Electronic modules

A central office electronic module for connecting a data network to a plurality of remote units, the central office electronic module comprising:

• a chassis;
• a single backplane disposed within the chassis;
• a plurality of bridge circuit cards disposed within the chassis and electrically connected to the single backplane, wherein each of the plurality of bridge circuit cards converts between a local area network protocol and a wide area network protocol;
• and
• a hub circuit card disposed within the chassis and electrically connected to the single backplane so that each of a plurality of first local access network ports of the hub circuit card is respectively electrically connected to a local access network port of each of the plurality of bridge circuit cards;
• wherein the single backplane connects a wide access network port of each of the plurality of bridge circuit cards respectively to each of the plurality of remote units when the single backplane is connected to the plurality of remote units;
• and
• wherein when the single backplane is connected to the data network, the data network is electrically connected to the hub circuit card.

A central office electronic module for connecting a data network to a plurality of remote units, the central office electronic module comprising:

• a chassis;
• a single backplane disposed within the chassis;
• a plurality of first connectors disposed on a first surface of the single backplane;
• a plurality of bridge circuit cards disposed within the chassis and respectively electrically connected to the single backplane via each of the plurality of first connectors, wherein each of the plurality of bridge circuit cards converts between a local area network protocol and a wide area network protocol;
• a plurality of second connectors disposed on a second surface of the single backplane, each of the plurality of second connectors respectively electrically connected to each of the plurality of first connectors and thus each of the plurality of bridge circuit cards via the single backplane, each of the plurality of second connectors respectively connected to each of the plurality remote units for respectively electrically connecting a wide area network port of each of the plurality of bridge circuit cards to each of the plurality remote units when the single backplane is connected to the plurality of remote units;
• a third connector disposed on the first surface of the single backplane and electrically connected to each of the plurality of first connectors and thus each of the plurality of bridge circuit cards via the single backplane;
• a hub circuit card disposed within the chassis and electrically connected to the single backplane via the third connector so that each of a plurality of first local access network ports of the hub circuit card is respectively electrically connected to a local access network port of each of the plurality of bridge circuit cards;
• and
• a fourth connector disposed on the second surface of the single backplane and electrically connected to the third connector via the single backplane, wherein when the fourth connector is connected to the data network, a local access connection is provided between the hub circuit card and the data network.

A central office electronics rack comprising:

• a pair side rails separated by a top rail;
• a chassis disposed between the side rails;
• a single backplane disposed within the chassis;
• a plurality of bridge circuit cards disposed within the chassis and electrically connected to the single backplane, wherein each of the plurality of bridge circuit cards converts between a local area network protocol and a wide area network protocol;
• and
• a hub circuit card disposed within the chassis and electrically connected to the single backplane so that the hub circuit card is electrically connected to each of the plurality of bridge circuit cards;
• wherein the plurality of bridge circuit cards and the hub circuit card are disposed laterally to span a horizontal distance between the side rails;
• wherein when the single backplane is connected to each of a plurality of remote units, each of the plurality of remote units is respectively electrically connected to each of the plurality of bridge circuit cards;
• and
• wherein when the single backplane is connected to a data network, the data network electrically connects to the hub circuit card.

A method for transferring data, the method comprising:

• transferring the data between a first connector and a hub circuit card via a single backplane using a local area network protocol, wherein the single backplane is disposed in an electronic module, the first connector is disposed on the single backplane, and the hub circuit card is disposed within the electronic module and is electrically connected to the single backplane;
• transferring the data between the hub circuit card and each of a plurality of bridge circuit cards via the single backplane using the local area network protocol, wherein the plurality of bridge circuit cards is disposed within the electronic module and is electrically connected to the single backplane;
• converting the data between the local access network protocol and a wide access network protocol at each of the plurality of bridge circuit cards;
• and
• respectively transferring the data between each of the plurality of bridge circuit cards and each of a plurality of second connectors via the single backplane using the wide access network protocol, wherein each of the plurality of second connectors is disposed on the single backplane.

A method for manufacturing an electronic module for connecting a data network to a plurality of remote units, the method comprising:

• disposing a first connector on a single backplane, wherein the first connector provides a local area network connection between the single backplane and a data network when the single backplane is connected to the data network;
• disposing a plurality of second connectors on the single backplane, wherein each of the plurality of second connectors respectively provides a wide area network connection between the single backplane and a each of a plurality of remote units when the single backplane is connected to the data network;
• disposing the single backplane within a chassis;
• disposing a hub circuit card within the chassis and electrically connecting the hub circuit card to the single backplane so as to electrically connect the hub circuit card to the first connector via the single backplane to form a local access network connection between the hub circuit card and the first connector;
• and
• disposing a plurality of bridge circuit cards within the chassis and electrically connecting each of the plurality of bridge circuit cards to the single backplane so as to respectively electrically connect each of the plurality of bridge circuit cards to each of the plurality of second connectors via the single backplane to respectively form a wide access network connection between each of the plurality of bridge circuit cards and each of the plurality of second connectors, wherein each of the plurality of bridge circuit cards converts from a local access network protocol to a wide access network protocol.