Pluggable optical host and network i/o optoelectronic module

A method of communicating optical signals between a network and a host in a pluggable optical host and network I/O optoelectronic module, the method comprising:

• receiving N inbound optical signals from a network;
• converting the N inbound optical signals to M inbound optical signals collectively having at least one characteristic that is changed from the N inbound optical signals;
• emitting the M inbound optical signals to a host;
• receiving M outbound optical signals from the host;
• converting the M outbound optical signals to N outbound optical signals collectively having at least one characteristic that is changed from the M outbound optical signals;
• and
• emitting the N outbound optical signals to the network.

A pluggable optical host and network I/O optoelectronic module comprising:

• N network-side optical receivers configured to receive N inbound optical signals and to convert the N inbound optical signals to N inbound electrical signals;
• first signal processing circuitry communicatively coupled to the N network-side optical receivers and configured to convert the N inbound electrical signals to M inbound electrical signals;
• M host-side optical transmitters communicatively coupled to the first signal processing circuitry and configured to receive the M inbound electrical signals and to convert the M inbound electrical signals to M inbound optical signals;
• M host-side optical receivers configured to receive M outbound optical signals and to convert the M outbound optical signals to M outbound electrical signals;
• second signal processing circuitry communicatively coupled to the M host-side optical receivers and configured to convert the M outbound electrical signals to N outbound electrical signals;
• and
• N network-side optical transmitters communicatively coupled to the second signal processing circuitry and configured to receive the N outbound electrical signals and to convert the N outbound electrical signals to N outbound optical signals.