Form factor adapter module
AssigneeCisco Technology, Inc.
InventorsGiacomo Losio, Giovanni Giobbio, Maurizio Gazzola
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Various example embodiments are disclosed. According to an example embodiment, a form factor adapter module may include a small form factor (SFF) host connector configured to receive a small form factor pluggable (SFP or SFP+) module and to transmit and receive data according to a Serializer-deserializer Framer Interface (SFI) protocol. The form factor adapter module may also include a 10 Gigabit Ethernet Small Form-Factor Pluggable (XFP) edge finger connector configured to transmit and receive data to and from the SFF host connector according to the SFI protocol and to mate with an XFP edge finger socket.
Claims20
A form factor adapter module comprising:
- a small form factor (SFF) host connector configured to receive a small form factor pluggable (SFP or SFP+) module and to transmit and receive data according to a Serializer-deserializer Framer Interface (SFI) protocol, the SFF host connector including an SFP or SFP+ cage;
- a 10 Gigabit Ethernet Small Form-Factor Pluggable (XFP) edge finger connector configured to transmit and receive data to and from the SFF host connector according to the SFI protocol and to mate with an XFP edge finger socket;
- a clock and data recovery circuit configured to retime the data transferred between the SFF host connector and the XFP edge finger connector;
- an electronic dispersion compensator (EDC) included in the clock and data recovery circuit, the EDC being configured to recover the data received via the SFF host connector and via the XFP edge finger connector;
- and
- a housing enclosing at least a portion of the SFF host connector and at least a portion of the XFP edge finger connector, the housing having a form factor configured to receive and mate with the SFP or SFP+ module and to fit into and mate with the XFP edge finger socket.
A method comprising:
- receiving, by a small form factor (SFF) host connector, a small form factor pluggable (SFP or SFP+) module, and transmitting and receiving data according to a Serializer-deserializer Framer Interface (SFI) protocol, the SFF host connector including an SFP or SFP+ cage;
- retiming the received data by a clock and data recovery circuit;
- transmitting and receiving the retimed data, by a 10 Gigabit Ethernet Small Form-Factor Pluggable (XFP) edge finger connector, to and from the SFF host connector according to an XFI protocol;
- recovering the data received by the SFF host connector and by the XFP edge finger connector by an electronic dispersion compensator (EDC);
- and
- mating, by the XFP edge finger connector, with an XFP edge finger socket,
- wherein at least a portion of the SFF host connector and at least a portion of the XFP edge finger connector are enclosed by a housing, the housing having a form factor configured to receive and mate with the SFP or SFP+ module and to fit into and mate with the XFP edge finger socket.
A form factor adapter module comprising:
- SFP or SFP+ means for receiving a small form factor pluggable (SFP or SFP+) module and for transmitting and receiving data to and from the SFP or SFP+ module according to a Serializer-deserializer Framer Interface (SFI) protocol, the means comprising an SFP or SFP+ cage;
- XFP means for transmitting and receiving data to and from the means for receiving the SFP or SFP+ module and for mating with an XFP edge finger socket;
- retiming means for retiming the data received via the SFP or SFP+ means and the XFP means;
- electronic dispersion compensation (EDC) means for recovering the retimed data;
- and
- housing means enclosing at least a portion of the SFP or SFP+ means and at least a portion of the XFP means, the housing having a form factor configured to receive and mate with the SFP or SFP+ module and to fit into and mate with the XFP edge finger socket.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.