Granted Patent B1

US 7,133,416 · App. 10/091,916 · Granted Nov 7, 2006

Abstract

Claims (181)

1. An apparatus for converting data signals, comprising:

an input operable to:

receive a plurality of data signals from a first interface converter paddle associated with a first communication protocol; and

receive a plurality of data signals from a second interface converter paddle associated with a second communication protocol; and

a serdes coupled to the input and operable to:

determine whether a coupled interface converter paddle coupled to the serdes comprises the first interface converter paddle or the second interface converter paddle;

identify the communication protocol associated with the coupled interface converter paddle;

receive a plurality of data signals from the coupled interface converter paddle, the data signals being serialized; and

deserialize the data signals according to the identified communication protocol.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the serdes is operable to:

receive a plurality of outgoing data signals from a line card; and

serialize the outgoing data signals according to the identified communication protcol.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the coupled interface converter paddle comprises a transceiver operable to:

transform the data signals from an optical form to an electrical form;

transmit the data signals to the serdes;

receive a plurality of outgoing data signals from the serdes; and

transform the outgoing data signals from an electrical form to an optical form.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the coupled interface converter paddle comprises a transceiver operable to:

transmit the data signals to the serdes, the data signals comprising a plurality of electrical signals; and

receive a plurality of outgoing data signals from the serdes, the outgoing data signals comprising a plurality of electrical signals.

5. An apparatus for converting data signals, comprising:

an input operable to:

receive a plurality of data signals from a first interface converter paddle associated with a first communication protocol; and

receive a plurality of data signals from a second interface converter paddle associated with a second communication protocol; and

a serdes coupled to the input and operable to:

determine whether a coupled interface converter paddle coupled to the serdes comprises the final interface converter paddle or the second interface converter paddle; wherein the coupled interface converter paddle comprises a high speed coupler operable to be hot-plugged to the serdes;

identify the communication protocol associated with the coupled interface converter paddle;

receive a plurality of data signals from the coupled interface converter paddle, the data signals being serialized; and

deserialize the data signals according to the identified communication protocol.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the serdes is operable to adjust a speed of the data signals to a generic speed.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a board surface controller coupled to the serdes and operable to:

determine the identified communication protocol; and

instruct the serdes to process the data signals according to the identified communication protocol.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a status indicator operable to indicate a status of the device signals.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the serdes is operable to transmit the data signals to a line card, the serdes disposed outwardly from the line card.

10. A system for converting data signals, comprising:

a first interface converter paddle associated with a first communication protocol;

a second interface converter paddle associated with a second communication protocol; and

a physical layer card operable to:

determine whether a coupled interface converter paddle coupled to the physical layer card comprises the first interface converter paddle or the second interface converter paddle;

identify the communication protocol associated with the coupled interface converter paddle;

receive a plurality of data signals from the coupled interface converter paddle, the data signals being serialized; and

deserialize the data signals according to the identified communication protocol.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the physical layer card is operable to:

receive a plurality of outgoing data signals from a line card; and

serialize the outgoing data signals according to the identified communication protocol.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the coupled interface converter paddle comprises a transceiver operable to:

transform the data signals from an optical form to an electrical form;

transmit the data signals to the physical layer card;

receive a plurality of outgoing data signals from the physical layer card; and

transform the outgoing data signals from an electrical form to an optical form.

13. The system of claim 10 , wherein the coupled interface converter paddle comprises a transceiver operable to:

transmit the data signals to the serdes, the data signals comprising a plurality of electrical signals; and

receive a plurality of outgoing data signals from the serdes, the outgoing data signals comprising a plurality of electrical signals.

14. A system for converting data signals, comprising:

a first interface converter paddle associated with a first communication protocol;

a second interface converter paddle associated with a second communication protocol; and

a physical layer card operable to:

determine whether a coupled interface converter paddle coupled to the physical layer card comprises the first interface converter paddle of the second interface convener paddle; wherein the coupled interface converter paddle comprises a high speed coupler operable to be hot-plugged to the serdes;

identify the communication protocol associated with the coupled interface converter paddle;

receive a plurality of data signals from the coupled interface converter paddle, the data signals being serialized; and

deserialize the data signals according to the identified communication protocol.

15. The system of claim 10 , wherein the physical layer card is operable to adjust a speed of the data signals to a genetic speed.

16. The system of claim 10 , further comprising a line card comprising a board surface controller operable to:

determine the identified communication protocol; and

instruct the physical layer card to process the data signals according to the identified communication protocol.

17. The system of claim 10 , further comprising a status indicator operable to indicate a status of the data signals.

18. The system of claim 10 , wherein the physical layer card is operable to transmit the data signals to a line card, the physical layer card disposed outwardly from the line card.

19. A method for converting data signals, comprising:

determining whether a coupled interface converter paddle coupled to a serdes comprises a first interface converter paddle or a second interface converter paddle, the first interface converter paddle associated with a first communication protocol, the second interface converter paddle associated with a second communication protocol;

identifying the communication protocol associated with the coupled interface converter paddle;

receiving a plurality of data signals from the coupled interface converter paddle; and

deserializing the data signals according to the identified communication protocol.

20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising:

receiving a plurality of outgoing data signals from a line card; and

serializing the outgoing data signals according to the identified communication protocol.

21. The method of claim 19 , further comprising:

transforming the data signals from an optical form to an electrical form;

transmitting the data signals to the serdes;

receiving a plurality of outgoing data signals from the serdes; and

transforming the outgoing data signals from an electrical form to an optical form.

22. The method of claim 19 , further comprising:

transmitting the data signals to the serdes, the data signals comprising a plurality of electrical signals; and

receiving a plurality of outgoing data signals from the serdes, the outgoing data signals comprising a plurality of electrical signals.

23. A method for converting data signals, comprising:

determining whether a coupled interface converter paddle coupled to a serdes comprises a first interface converter paddle or a second interface converter paddle, the first interface converter paddle associated with a first communication protocol, the second interface converter paddle associated with a second communication protocol;

hot-plugging a high speed coupler of the coupled interface converter paddle to the serdes;

identifying the communication protocol associated with the coupled interface converter paddle;

receiving a plurality of data signals from the coupled interface converter paddle; and

deserializing the data signals according to the identified communication protocol.

24. The method of claim 19 , further comprising adjusting a speed of the data signals to a generic speed.

25. The method of claim 19 , further comprising:

determining the identified communication protocol using a board surface controller; and

transmitting an instruction from the board surface controller to the serdes to process the data signals according to the identified communication protocol.

26. The method of claim 19 , further comprising indicating a status of the data signals.

27. The method of claim 19 , further comprising transmitting the data signals to a line card, the serdes disposed outwardly from the line card.

28. Logic for converting data signals, the logic embodied in a computer-readable medium and operable to:

determine whether a coupled interface converter paddle coupled to a serdes comprises a first interface converter paddle or a second interface converter paddle, the first interface converter paddle associated with a first communication protocol, the second interface converter paddle associated with a second communication protocol;

identify the communication protocol associated with the coupled interface converter paddle;

receive a plurality of data signals from the coupled interface converter paddle; and

deserialize the data signals according to the identified communication protocol.

29. The logic of claim 28 , wherein the logic is further operable to:

receive a plurality of outgoing data signals from a line card; and

serialize the outgoing data signals according to the identified communication protocol.

30. The logic of claim 28 , wherein the logic is further operable to:

transform the data signals from an optical form to an electrical form;

transmit the data signals to the serdes;

receive a plurality of outgoing data signals from the serdes; and

transform the outgoing data signals from an electrical form to an optical form.

31. The logic of claim 28 , wherein the logic is further operable to:

transmit the data signals to the serdes, the data signals comprising a plurality of electrical signals; and

receive a plurality of outgoing data signals from the serdes, the outgoing data signals comprising a plurality of electrical signals.

32. Logic for converting data signals, the logic embodied in a computer-readable medium and operable to:

determine whether a coupled interface converter paddle coupled to a serdes comprises a first interface converter paddle or a second interface converter paddle, the first interface converter paddle associated with a first communication protocol, the second interface converter paddle associated with a second communication protocol; wherein the logic is further operable to hot-plug a high speed coupler of the coupled interface converter paddle to the serdes;

identify the communication protocol associated with the coupled interface converter paddle;

receive a plurality of data signals from the coupled interface converter paddle; and

deserialize the data signals according to the identified communication protocol.

33. The logic of claim 28 , wherein the logic is further operable to adjust a speed of the data signals to a generic speed.

34. The logic of claim 28 , wherein the logic is further operable to:

determine the identified communication protocol using a board surface controller; and

transmit an instruction from the broad surface controller to the serdes to process the data signals according to the identified communication protocol.

35. The logic of claim 28 , wherein the logic is further operable to indicate a status of the data signals.

36. The logic of claim 28 , wherein the logic is further operable to transmit the data signals to a line card, the serdes disposed outwardly from the line card.

37. A system for converting data signals, comprising:

means for determining whether a coupled interface converter paddle coupled to a serdes comprises a first interface converter paddle or a second interface converter paddle, the first interface converter paddle associated with a first communication protocol, the second interface converter paddle associated with a second communication protocol;

means for identifying the communication protocol associated with the coupled interface converter paddle;

means for receiving a plurality of data signals from the coupled interface converter paddle; and

means for deserializing the data signals according to the identified communication protocol.

38. A system for converting data signals, comprising:

a first interface converter paddle associated with a first communication protocol;

a second interface converter paddle associated with a second communication protocol;

a physical layer card operable to:

determine whether a coupled interface converter paddle coupled to the physical layer card comprises the first interface converter paddle or the second interface converter paddle;

identify the communication protocol associated with the coupled interface converter paddle;

receive a plurality of data signals from the coupled interface converter paddle, the data signals being serialized;

deserialize the data signals according to the identified communication protocol;

adjust a speed of the data signals to a generic speed;

transmit the data signals to a line card, the physical layer card disposed outwardly from the line card;

receive a plurality of outgoing data signals from the line card; and

serialize the outgoing data signals according to the identified communication protocol; and

a status indicator operable to indicate a status of the data signals, the coupled interface converter paddle comprising a transceiver operable to:

transform the data signals from an optical form to an electrical form;

transmit the data signals to the physical layer card;

receive a plurality of outgoing data signals from the physical layer card; and

transform the outgoing data signals from an electrical from to an optical form, the line card comprising a board surface controller operable to:

determine the identified communication protocol; and

instruct the physical layer card to process the data signals according to the identified communication protocol.

39. A system for converting data signals, comprising:

a first interface converter paddle associated with a first communication protocol;

a second interface converter paddle associated with a second communication protocol;

a physical layer card operable to:

determine whether a coupled interface converter paddle coupled to the physical layer card comprises the first interface converter paddle or the second interface converter paddle;

identify the communication protocol associated with the coupled interface converter paddle;

receive a plurality of first data signals from the coupled interface converter paddle, the data signals being serialized;

deserialize the first data signals according to the identified communication protocol; and

transmit the first data signals to a line card coupled to the physical layer card; and

a third interface converter paddle associated with a third communication protocol and operable to:

receive a plurality of second data signals;

deserialize the second data signals according to the third communication protocol; and

transmit the second data signals to the line card, the line card coupled to the third interface converter paddle.

40. The system of claim 39 , wherein the physical layer card is operable to:

receive a plurality of outgoing data signals from the line card; and

serialize the outgoing data signals according to the identified communication protocol.

41. The system of claim 39 , wherein the coupled interface converter paddle comprises a transceiver operable to:

transform the first data signals from an optical form to an electrical form;

transmit the first data signals to the physical layer card;

receive a plurality of outgoing data signals from the physical layer card; and

transform the outgoing data signals from an electrical form to an optical form.

42. The system of claim 38 , wherein the coupled interface converter paddle comprises a transceiver operable to:

transmit the first data signals to the serdes, the first data signals comprising a plurality of electrical signals; and

receive a plurality of outgoing data signals from the serdes, the outgoing data signals comprising a plurality of electrical signals.

43. The system of claim 39 , wherein the coupled interface converter paddle comprises a high speed coupler operable to be hot-plugged to the serdes.

44. The system of claim 39 , wherein the third interface converter paddle comprises a transceiver operable to:

transform the second data signals from an optical form to an electrical form;

transmit the second data signals to the physical layer card;

receive a plurality of outgoing data signals from the physical layer card; and

transform the outgoing data signals from an electrical form to an optical form.

45. The system of claim 39 , wherein the third interface converter paddle comprises a transceiver operable to:

transmit the second data signals to the serdes, the second data signals comprising a plurality of electrical signals; and

receive a plurality of outgoing data signals from the serdes, the outgoing data signals comprising a plurality of electrical signals.

46. The system of claim 39 , wherein the third interface converter paddle comprises a high speed coupler operable to be hot-plugged to the serdes.

Assignments (8)