Linecards With Pluggable Interfaces For Pluggable Optical Amplifiers And Other Pluggable Devices

• US 20140056593A1
• Filed: 07/25/2013
• Published: 02/27/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: II-VI Delaware, Inc. (Coherent Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Finisar Corporation (II-VI Incorporated)
• Inventors: DeAndrea, John, Di Blassio, Massimo
• Granted Patent: US 9,397,754 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 398/135
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/291 in which processing or amplification is carried out without conversion of the main signal from optical form
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/40 Transceivers

Abstract

A linecard includes at least one pluggable device, a linecard processor, and a centralized host processor. The linecard also includes an interface that supports a pluggable device. A pluggable device is electrically coupled to the interface and is controlled by the centralized host processor. A flash memory stores data for the pluggable device. The pluggable device can include at least one of an optical amplifier and a ROADM pluggable device.

Claims

1. A linecard comprising a pluggable device, the linecard comprising:

a) a linecard processor;

b) a centralized host processor;

c) an interface that supports a pluggable device;

d) a pluggable device that is electrically coupled to the interface, the pluggable device being controlled by the centralized pluggable host processor; and

e) a flash memory that stores data for the pluggable device.

2. The linecard of claim 1 wherein the linecard processor and the centralized host processor comprise the same processor.

3. The linecard of claim 1 wherein the centralized host processor comprises an FPGA.

4. The linecard of claim 1 wherein the centralized host processor comprises a microprocessor.

5. The linecard of claim 1 wherein the centralized host processor comprises both a microprocessor and a FPGA.

6. The linecard of claim 1 wherein the pluggable device comprises a pluggable optical amplifier.

7. The linecard of claim 1 wherein the pluggable device comprises a ROADM.

8. The linecard of claim 1 wherein the centralized pluggable host processor comprises the flash memory.

9. The linecard of claim 1 wherein the pluggable device comprises the flash memory.

10. The linecard of claim 1 wherein the flash memory that stores data for the pluggable device stores calibration data.

11. The linecard of claim 1 wherein the interface that supports a pluggable device comprises an industry standard interface.

12. The linecard of claim 11 wherein the industry standard interface is selected from the group consisting of CFP, CFP2, CFP4, and XFP.

13. The linecard of claim 1 wherein the interface that supports a pluggable device comprises proprietary interface.

14. The linecard of claim 1 wherein the interface that supports a pluggable device comprises a plurality of different interfaces.

15. A linecard comprising a pluggable optical amplifier device, the linecard comprising:

a) a linecard processor;

b) a centralized host processor;

c) an interface that supports a pluggable optical amplifier device;

d) a pluggable optical amplifier device that is electrically coupled to the interface, the pluggable optical amplifier device being controlled by the centralized pluggable host processor; and

e) a flash memory that stores data for the pluggable optical amplifier device.

16. The linecard of claim 15 wherein the centralized pluggable host processor comprises the flash memory.

17. The linecard of claim 15 wherein the pluggable optical amplifier device comprises the flash memory.

18. The linecard of claim 15 wherein the pluggable optical amplifier device comprises an EDFA optical amplifier device.

19. The linecard of claim 15 further comprising a pluggable device comprising a RODAM device that is electrically coupled to the interface, the RODAM device being controlled by the centralized pluggable host processor.

20. The linecard of claim 15 wherein the linecard processor and the centralized host processor comprise the same processor.