OUT OF BAND DATA TRANSFER OVER OPTICAL CONNECTIONS
Provided herein are various devices for communicating out-of-band (OOB) signals. One device may comprise an in-band controller element, an out-of-band controller element and a modulation circuit operable to modulate a reference clock for the out-of-band signal, while another device may utilize a circuit operable to generate an out-of-band signal based on information carried by an Ethernet signal. Yet another device is operable to communicate according to an Ethernet communication protocol using an out-of-band signal.
1 - 30 . (canceled)
31 . A device for communication comprising:
an in-band controller element operable to communicate according to an in-band communication protocol, the in-band communication protocol providing for an in-band signal;
an out-of-band controller element operable to communicate according to an out-of-band communication protocol, the out-of-band communication protocol providing for an out-of-band signal; and
a modulation circuit operably coupled to the in-band controller element and the out-of-band controller element, the modulation circuit configured to modulate a reference clock for the out-of-band signal, wherein the out-of-band signal comprises information received via the in-band signal.
32 . The device of claim 31 , comprising:
a Phase Locked Loop (PLL) circuit for receiving the in-band signal; and
a demodulation interface coupled to an out-of-band signal encoder for processing the in-band signal and generating the out-of-band signal based on the in-band signal.
33 . The device of claim 31 , wherein the out-of-band communication protocol is a Serial Attached SCSI (SAS).
34 . The device of claim 31 , wherein the out-of-band communication protocol is a Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA).
35 - 38 . (canceled)
39 . The device of claim 31 , wherein the in-band communication protocol is Ethernet.
40 . The device of claim 31 , wherein the modulation circuit is configured to generate the in-band signal according to information in the out-of-band signal.
41 . A device for communication comprising:
an Ethernet controller element operable to communicate according to an Ethernet communication protocol using an Ethernet signal;
an out-of-band controller element operable to communicate according to an out-of-band communication protocol using an out-of-band signal; and
a circuit operably coupled to the Ethernet controller element and the out-of-band controller element, the circuit operable to receive the Ethernet signal and generate the out-of-band signal, wherein the out-of-band signal comprises information carried by the Ethernet signal.
42 . The device of claim 41 , wherein the circuit is operable to receive the out-of-band signal and generate the Ethernet signal, wherein the Ethernet signal comprises information carried by the out-of-band signal.
43 . The device of claim 41 , wherein the device comprises a modulation circuit operably coupled to the Ethernet controller element, the modulation circuit configured to modulate a reference clock for the out-of-band signal.
44 . The device of claim 41 comprising:
a Phase Locked Loop (PLL) circuit for receiving the in-band signal; and
a demodulation interface coupled to an out-of-band signal encoder for processing the in-band signal and generating the out-of-band signal based on the in-band signal.
45 . The device of claim 41 , wherein the out-of-band communication protocol is a Serial Attached SCSI (SAS).
46 . The device of claim 41 , wherein the out-of-band communication protocol is a Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA).
47 . The device of claim 41 , wherein the out-of-band communication protocol controls a storage system.
48 . A device for communication comprising:
an Ethernet controller element operable to communicate according to an Ethernet communication protocol using an in-band Ethernet signal and an out-of-band Ethernet signal; and
a circuit operably coupled to the Ethernet controller element, the circuit operable to receive the in-band Ethernet signal and generate the out-of-band Ethernet signal, wherein the out-of-band Ethernet signal comprises information carried by the in-band Ethernet signal.
49 . The device of claim 48 , wherein the out-of-band Ethernet signal is distinct from the in-band Ethernet signal in at least one characteristic.
50 . The device of claim 48 , wherein the device comprises a modulation circuit operably coupled to the Ethernet controller element, the modulation circuit configured to modulate a reference clock for the out-of-band Ethernet signal.
51 . The device of claim 48 comprising:
a Phase Locked Loop (PLL) circuit for receiving the in-band Ethernet signal; and
a demodulation interface coupled to an out-of-band Ethernet signal encoder for processing the in-band Ethernet signal and generating the out-of-band Ethernet signal based on the in-band Ethernet signal.
52 . The device of claim 48 , wherein the device is operable to communicate according to an out-of-band communication protocol that is distinct from the Ethernet communication protocol.
53 . The device of claim 48 , wherein the out-of-band controller element is operable to control a storage system.
54 . The device of claim 48 , wherein the circuit is operable to receive the out-of-band Ethernet signal and generate the in-band Ethernet signal according to information carried by the out-of-band Ethernet signal.