Optimal equalization partitioning

1. A method for receiving and processing an optic signal to recover a transmitted signal comprising:

receiving the optic signal at an optic module from a fiber optic cable, the optic module configured to only perform linear processing;

converting the optic signal into an electrical signal;

processing the electrical signal to perform at least equalization on the electrical signal to create a processed electrical signal, wherein the equalization comprises only linear equalization, before sending the processed electrical signal to a host;

receiving the processed electrical signal at the host; and

performing non-linear processing, including non-linear equalization, on the processed electrical signal at the host to recover the transmitted signal.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the optic module does not perform non-linear clock and data recovery.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising processing an outgoing electrical signal within the optic module using only linear processing to generate the optical signal and transmitting the optic signal over an optic cable.

4. A method for processing an optic signal to recover a signal received from a remote transmitter, the method comprising:

receiving the optic signal at an optic module;

converting the optic signal to an electrical signal with a photodetector to create an electrical signal;

performing linear amplification, linear equalization, or both of the electrical signal with a linear amplifier, linear equalizer, or both to create an amplified signal;

driving the amplified signal over an optic module-to-host channel, such that neither the electrical signal nor the amplified signal undergo non-linear processing prior to driving of the amplified signal over the optic module-to-host channel;

receiving the amplified signal at a host; and

at the host, performing non-linear processing, including equalization, on the amplified signal or a host processed version of the amplified signal.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the performing linear amplification occurs with a variable gain amplifier.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein performing linear equalization in the optic module is performed by a continuous time linear equalizer (CTLE).

7. The method of claim 4 where the linear amplification automatically adjusts to maintain a target optical operating point while also maintaining host transmitter settings established during station-to-station training.

8. The method of claim 4 wherein the optic module does not perform non-linear clock and data recovery and the transceiver operates at 25 Gb/s or more.

9. The method of claim 4 wherein non-linear processing by the host includes non-linear equalization.

10. The method of claim 4 further comprising, at the host, performing station to station training for link optimization due to the linear processing of the optic module.

11. The method of claim 4 wherein the host is part of an on-board optics configuration.

12. The method of claim 4 further comprising processing an outgoing electrical signal within the optic module using only linear processing to generate an optical signal and transmitting the optic signal over an optic cable.

13. A method for receiving and transmitting optic signals comprising:

receiving and processing a signal through a receiver path, in an optic module, the receiver path comprising a photodetector and a linear variable gain amplifier that is configured to perform linear signal processing, the receiving and processing comprising:

receiving an optic signal;

converting the received optic signal to a received electrical signal with the photodetector;

amplifying the received electrical signal with the linear variable gain amplifier to create an amplified signal;

outputting the amplified signal via an output port to a host;

processing and transmitting an outgoing signal through a transmit path, in the optic module, the transmit path comprising a linear equalizer and an electrical to optical interface that are configured to perform linear signal processing, comprising:

providing the outgoing signal from the host to the optic module;

in the optic module, performing linear equalization on the outgoing signal with the linear equalizer to create an equalized signal;

presenting the equalized signal to the electrical to optical interface;

converting the equalized signal, with the electrical to optical interface, to an outgoing optic signal; and

transmitting the outgoing optic signal onto a fiber optic cable.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein processing and transmitting further comprises amplifying the outgoing signal prior to transmitting.

15. The method of claim 13 further comprising performing non-linear equalization in the host on the outgoing signal prior to providing the outgoing signal to the optic module.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein the optic module does not perform non-linear clock and data recovery.

17. The method of claim 13 wherein the method is performed by a transceiver configured in a on-board optic configuration.

18. The method of claim 13 wherein the optic module is configured in a co-packaged optic configuration.