Programmable small form-factor pluggable module
AssigneeAccedian Networks Inc.
InventorsClaude Robitaille, Patrick Ostiguy
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Abstract
A small form factor pluggable (“SFP”) transceiver for use in a communications network includes a transmitter adapted to be coupled to the network for supplying signals to the network, a receiver adapted to be coupled to the network for receiving signals from the network, and a programmable signal processing module coupled to the transmitter and the receiver and adapted to be programmed from a remote station coupled to the network. The module can be programmed to perform at least one service or management function on the network.
Claims11
A system for programming a small form factor pluggable optical transceiver (SFP) installed at a network node located in a network, the system comprising:
- a programmable processor coupled to said SFP configured to be coupled to said network at said network node;
- a discoverer configured for discovering the programmable processor, and configured for requesting that the programmable processor downloads different firmware or program logic;
- wherein said programmable processor is configured to detect a predetermined message from the discoverer, and to respond to the predetermined message to indicate that the programmable processor is coupled to the network;
- and
- wherein the discoverer is configured to transmit a management packet to the programmable processor to request that the programmable processor downloads the different firmware or program logic from a remote station coupled via said network.
A method to program a small form factor pluggable optical transceiver (SFP) installed at a network node located in a network, the method comprising:
- discovering a programmable processor coupled with said SFP configured to be coupled to said network at said network node by detecting a predetermined message from a discoverer;
- transmitting a management packet from the discoverer to the programmable processor to request that the programmable processor downloads different firmware or program logic from a remote station coupled via said network;
- and
- remotely programming the programmable processor by downloading the different firmware or the program logic in response to the management packet.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.