Network element connector assembly including stacked electrical and optical connector interfaces
AssigneeCisco Technology, Inc.
InventorsEarl W. Boone, James W. Edwards, III
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Abstract
A network element connector assembly including Stacked electrical and optical connector is disclosed. According to one embodiment, an apparatus is provided which includes an optical connector interface to couple an optical network connector with a mounting surface, an electrical connector interface to couple an electrical network connector with the mounting surface, where the optical connector interface and electrical connector interface are vertically aligned with one another with respect to the mounting surface, and where the optical connector interface and electrical connector interface are associated with a network element port.
Claims25
An apparatus comprising:
- a network element port circuit comprising
- a first input/output (I/O) port, a second I/O port and a third I/O port;
- an optical connector interface coupled to said third I/O port and configured to
- couple an optical network connector to a mounting surface, and
- couple said optical network connector to said first I/O port;
- an electrical connector interface coupled to said third I/O port and configured to
- couple an electrical network connector to said mounting surface, and
- couple the electrical network connector to said second I/O port, wherein
- said optical connector interface and said electrical connector interface are vertically aligned with one another with respect to said mounting surface, and
- said electrical connector interface comprises a registered jack 45 (RJ-45) interface.
An apparatus comprising:
- a network element port circuit comprising
- a first input/output (I/O) port, a second I/O port and a third I/O port,
- an optical connector interface coupled to said third I/O port and configured to
- couple an optical network connector to a mounting surface, and
- couple said optical network connector to said first I/O port,
- an electrical connector interface coupled to said third I/O port and configured to
- couple an electrical network connector to said mounting surface, and
- couple the electrical network connector to said second I/O port, wherein
- said optical connector interface and said electrical connector interface are vertically aligned with one another with respect to said mounting surface;
- and
- an auto-media detection physical layer protocol circuit, wherein
- said first, second and third I/O ports are coupled to said auto-media detection physical layer protocol circuit.
An apparatus comprising:
- a network element port circuit comprising
- an auto-media detection physical layer protocol circuit, and
- first, second and third input/output (I/O) ports, wherein
- said first and second I/O ports are coupled to said third I/O port;
- an optical connector interface coupled to the network element port circuit at the first I/O port;
- an electrical connector interface coupled to the network element port circuit at the second I/O port, wherein
- said optical connector interface and said electrical connector interface are substantially adjacent to one another along a line defined by an intersection of a connector-receiving plane of said network element port circuit and a connector-insertion plane of said network element port circuit.
A method comprising:
- coupling an optical connector interface at a first input/output (I/O) port of a network element port circuit, wherein
- said optical connector interface is further coupled to a third I/O port of said network element port circuit and to a mounting surface;
- coupling an electrical connector interface at a second I/O port of said network element port circuit, wherein
- said electrical connector interface is further coupled to the third I/O port of said network element port circuit and to said mounting surface such that said optical connector interface and said electrical connector interface are vertically aligned with one another with respect to said mounting surface, and
- said electrical connector interface comprises a RJ-45 interface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.