Optical networking module including protocol processing and unified software control

• Main Authors: Denton, I. Claude, Murdock, Bruce, Gimlett, James L, Hershberg, Edward L, Lowrey, Scott W, Booman, Richard A, She, Alfred C
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 04.08.2009

An optical networking module is formed with an integrated module including optical, optical-electrical and protocol processing components, and complementary software. In one embodiment, the integral protocol processing component is a single ASIC and supports multiple protocols. The module is further equipped with support control electronics in support of control functions to manage the optical, optical-electrical as well as the multi-protocol processing component. The integrated module together with the complementary control software present to an optical networking equipment designer/developer a singular component that handles optical to electrical and electrical to optical conversion, as well as data link and physical sub-layer processing for a selected one of a plurality of datacom and telecom protocols, spanning local, regional as well as wide area networks. The integrated module and complementary control software further presents to the optical networking designer/developer a unified software interface for managing the various components and functions.