Common backplane for physical layer system and networking layer system
First Claim
1. An apparatus, comprising:
- a) a backplane, said backplane having a plurality of switch card interfaces and a plurality of adapter card interfaces;
b) each of said switch card interfaces having an arrangement of inputs and outputs to functionally mate to an ATM switch card and to functionally mate to a SONET switch card; and
c) each of said adapter card interfaces coupled to each of said switch card interfaces, each of said adapter card interfaces having an arrangement of inputs and outputs to functionally mate to an ATM adapter card and to functionally mate to a SONET adapter card.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A backplane having a switch card interface and an adapter card interface where the switch card interface has input/outputs in an arrangement that functionally mate to a networking layer system switch card and a physical layer system switch card. The adapter card interface is coupled to the switch card interface. The adapter card interface has input/outputs in an arrangement that functionally mates to a networking layer system adapter card and a physical layer system adapter card. A method that involves forming a first and second backplane according to a manufacturing process, integrating the first backplane into a networking layer system switch, and integrating the second backplane into a physical layer system switch.
37 Citations
27 Claims
-
1. An apparatus, comprising:
-
a) a backplane, said backplane having a plurality of switch card interfaces and a plurality of adapter card interfaces; b) each of said switch card interfaces having an arrangement of inputs and outputs to functionally mate to an ATM switch card and to functionally mate to a SONET switch card; and c) each of said adapter card interfaces coupled to each of said switch card interfaces, each of said adapter card interfaces having an arrangement of inputs and outputs to functionally mate to an ATM adapter card and to functionally mate to a SONET adapter card. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
-
-
10. An apparatus, comprising:
a backplane designed to support different networking systems, said backplane having a plurality of switch card interfaces and a plurality of adapter card interfaces, each of said switch card interfaces having an arrangement of inputs and outputs that functionally mates to an ATM switch card and that functionally mates to a SONET switch card, each of said adapter card interfaces coupled to each of said switch card interfaces, each of said adapter card interfaces having an arrangement of inputs and outputs that functionally mates to an ATM adapter card and that functionally mates to a SONET adapter card, a first of said networking systems being an ATM system where ATM adapter cards are plugged into said adapter card interfaces and ATM switch cards are plugged into said switch card interfaces, a second of said networking systems being a SONET system where SONET adapter cards are plugged into said adapter card interfaces and SONET switch cards are plugged into said switch card interfaces. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
-
22. An apparatus, comprising:
a backplane for supporting different networking systems, said backplane having means for making electrical contact with a switch card, said backplane having means for making electrical contact with an adapter card, said means for making electrical contact with a switch card further comprising functional mating means that functionally mate to an ATM switch card and that functionally mate to a SONET switch card, said means for making electrical contact with an adapter card further comprising functional mating means that functionally mate to an ATM adapter card and that functionally mate to a SONET adapter card, a first of said networking systems having an ATM adapter card that is functionally mated with said means for making electrical contact with an adapter card and an ATM switch card that is functionally mated with said means for making electrical contact with a switch card, a second of said networking systems having a SONET adapter card that is functionally mated with said means for making electrical contact with an adapter card and an SONET switch card that is functionally mated with said means for making electrical contact with a switch card. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
Specification