Optical networking module including protocol processing and unified software control

• US 6,567,413 B1
• Filed: 05/18/2001
• Issued: 05/20/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Xylon LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Network Elements, Inc.
• Inventors: Gimlett, James L., Lowrey, Scott W., She, Alfred C., Murdock, Bruce, Booman, Richard A., Hershberg, Edward L., Denton, I. Claude
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Steven
• Application Number:
  US09/861,002
• Time in Patent Office: 732 Days
• Field of Search: 370/400-408, 370/465-474, 359/118, 359/135
• US Class Current: 370/401
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 2203/0085 Support of Ethernet
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 2203/0089 Multiplexing, e.g. coding, scrambling, SONET
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 3/1617 carrying packets or ATM cells
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/12 Protocol engines
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols

Abstract

An optical networking module is formed with an integrated module including optical, optical-electrical and protocol processing components, and complementary software. In one embodiment, the integral protocol processing component is a single ASIC and supports multiple protocols. The module is further equipped with support control electronics in support of control functions to manage the optical, optical-electrical as well as the multi-protocol processing component. The integrated module together with the complementary control software present to an optical networking equipment designer/developer a singular component that handles optical to electrical and electrical to optical conversion, as well as data link and physical sub-layer processing for a selected one of a plurality of datacom and telecom protocols, spanning local, regional as well as wide area networks. The integrated module and complementary control software further presents to the optical networking designer/developer a unified software interface for managing the various components and functions.

Claims

1. An optical networking module comprising:

an optical component to send and receive optical signals encoded with data transmitted in accordance with at least one protocol;

an optical-electrical component coupled to the optical component to encode digital data onto optical signals and to decode encoded digital data on optical signals back into their digital forms;

supporting control electronics coupled to said optical and optical-electrical components to manage said optical and optical-electrical components;

a protocol processor ASIC coupled to the optical-electrical component, the optical component and the supporting control electronics to perform data link and physical sub-layer processing on egress as well as ingress ones of said data in accordance with a selected one of said at least one protocol, said protocol processor ASIC including interfaces in support of external software control functions for managing said protocol processor ASIC and at least partially one of said optical and optical-electrical components through said interfaces and said supporting control electronics;

an additional digital interface disposed outside said protocol processor ASIC, and coupled to said support control electronics, to support said external software control functions in managing at least partially one of said optical and optical-electrical components; and

a body encasing said optical component, said optical-electrical component, and said protocol processor ASIC as a single module.

2. An optical networking module comprising:

an optical component to send and receive optical signals encoded with data transmitted in accordance with at least one protocol;

an optical-electrical component coupled to the optical component to encode digital data onto optical signals and to decode encoded digital data on optical signals back into their digital forms;

supporting control electronics coupled to said optical and optical-electrical components to manage said optical and optical-electrical components;

a protocol processor ASIC coupled to the optical-electrical component, the optical component and the supporting control electronics to perform data link and physical sub-layer processing on egress as well as ingress ones of said data in accordance with a selected one of said at least one protocol, said protocol processor ASIC including interfaces in support of external software control functions for managing said protocol processor;

a digital interface disposed outside said protocol processor ASIC, and coupled to said support control electronics, for supporting said external software control functions in managing at least partially one of said optical and optical-electrical components; and

a body encasing said optical component, said optical-electrical component, and said protocol processor ASIC as a single module.

3. An optical networking module product set comprising:

an integrated module having

an optical component to send and receive optical signals encoded with data transmitted in accordance with a selected one of a plurality of protocols,

an optical-electrical component coupled to the optical component to encode digital data onto optical signals and to decode encoded digital data on optical signals back into their digital forms, supporting control electronics coupled to said optical and optical-electrical components to manage said optical and optical-electrical components,

a protocol processor ASIC coupled to the optical-electrical component, the optical component and the supporting control electronics to perform data link and physical sub-layer processing on egress as well as ingress ones of said data in accordance with said selected one of said plurality of protocols, said protocol processor ASIC including interfaces in support of external software control functions for managing said protocol processor ASIC and at least partially one of said optical and optical-electrical components through said interfaces and said supporting control electronics;

an additional digital interface disposed outside said protocol processor ASIC, and coupled to said support control electronics, to support said external software control functions in managing at least partially one of said optical and optical-electrical components,

a body encasing said optical component, said optical-electrical component, and said protocol processor ASIC as a single module; and

said external software control functions to be employed to program a host processor of the integrated module to manage said protocol processor ASIC, and said optical and optical-electrical components through said protocol processor ASIC and said supporting control electronics.

4. An optical networking module product set comprising:

an integrated module having

an optical component to send and receive optical signals encoded with data transmitted in accordance with a selected one of a plurality of protocols,

an optical-electrical component coupled to the optical component to encode digital data onto optical signals and to decode encoded digital data on optical signals back into their digital forms,

supporting control electronics coupled to said optical and optical-electrical components to manage said optical and optical-electrical components,

a protocol processor ASIC coupled to the optical-electrical component, the optical component and the supporting control electronics to perform data link and physical sub-layer processing on egress as well as ingress ones of said data in accordance with said selected one of said plurality of protocols, said protocol processor ASIC including interfaces in support of external software control functions for managing said protocol processor ASIC;

a digital interface disposed outside said protocol processor ASIC, and coupled to said support control electronics, for supporting said external software control functions in managing at least partially one of said optical and optical-electrical components,

a body encasing said optical component, said optical-electrical component, and said protocol processor ASIC as a single module; and

said external software control functions to be employed to program a host processor of the integrated module to manage said protocol processor ASIC, and said optical and optical-electrical components through said protocol processor ASIC and said supporting control electronics.