Driving multiple transceiver modules with a single SERDES transceiver chip

1. An electro-optic system comprising:

a first transmitter, having a differential electrical input including a first transmitter input and a second inverted transmitter input, for transmitting an optical signal at a first wavelength;

a second transmitter, having a differential electrical input including a third transmitter input and

a fourth inverted transmitter input, for transmitting an optical signal at a second wavelength different than the first wavelength;

a serializer for converting parallel data from a host device into serial data, having a differential electrical output including a first transmitter output and a second inverted transmitter output, wherein the first transmitter output of the serializer is connected to the first transmitter input, and the second inverted transmitter output of the serializer is connected to the third transmitter input; and

first inversion means for inverting data passing between the second inverted transmitter output and the third transmitter input.

2. The system according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a first receiver, including a first receiver output, and a second inverted receiver output, for receiving an optical signal, and for converting the optical signal into a differential serial input signal; and

a deserializer connected to the first receiver for converting the differential serial input signal into a parallel signal.

3. The system according to claim 2 , wherein the serializer and the deserializer comprise the same serializer/deserializer (SERDES) integrated circuit (IC) chip.

4. The system according to claim 3 , wherein the first inversion means is provided in the SERDES IC chip for digitally inverting the data.

5. The system according to claim 2 , wherein the first transmitter and the first receiver comprise a first electro-optical module; wherein the deserializer includes a first receiver input and a second inverted receiver input; and wherein the first receiver input is electrically connected to the first receiver output.

6. The system according to claim 5 , wherein the second and fourth inverted transmitter inputs are electrically grounded via a fixed resistance.

7. The system according to claim 5 , wherein the first electro-optical module is a first XFP or SFP transceiver module.

8. The system according to claim 5 , further comprising:

a second receiver including a third receiver output, and a fourth inverted receiver output, wherein the second inverted receiver input is electrically connected to the third receiver output; and

second inversion means for inverting data passing between the second inverted receiver input and the third receiver output.

9. The system according to claim 8 , wherein the second transmitter and the second receiver comprise a second electro-optical module.

10. The system according to claim 9 , wherein the second electro-optical module is a second XFP or SFP transceiver module.

11. The system according to claim 9 , further comprising:

a third electro-optical module including: a third transmitter with a fifth transmitter input and a sixth inverted transmitter input; and a third receiver with a fifth receiver output and a sixth inverted receiver output; and

a switch for selectively electrically connecting the third and fifth transmitter inputs to the second inverted transmitter output.

12. The system according to claim 5 , further comprising:

a second receiver including a third receiver output, and a fourth inverted receiver output; and

a first switch for alternatively electrically connecting the first and third receiver outputs to the first receiver input.

13. The system according to claim 12 , wherein the second transmitter and the second receiver comprise a second electro-optical module.

14. The system according to claim 13 , further comprising:

a third electro-optical module including: a third transmitter with a fifth transmitter input and a sixth inverted transmitter input; and a third receiver with a fifth receiver output and a sixth inverted receiver output; and

a second switch for selectively electrically connecting the third and fifth transmitter inputs to the second inverted transmitter output.

15. The system according to clam 1 , further comprising:

a third transmitter, having a differential electrical input including a fifth transmitter input and a sixth inverted transmitter input, for transmitting an optical signal at a third wavelength different than the first wavelength; and

a switch for selectively electrically connecting the third and fifth transmitter inputs to the second inverted transmitter output.

16. An optical network test system comprising:

a first electro-optical module including a first transmitter, having a differential electrical input with a first transmitter input and a second inverted transmitter input, for transmitting an optical signal at a first wavelength, and a first receiver, including a first receiver output, and a second inverted receiver output, for receiving an optical signal, and for converting the optical signal into a differential serial input signal;

a second electro-optical module including a second transmitter, having a differential electrical input with a third transmitter input and a fourth inverted transmitter input, for transmitting an optical signal at a second wavelength different than the first wavelength, and a second receiver, including a third receiver output, and a fourth inverted receiver output, for receiving an optical signal, and for converting the optical signal into a differential serial input signal;

a serializer/deserializer (SERDES) for converting parallel data from a host device into serial data, and for converting the differential serial input signal into a parallel signal, the SERDES including a differential electrical output including a first transmitter output and a second inverted transmitter output, and a differential electrical input including a first receiver input and a second inverted receiver input, wherein the first transmitter output is connected to the first transmitter input, the second inverted transmitter output is connected to the third transmitter input, and the first receiver input is connected to the first receiver output;

first inversion means for inverting data passing between the second inverted transmitter output and the third transmitter input; and

control means enabling the first or the second transmitter to be selected for transmission of an optical test signal.

17. The optical network test system according to claim 16 , wherein the second inverted receiver input is connected to the third receiver input;

wherein the optical network test system further comprises second inversion means for inverting data passing between second inverted receiver input and the third receiver input; and

wherein the control means also enables the first and second receivers to be selected for reception of an optical test signal.

18. The optical network test system according to claim 17 , further comprising:

a third electro-optical module including a third transmitter, having a differential electrical input with a fifth transmitter input and a sixth inverted transmitter input, for transmitting an optical signal at a third wavelength different than the first and second wavelengths, and a third receiver, including a fifth receiver output, and a sixth inverted receiver output, for receiving an optical signal, and for converting the optical signal into a differential serial input signal; and

a switch for selectively electrically connecting the third and fifth transmitter inputs to the second inverted transmitter output;

wherein the control means also enables the third transmitter to be selected to transmit an optical test signal.

19. The optical network test system according to claim 16 , further comprising:

a third electro-optical module including a third transmitter, having a differential electrical input with a fifth transmitter input and a sixth inverted transmitter input, for transmitting an optical signal at a third wavelength different than the first and second wavelengths, and a third receiver, including a fifth receiver output, and a sixth inverted receiver output, for receiving an optical signal, and for converting the optical signal into a differential serial input signal; and

a first switch for selectively electrically connecting the third and fifth transmitter inputs to the second inverted transmitter output; and

a second switch for selectively electrically connecting the first and fifth receiver outputs to the first receiver input;

wherein the control means also enables the third transmitter to be selected for transmission of an optical test signal, and the second receiver to be selected for reception of an optical test signal.