality of ASICs is a fabric ASIC configured to move data between the plurality of line cards using only the integrated fabric functionality of the plurality of line cards; and a cable backplane comprising: a plurality of parallel cables configured to carry data between the fabric ASIC of first a line card of the plurality of line cards and the fabric ASIC of a second line card of the plurality of line cards using only the integrated fabric functionality of the plurality of line cards; and an enclosure housing the plurality of parallel cables. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6, wherein the ASICs and the cable backplane forms a Clos network. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6, further comprising a management card that is configured to execute a control plane software through which a user interfaces with the system. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6, wherein the plurality of parallel cables comprises a plurality of micro coaxial cables. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6, wherein, when using the fabric functionality, a fabric ASIC of a first line card of the plurality of line cards is configured to move data between the fabric ASIC of the first line card and a fabric ASIC of a second line card of the plurality of line cards. ### Claim 11 A system consisting of: a plurality of line cards arranged in a switch configuration or a router configuration, each line card having an integrated packet processing functionality and fabric functionality, each line card of the plurality of line cards comprising: a plurality of application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), wherein: at least one of the plurality of ASICs is a switch ASIC configured to process incoming data packets and outgoing data packets using the integrated packet processing functionality of the plurality of line cards; and at least one of the plurality of ASICs is a fabric ASIC configured to move data between the plurality of line cards using only the integrated fabric functionality of the plurality of line cards; a cable backplane coupling the plurality of line cards and having a plurality of parallel cables configured to carry data between the fabric ASIC of a first line card of the plurality of line cards and the fabric ASIC of a second line card of the plurality of line cards using only the integrated fabric functionality of the plurality of line cards; and a management card that is configured to execute a control plane software that interfaces with the system. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the ASICs and the cable backplane forms a Clos network. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the plurality of parallel cables comprises a plurality of micro coaxial cables. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein when using the fabric functionality, a fabric ASIC of a first line card of the plurality of line cards is configured to move data between the fabric ASIC of the first line card and a fabric ASIC of a second line card of the plurality of line cards.