Patent ID: 7570650
Filing Date: 2009-08-04
Classification: H04J,H04L

Abstract:
1. An optical networking module comprising: a plurality of input and output ports; 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 a utility interface 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 utility interface and said supporting control electronics; and a body encasing said optical component, said optical-electrical component, said supporting control electronics and said protocol processor ASIC as a single module.