Pluggable active optical module with managed connectivity support and simulated memory table

• US 10,205,519 B2
• Filed: 01/09/2017
• Issued: 02/12/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Commscope Emea Limited (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.), CommScope Technologies, LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: CommScope Technologies, LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Coffey, Joseph C., Pepe, Paul John, Polland, Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Payne, David C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Motsinger, Tanya T
• Application Number:
  US15/401,815
• Publication Number:
  US 20170117959A1
• Time in Patent Office: 764 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3895 identification of connection, e.g. right plug to the right socket or full engagement of the mating parts keying element on the plug or adapter G02B6/3831; keying element on the ferrule G02B6/3851; keying element for electrical connection H01R13/64
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4261 Packages with mounting structures to be pluggable or detachable, e.g. having latches or rails
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4284 of optical modules with disconnectable electrical connectors latching arms for electrical connectors H01R13/627
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4292 the light guide being disconnectable from the opto-electronic element, e.g. mutually self aligning arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/0795 Performance monitoring; Measurement of transmission parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/40 Transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/801 using optical interconnects, e.g. light coupled isolators, circuit board interconnections

Abstract

A method for simulating insertion of a pluggable active optical module includes: detecting whether a state of an optical adapter of a pluggable active optical module regarding connection of a fiber optic cable has changed; obtaining/generating physical layer management information regarding the fiber optic cable in response to detection of a change in state of the optical adapter; toggling a voltage state of a module present pin of a host device to which the pluggable active optical module is connected in response to obtaining/generating the physical layer management information, wherein the host device is configured to determine whether a pluggable active optical module is present based on the voltage state of the module present pin; receiving a read command from the host device in response to toggling the switch; and providing the physical layer management information to the host device in response to the read command.

Claims

1. A method for simulating insertion of a pluggable active optical module, the method comprising:

detecting whether a state of an optical adapter of a pluggable active optical module regarding connection of a fiber optic cable has changed;

at least one of obtaining and generating physical layer management information regarding the fiber optic cable in response to detection of a change in state of the optical adapter;

toggling a voltage state of a module present pin of a host device to which the pluggable active optical module is connected in response to obtaining/generating the physical layer management information, wherein the host device is configured to determine whether a pluggable active optical module is present based on the voltage state of the module present pin;

receiving a read command from the host device in response to toggling the voltage state of the module present pin of the host device; and

providing the physical layer management information to the host device in response to the read command.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining physical layer management information includes:

determining that the fiber optic cable is unmanaged; and

generating the physical layer management information such that the physical layer management information indicates that the fiber optic cable is unmanaged.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining physical layer management information includes reading the physical layer management information from a storage device coupled to a storage device interface associated with the optical adapter of the pluggable active optical module, wherein the storage device is associated with the fiber optic cable.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein toggling a voltage state includes decoupling the module present pin from ground and then recoupling the module present pin to ground.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein decoupling the module present pin from ground includes providing an open connection for the module present pin.

6. The method of claim 1, comprising:

detecting a toggle in the voltage state of the module present pin at the host device; and

sending the read command to the pluggable active optical module in response to detecting the toggle.

7. The method of claim 1, comprising:

storing the physical layer management information in a MIB block at the host device;

issuing a Simple Network Management Protocol request for the MIB block, from an aggregation point to the host device; and

receiving the physical layer management information in the MIB block at the aggregation point in response to the Simple Network Management Protocol request.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a read command and providing the physical layer management information include communicating in a manner that conforms to the I2C interface.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the host device is further configured to:

store the physical layer management information in a MIB block at the host device;

receive a Simple Network Management Protocol request for the MIB block from an aggregation point; and

communicate the physical layer management information in the MIB block to the aggregation point in response to the Simple Network Management Protocol request.

9. A system comprising:

a host device having a module present pin and configured to;

determine whether a pluggable active module is present based on a voltage state of the module present pin;

the pluggable active optical module communicatively coupled to the host device, the pluggable active optical module including an optical adapter;

wherein the pluggable active optical module is configured to;

detect whether a state of the optical adapter regarding connection of a fiber optic cable has changed;

at least one of obtain and generate physical layer management information regarding the fiber optic cable in response to detection of a change in state of the optical adapter;

toggle the voltage state of the module present pin of the host device in response to the at least one of obtaining and generating the physical layer management information;

receive a read command from the host device in response to the toggling the voltage state of the module present pin;

provide the physical layer management information to the host device in response to the read command.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the pluggable active optical module is configured to at least one of obtain and generate the physical layer management information at least in part by being configured to:

determine that the fiber optic cable is unmanaged; and

generate the physical layer management information such that the physical layer management information indicates that the fiber optic cable is unmanaged.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the pluggable active optical module is configured to obtain the physical layer management information at least in part by being configured to:

read the physical layer management information from a storage device coupled to a storage device interface associated with the optical adapter of the pluggable active optical module, wherein the storage device is associated with the fiber optic cable.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the pluggable active optical module is configured to toggle the voltage state of the module present pin of the host device in response to the at least one of obtaining and generating the physical layer management information at least in part by being configured to:

decouple the module present pin from ground and then recouple the module present pin to ground.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein being configured to decouple the module present pin from ground includes being configured to provide an open connection for the module present pin.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the host device is further configured to:

detect a toggle in the voltage state of the module present pin; and

send the read command to the pluggable active optical module in response to detecting the toggle.

16. A pluggable active optical module comprising:

an optical adapter configured to communicate optical signals via a fiber optic cable;

a programmable processor configured to cause the pluggable active optical module to;

detect whether a state of the optical adapter regarding connection of the fiber optic cable has changed;

at least one of obtain and generate physical layer management information regarding the fiber optic cable in response to detection of a change in state of the optical adapter;

toggle a voltage state of a module present pin of a host device to which the pluggable active optical module is connected in response to the at least one of obtaining and generating the physical layer management information, wherein the host device is configured to determine whether a pluggable active optical module is present based on the voltage state of the module present pin;

receive a read command from the host device in response to the toggling the voltage state of the module present pin;

provide the physical layer management information to the host device in response to the read command.

17. The pluggable active optical module of claim 16, wherein the programmable processor is configured to cause the pluggable active optical module to at least one of obtain and generate the physical layer management information at least in part by being configured to:

determine that the fiber optic cable is unmanaged; and

generate the physical layer management information such that the physical layer management information indicates that the fiber optic cable is unmanaged.

18. The pluggable active optical module of claim 16, wherein the programmable processor is configured to cause the pluggable active optical module to obtain the physical layer management information at least in part by being configured to:

read the physical layer management information from a storage device coupled to a storage device interface associated with the optical adapter of the pluggable active optical module, wherein the storage device is associated with the fiber optic cable.

19. The pluggable active optical module system of claim 16, wherein the programmable processor is configured to cause the pluggable active optical module to toggle the voltage state of the module present pin of the host device in response to the at least one of obtaining and generating the physical layer management information at least in part by being configured to:

decouple the module present pin from ground and then recouple the module present pin to ground.

20. The pluggable active optical module system of claim 19, wherein the programmable processor is configured to cause the pluggable active optical module to decouple the module present pin from ground at least in part by being configured to:

provide an open connection for the module present pin.