Patent ID: 9118601
Filing Date: 2015-08-25
Classification: G01R,H04L

Abstract:
1. A method for using a pluggable transceiver in a network element of an Ethernet network for looping back frames, the transceiver having an upstream datapath, a downstream datapath and a logic array having a first latching loopback logic block (LLBLB) and a second LLBLB connected in series through both the upstream and downstream datapaths, the method comprising: (a) receiving, in the first LLBLB, a frame from the downstream datapath; (b) comparing, in the first LLBLB, the frame from (a) to first loopback conditions yielding a match or a mismatch; (c) in response to (b) yielding a mismatch, sending, in the first LLBLB, the frame from (b) to the second LLBLB; (d) in response to (b) yielding a match, looping back, in the first LLBLB, the frame from (b) on the upstream datapath if there is available bandwidth on the upstream datapath; (e) receiving, in the first LLBLB, a frame from the second LLBLB; (f) transmitting, in the first LLBLB, the frame from (e) on the upstream datapath; (g) receiving, in the second LLBLB, a frame from the upstream datapath; (h) comparing, in the second LLBLB, the frame from (g) to second loopback conditions yielding a match or a mismatch; (i) in response to (h) yielding a mismatch, sending, in the second LLBLB, the frame from (h) to the first LLBLB; and (j) in response to (h) yielding a match, looping back, in the second LLBLB, the frames from (h) on the downstream datapath if there is available bandwidth on the downstream datapath; (k) receiving a frame, in the second LLBLB, from the first LLBLB; (l) transmitting, in the second LLBLB, the frame from (k) on the downstream datapath.