Patent ID: 8842993

Claim:
An optical transceiver, comprising: (a) an optical receiver configured to receive optical data; (b) an optical transmitter configured to transmit optical data; (c) one or more memories configured to store data and a plurality of thresholds for each of a plurality of parameters that are related to operation of at least one of said optical receiver and said optical transmitter; (d) a data processor that, in response to a request from a host for one or more flags for a given parameter among the plurality of parameters, updates said data for said given parameter, accesses or retrieves at least one of said plurality of thresholds for said given parameter, compares said updated data for said given parameter against said at least one of said plurality of thresholds to calculate said one or more flags, and outputs said one or more flags indicating whether a corresponding parameter has exceeded said at least one of said plurality of thresholds; (e) one or more first direct signal paths directly between said data processor and said one or more memories, configured to carry said data and said at least one of said plurality of thresholds for said given parameter; and (f) an interface configured to (i) receive a request for said one or more flags from said host, (ii) provide said request to said data processor using a second direct signal, (iii) receive said one or more flags directly from said data processor, and (iv) provide said one or more flags to said host in response to said request.