Patent ID: 7639655

Claim:
A system for implementing a full duplex Ethernet data network the system comprising: a MAC layer of the Ethernet data network that communicates with a corresponding PHY layer of the Ethernet data network; a switch for receiving information signals from the MAC layer, the information signals received from the MAC layer to be provided to the corresponding PHY layer, the switch having a switch interface device in communication with a PHY interface device of the corresponding PHY layer via an optical network, the corresponding PHY layer coupled to user devices, the switch interface device and the PHY interface device each comprising: an encoder for encoding an information signal; a serial transmitter for generating a serial transmit signal based on the encoded information signal; a laser for transmitting the serial transmit signal received from the serial transmitter as an optical information signal over the optical network; an optical receiver for receiving the optical information signal from the optical network and converting said optical information signals into a corresponding electrical signal; a serial receiver for conditioning the electrical signal received from the optical receiver and providing a serialized electrical signal; and a decoder for converting the serialized electrical signal received from the serial receiver into an information signal, wherein the switch and the MAC layer are remotely located from the corresponding PHY layer by a distance greater than twelve inches.