Patent ID: 9497524
Filing Date: 2016-11-15
CPC Classification: H04J,H04Q

Claim Text:
1. An interface for enabling interconnection of a host device and a small-formfactor pluggable module, said interface comprising: a host device connector operative to couple separately to at least two different types of small-formfactor pluggable (SFP) modules via respective SFP connectors that mate to the host device connector, wherein a first type of SFP module and a second type of SFP module of the at least two different types of SFP modules carry different signals at terminals of the respective SFP connectors that mate to a particular terminal of the host device connector; and a switching device connected to the host device connector and operative to selectively switch the different signals carried over the particular terminal of the host device connector between at least two separate signal paths of the host device depending on a selected switching mode of the switching device, wherein a first signal path of the at least two separate signal paths is selected when the first type of SFP module is physically mated to the host device connector and wherein a second signal path of the at least two separate signal paths is selected when the second type of SFP module is physically mated to the host device connector, in which an information signal provided by a particular SFP module mated to the host device connector determines switching modes oil the switching device in selecting between the at least two separate signal paths.