Patent Application
20130266273
The invention relates to inter-equipment data transmission and more particularly to high-speed data transmission between communication equipment.
Small form factor pluggable optical modules, are used to drive a communication channel between communication equipment. The use of a module is beneficial as it supports easy maintenance and allows for a common communication interface at each end of a cable. Further, it allows for different optical interfaces for different purposes, such as transmission path lengths.
In accordance with an embodiment of the invention there is provided an adapter comprising: a first connector for connecting with a pluggable optical transceiver connector of a pluggable optical transceiver host board, the pluggable optical transceiver connector for connecting with an optical pluggable transceiver and other than a connector compliant with a Thunderbolt® standard; and a second connector for connecting with a connector compliant with a Thunderbolt® standard, the first connector and the second connector electrically connected one to the other for providing electrical signals therebetween.
In accordance with another embodiment, there is provided an adapter comprising: a first connector for connecting with an optical pluggable transceiver host board via a pluggable optical transceiver connector and other than a connector compliant with a Thunderbolt® standard, the pluggable optical transceiver connector for connecting with an optical pluggable transceiver; and a second connector for connecting with a cable, the cable for transmission of data corresponding to a first standard other than an optical pluggable transceiver standard, the first connector and the second connector electrically connected one to the other for providing electrical signals therebetween.
In accordance with another embodiment, there is provided a cable assembly comprising: an electrical cable comprising a first connector and a second connector, the electrical cable for transmitting data between the first connector and the second connector, the data transmitted in accordance with a Thunderbolt® standard, the first connector for connecting with a first optical pluggable transceiver host board via a pluggable optical transceiver connector other than a connector according to a Thunderbolt® standard.
In accordance with another embodiment, there is provided a cable assembly comprising: an electrical cable for the transmission of data corresponding to a Thunderbolt® standard between a first connector and a second connector, the first connector for connecting with a first optical pluggable transceiver host board via a pluggable optical transceiver connector, the optical transceiver host board connector comprising circuitry for transmitting and receiving data corresponding to a first standard, the second connector for connecting with a second optical pluggable transceiver host board via a pluggable optical transceiver connector, the optical transceiver host board comprising circuitry for transmitting and receiving data corresponding to the first standard, the first standard other than a Thunderbolt® standard.
In accordance with another embodiment, there is provided an adapter comprising: a first connector for connecting with an interface for being connected to an optical pluggable transceiver and other than a connector compliant with a Thunderbolt® standard; and a second connector for connecting with a connector compliant with a Thunderbolt® standard, the first and second connector electrically connected one to the other for providing electrical signals therebetween.
In accordance with some embodiments, the first connector is one of an SFP, SFP+, QSFP, QSP+, CFP, CXP, and XFP connector.
The features and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment(s) with reference to the attached figures, wherein:
a shows a simplified diagram of another cable assembly wherein a single adapter couples with two pluggable optical transceiver connectors; and
b shows a simplified diagram of another cable assembly wherein a single adapter couples with four pluggable optical transceiver connectors.
The following description is presented to enable a person skilled in the art to make and use the invention, and is provided in the context of a particular application and its requirements. Various modifications to the disclosed embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be applied to other embodiments and applications without departing from the scope of the invention. Thus, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments disclosed, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and features disclosed herein.
Telecommunication and data communication service providers frequently install large quantities of communication equipment, including line cards, at the same location. To transport/route data through a service provider's communications network, equipment is often interconnected, providing a data path for network traffic. However, once equipment is co-located it is also possible to support inter-equipment data communication via an alternative bus or communication port. Alternatively, a data port on a piece of equipment is interconnected with a different data port on the same piece of equipment. For example, shown in
For low speed data communication rates, electrical communication cables are used. Electrical communication cables are inexpensive and often available in consumer quantities for low speed communication. However, for high data rates, equipment is designed for optical communication. Optical communication has significant advantages over electrical communication. In particular, optical signals are less affected by electromagnetic interference and cause less electromagnetic interference. As such, optical signals are useful at very high data rates, across greater distances and with greater reliability. Unfortunately, the components used for optical communication are somewhat specialized and have not seen the volume pricing benefit seen by electrical components.
Small form factor standards specify on board connectors for being mated with small form factor pluggable optical transceivers (SFPs) to transmit and receive high speed data between different data ports. An optical transceiver is a laser that transmits and a light receiver that receives light propagating through a fiber optic cable. An SFP is other than permanently fixed to the communication equipment and is designed to be plugged into and removed from a connector of the communication equipment. This allows for easy replacement should an SFP no longer function or should communication requirements change. In this example, data ports 104, 105, 107 and 108 are populated with SFPs. Data port 104 is connected to data port 105 via a fiber optic cable 103 on equipment 101d and data port 107 on equipment 101b is connected with data port 108 on equipment 102a. Easy replacement of SFPs is highly advantageous, however as they are highly specialized devices designed for use in specific communication equipment, the low quantities cause high manufacturing cost.
Now referring to
Also, an SFP is often associated with a communication distance since transmitting light further typically involves a brighter laser and potentially a more sensitive receiver. Thus, several configurations of SFPs are often used in a single location further reducing the volume of each SFP. Unfortunately, the brighter lasers are more costly so they have not become ubiquitous, as of yet.
Unfortunately, wide adoption of SFP standards has not resulted in significant volume based cost savings and, as such, the high bandwidth transceiver remains quite costly. Further, SFPs are required at each end of a communication path, requiring two per connection. It would be advantageous to provide a higher volume solution for the SFP in order to reduce system and maintenance costs.
Shown in
Of course, the passive module need not be replaced to support longer transmission paths or different SFP modules as a Thunderbolt® cable will terminate communication at both ends and thus, a different consumer volume cable is sometimes used, but the small form factor board and the passive adapter need not be affected. Alternatively, the adapter is other than passive. Even when the adapter is active it is readily apparent from the description herein that the module is cost effective and that optionally a single variant of the module is used to support a wide range of path lengths.
Shifting changes and maintenance issues to a process of changing cables is advantageous as it does not require access and modification to the electronic components and equipment directly and instead operates through ports that are intended to support interfacing with cables and changing of the cable interface at relatively frequent intervals as opposed to simply at maintenance intervals.
The data provided to Thunderbolt® connector 409 at the far end of Thunderbolt® cable 403 was transmitted via cable 403 in accordance with a Thunderbolt® standard. The received data is transmitted from the Thunderbolt® connector 409 to circuitry 207 by means of adapter 402. Thunderbolt® connector 409 mates to connector 407 of adapter 402 which is electrically connected to connector 405 wherein electrical signals applied at connector 407 is provided to connector 405, and further provided to circuitry 207. In this example, Thunderbolt® cables are significantly cheaper than SFPs and an optical cable as the SFPs are highly specialized devices designed for use in communication equipment whereas Thunderbolt® cables are widely used for a variety of applications and thus are manufactured in larger quantities.
Alternatively, the first standard is other than a Thunderbolt® standard. The adapter board can connect to various existing and future electrical cables with any necessary circuitry thereon. Less circuitry or less costly components within the adapter board is advantageous because the adapter board is a specialized device, whereas the active Thunderbolt® cable or another active cable is distributed in larger quantities for varied applications.
Referring now to
Though the embodiment of
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Referring now to
Referring now to
Alternatively, the embodiments of
Although the term SFP is used through out this description, one skilled in the art would be aware that an SFP could be replaced by a small form factor pluggable optical transceiver. Some examples include SFP+, QSFP, QSP+, CFP, CXP, and XFP.
Numerous other embodiments may be envisaged without departing from the scope of the invention.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61620839 | Apr 2012 | US |
