Patent Publication Number: US-2019190607-A1

Title: Small form factor hot pluggable transceiver module

Description:
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This Application is based on Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/599,863, filed 18 Dec. 2017, currently pending. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a small form factor pluggable transceiver module that is able to be disposed a larger number of connectors. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Optical communication is communication technology that uses light to carry information. Among them, fiber optic communication is the most commonly used optical communication technology. Fiber optic communication is a method of transmitting information from one place to another by sending pulses of light through an optical fiber. Fiber is preferred over electrical cabling when high bandwidth, long distance, or immunity to electromagnetic interference are required. 
     In the field of optical communications, the transceiver is an important component, such as Gigabit Interface Converter (GBIC). The transceiver is mainly disposed on a host device, and includes an optical transmitter and an optical receiver. The optical transmitter converts electrical signals into optical signals and transmits the optical signals through the optical fiber, and the optical receiver is used to convert the received optical signals into electrical signals, and transmit the electrical signals to the host device. 
     Recently, the gigabit interface converter (GBIC) has been gradually replaced by a small form factor transceiver (SFF transceiver), and further improved into a small form-factor pluggable transceiver (SFP). The small form-factor pluggable transceiver is not only small in size, but also supports hot plugging, which not only reduces the space for installation, but also improves the convenience of replacement and installation of the optical transceiver. 
     SUMMARY 
     An object of the present invention is to provide a small form factor pluggable transceiver module comprising a housing, a transmission line and a plurality of connectors, wherein the connectors are connected to the front surface of the housing via the transmission line. Further, the housing of the small form factor pluggable transceiver module is dimensioned according to a SFP SFP+ XFP Xenpak QSFP QSFP+ CFP or CPAK. The housing is able to be disposed on the host device, so that the host device has a larger number of connectors by disposing a single small form factor pluggable transceiver module, thereby improving the convenience in use. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a small form factor pluggable transceiver module comprising a housing, a transmission line and at least one connector, wherein the connector is connected to the front surface of the housing via the transmission line. The cross-sectional area of the transmission line is smaller than the cross-sectional area of the connector, so that the small form factor pluggable transceiver module can dispose a larger number of connectors by disposing the transmission line. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a small form factor pluggable transceiver module. A transmission line is disposed on the front surface of the housing, and comprises a main transmission line and a plurality of sub transmission lines. One end the sub transmission lines are connected to the front surface of the housing via the main transmission line, and the other end of the sub transmission lines are respectively connected to a connector, so that the small form factor pluggable transceiver module can dispose a larger number of connectors. 
     According to an embodiment of the present invention, a small form factor pluggable transceiver module, comprises: a housing for inserting into a host device, wherein said housing being dimensioned according to a SFP, SFP+, XFP, Xenpak, QSFP, QSFP+, CFP or CPAK; at least one connecting hole located on a front surface of said housing; at least one transmission line, wherein one end of said transmission line is disposed in said connecting hole; and at least one connector located the other end of said transmission line. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The structure as well as preferred modes of use, further objects, and advantages of this invention will be best understood by referring to the following detailed description of some illustrative embodiments in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a top perspective view of a small form factor pluggable transceiver module according to an embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a bottom perspective view of a small form factor pluggable transceiver module according to an embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a top perspective view of a small form factor pluggable transceiver module according to another embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a top perspective view of a small form factor pluggable transceiver module according to another embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a top perspective view of a small form factor pluggable transceiver module according to another embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a top perspective view of a small form factor pluggable transceiver module according to another embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 7  is a top perspective view of a small form factor pluggable transceiver module according to another embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 8  is a top perspective view of a small form factor pluggable transceiver module according to another embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 9  is a block diagram of a small form factor pluggable transceiver module according to an embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2  are respectively a top and bottom perspective views of a small form factor pluggable transceiver module according to an embodiment of the invention. The small form factor pluggable transceiver module  10  comprises a housing  11 , a connecting hole  13 , a transmission line  15  and a connector  7 , wherein the housing  11  is able to be inserted into a host device  20 , such as a computer, a network switch or a router, as shown in  FIG. 9 . Further, the housing  11  is dimensioned according to a SFP (Small Form-factor Pluggable transceiver), SFP+ (Enhance Small Form-factor Pluggable transceiver), XFP (10 Gigabit Small Form-factor Pluggable transceiver), Xenpak, QSFP (Quad Small Form-factor Pluggable), QSFP+ (Quad Small Form-factor Pluggable), CFP or CPAK. 
     In one embodiment of the invention, the housing  11  may be a cuboid, and includes a front surface  111 , a rear surface  112 , a top surface  113 , a bottom surface  114  and two side surfaces  115 , wherein a connecting hole  13  is disposed on the front surface  111 . For example, housing  11  is dimensioned according to a SFP (Small Form-factor Pluggable transceiver), wherein the front surface  111  of the housing  11  has a height of about 10.5 mm, the front surface  111  has a width of about 13.9 mm, the rear surface  112  of the housing  11  has a height of about 8.5 mm, the rear surface  112  of the housing  11  has a width of about 13.4 mm, and the housing  11  has a length of about 57.5 mm. The above dimensions are only a specific embodiment of the invention and are not limitation of the invention. 
     The transmission line  15  has two ends, wherein one end of the transmission line  15  is located within the connecting hole  13  on the front surface  111  of the housing  11 , and the other end of the transmission line  15  is connected to a connector  17 . The transmission line  15  may be a flexible transmission line, and can be used to transmit optical signals or electrical signals. For example, the transmission line  15  can be a coaxial cable or an optical fiber. 
     In particular, the small form factor pluggable transceiver module  10  is relatively small in size, such that the number and location of connectors  17  that are disposed on the small form factor pluggable transceiver module  10  may be limited. For example, the front surface  111  of the housing  11  of the small form factor pluggable transceiver module  10  can only be directly provided with one connector  17 . If two connectors  17  are directly provided on the front surface  111  of the housing  11 , the two connectors  17  have to be disposed on the diagonal of the front surface  111 . 
     Further, it is impossible to provide more connectors  17  on the front surface  111  of the housing  11 , after the two connectors  17  are disposed on the front surface  111  of the housing  11 . Unless the area of the front surface  111  of the housing  11  is increased. However, it will result in the housing  11  being fail to conform to the dimensions of the SFP, SFP+, XFP, Xenpak, QSFP, QSFP+, CFP or CPAK specifications. 
     In order to solve the above problems, the present invention propose to connect the housing  11  and the connector  17  through the transmission line  15 , wherein the cross-sectional area of the transmission line  15  is smaller than the cross-sectional area of the connector  17 , so that the small form factor pluggable transceiver module  10  can dispose a larger number of connectors  17  and/or transmission lines  15 . 
     In one embodiment of invention, the small form factor pluggable transceiver module  10  comprises a plurality of transmission lines  15 , connectors  17  and connecting holes  13 , and one end of each transmission line  15  is respectively disposed in each connecting hole  13 . For example, the frond surface  111  of the housing  11  has two connecting holes  13 , wherein one end of two transmission lines  15  is respectively located in two connecting holes  13  on the front surface  111  of the housing  11 , and the other end of two transmission lines  15  is respectively connected to a connector  17 , as shown in  FIG. 3 . In other embodiment of the invention, the front surface  111  of the housing  11  has three connector holes  13 , wherein one end of three transmission lines  15  is respectively located in three connecting holes  13  on the front surface  111  of the housing  11 , and the other end of three transmission lines  15  is respectively connected to a connector  17 , as shown in  FIG. 4 . 
     In one embodiment of the invention, the transmission line  15  comprises a main transmission line  151  and a plurality of sub transmission lines  153 . The front surface  111  of the housing  11  has a connecting hole  13 , wherein one end of the main transmission line  151  is disposed in the connecting hole  13  on the front surface  111  of the housing  11 , and the other end of the main transmission line  151  is connected with one end of two sub transmission lines  153 . Thus, two sub transmission lines  153  are branches on the main transmission line  151 , and the other end of two sub transmission lines  153  is respectively connected to a connector  17 , as shown in  FIG. 5 . In other embodiment of the invention, one end of the main transmission line  151  is disposed in the connecting hole  13  on the front surface  111  of the housing  11 . The other end of the main transmission line  151  is connected with one end of three sub transmission lines  153 , and the other end of three sub transmission lines  153  is respectively connected a connector  17 , as shown in  FIG. 6 . 
     In one embodiment of the invention, the small form factor pluggable transceiver module  10  comprises a plurality of transmission lines  15 , a plurality of connectors  17  and a connecting hole  13 , and one end of each transmission line  15  is disposed in the same connecting hole  13 . For example, the frond surface  111  of the housing  11  has one connecting hole  13 , wherein one end of two transmission lines  15  is located in the same connecting hole  13  on the front surface  111  of the housing  11 , and the other end of two transmission lines  15  is respectively connected to a connector  17 , as shown in  FIG. 7 . In other embodiment of the invention, one end of three transmission lines  15  is located in the same connecting hole  13  on the front surface  111  of the housing  11 , and the other end of three transmission lines  15  is respectively connected to a connector  17 , as shown in  FIG. 8 . 
     In above embodiments of the present invention, the small form factor pluggable transceiver module  10  has two or three transmission lines  15 , two or three connectors  17 , and/or two or three sub transmission lines  153 . In actual application, the number of the transmission line  15 , the connector  17 , and/or the sub transmission line  153  may be more than three. Further, each connector  17  may has the same or a different function. For example, a portion of the connectors  17  are capable of transmitting optical signals or electrical signals, while other connectors  17  are capable of receiving optical signals or electrical signals. 
     In one embodiment of the invention, the front surface  111  of the housing  11  further comprises a connecting seat  19 , wherein the connecting hole  13  is located on the connecting seat  19 . One end of at least one transmission line  15  or main transmission line  151  is disposed in the connecting hole  13  on the connecting seat  19 . 
     The connector  17  described in the invention is an optical connector for transmitting or receiving optical signals, or an electrical connector for transmitting or receiving electrical signals. For example, the connector  17  is a coaxial cable connector, a DIN connector (Deutsches Institut für Normung, DIN 1.0/2.3), a SMP connector (Sub-Miniature Push-on,), SMB connector (Sub-Miniature version), SMC (Sub-Miniature version C), HD BNC connector, mini BNC connector, F-type connector, SMA connector (Sub-Miniature version A), AFI connector, MCX connector (Micro coaxial connector) or SMPM connector. In addition, each connector  17  may be the connectors with different specifications to increase the connecting interface of the connector  17  of the small form factor pluggable transceiver module  10 . 
     A space  116  is formed within the housing  11 , and a PCB (Printed circuit board)  12  is located within the space  116  of the housing  11 . The PCB  12  is electrically connected to the transmission line  15 , and electrically connected to the connector  17  via the transmission line  15 . Further, the PCB  12  located on the rear surface  112  of the housing  11  has a transmission terminal (not shown). When the small form factor pluggable transceiver module  10  is disposed on the host device  20 , the transmission terminal of the PCB  12  is electrically connected with the host device  20  for transmitting electrical signal. 
     A latch  141  is disposed on the surface of the housing  11  to fix the small form factor pluggable transceiver module  10  on the host device  20 . In one embedment of the invention, the latch  141  is connected to an actuator  143 , and the user is able to operate, such as pull or push, the actuator  143  to drive the latch  141 . For example, the latch  141  is located on the bottom surface  114  of the housing  11 , and the actuator  143  is located on the top surface  113  of the housing  11 . 
       FIG. 9  is a block diagram of a small form factor pluggable transceiver module according to an embodiment of the invention. The small form factor pluggable transceiver module  10  is able to connect the host device  20 , and comprises a housing  11  and a PCB  12 . A transmitter  161 , a receiver  163 , a control unit  181  and/or a storage unit  183  are disposed on the PCB  12 , and the housing  11  covers the PCB  12 , the transmitter  161 , the receiver  163 , the control unit  181  and/or the storage unit  183 . 
     In one embodiment of the invention, the transmitter  161  on the PCB  12  is electrically connected to a connector  17 , such as a first connector  171 , for transmitting signal via the first connector  171 , and the receiver  161  is electrically connected to other connector  17 , such as a second connector  173 , for receiving signal via the second connector  173 . 
     More specifically, the transmitter  161  may be an electrical transmitter or an optical transmitter. In one embodiment, the transmitter  161  is the optical transmitter, and comprises at least one light emitting diode or laser diode. The receiver  163  may be an electrical receiver or an optical receiver. In one embodiment, the receiver  163  is the optical receiver, and comprises at least one photodetector, such as photo diode. The receiver  163  is capable of converting the received optical signal to the electrical signal, and then transmits the electrical signal to the host device  20 . 
     As the small form factor pluggable transceiver module  10  connects with or inserts into the host device  20 , the transmitter  161  and the receiver  163  of the small form factor pluggable transceiver module  10  will be electrically connected with the host transmitter  21  and the host receiver  23  of the host device  20  respectively. 
     In above embodiment of the invention, the transmitter  161  and the receiver  163  are respectively connected to different connectors  17  for transmitting or receiving signal via different connectors  17 . In other embodiment of the invention, the transmitter  161  and the receiver  163  may be connected to the same connector  17 , and transmits or receives the optical signal or the electrical signal via the same connector  17 . 
     In one embodiment of the invention, the transmitter  161  and the receiver  163  may be integrated into a transceiver  16  that is electrically connected to a plurality of connectors  17 , and receives or transmits the optical signal or the electrical signal via different connectors  17  respectively. In other embodiment, transceiver  16  may be connected to the same connector  17 , and receives or transmits the optical signal or the electrical signal via the same connector  17 . 
     A control unit  181  is electrically connected to the transmitter  161 , the receiver  163  and/or the transceiver  16 , and the control unit  181  is able to monitor the amplitude, data transmission rate or clock and data recovery (CDR) operation mode of the received or transmitted signal. For example, the operation mode comprises bypass mode, reclock mode and unlock mode. Further, as the small form factor pluggable transceiver module  10  connects with the host device  20 , the control unit  181  is electrically connected to the host device  20 , and transmits the monitoring signal to the hose device  20 , or receives a control signal from the host device  20 . 
     More specifically, the host device  20  is able to transmit the control signal to the control unit  181  according to the monitoring signal transmitted by the control unit  181 , and then the control unit  181  controls the receiver  163  and/or the transceiver  16  to adjust the amplitude, the bandwidth, the pre-emphasis and/or the de-emphasis of the signal, and compensate for the loss of received signals. In addition, the host device  20  can also adjust the transmitted signal of the transmitter  161  through the control unit  181  to improve the quality of the transmitted signal. 
     In addition, the host device  20  can monitor the amplitude of the received signal or the transmitted signal through the Digital Diagnostic Monitor (DDM) function of the small form factor pluggable transceiver module  10  or the control unit  181 . 
     In one embodiment of the invention, the small form factor pluggable transceiver module  10  may comprise a storage unit  183  for storing parameters, such as quality parameters. The storage unit  183  is electrically connected to the control unit  181 , and the host device  20  is able to read or set the parameters stored by the storage unit  183 . The control unit  181  monitors the quality parameters, such as EYE OPEN, EYE HIGHT, EYE JITTER, of the transmitted signal and received signal, and stores the quality parameters in the storage unit  183 . 
     The storage unit  183  may storage requirements or instructions transmitted from the host device  20 , and the control unit  181  will adjust or set quality parameters according to these requirements or instructions. When the host device  20  is restarted, these requirements or instructions will still be stored in the storage unit  183  of the small form factor pluggable transceiver module  10 , and the control unit  181  can read these requirements or instructions from the storage unit  183  to adjust or set quality parameters for improving the loss of transmitted or received signals. 
     The above disclosures are only the preferred embodiments of the present invention, and are not to be used to limit the scope of the present invention. All equivalent variations and modifications on the basis of shapes, structures, features and spirits described in claims of the present invention should be included in the claims of the present invention.