Cisco Technology, Inc.

Ken Naumann

Amrik Singh Bains

Keith Frank Tharp

Clark Carty

William Frank Edwards

Samir Bouadjel

Alan Yee

Arvind Kansal

George Edward Curtis

Mike Sapozhnikov

Amrik Bains

A network connector assembly with an upper board member includes one or more upper coupling pins and a lower board member includes one or more lower coupling pins. The upper board member and lower board member each a plurality of sets of contact pins disposed on a respective top surface. A housing can be disposable over the upper board member and the lower board member forming one or more network couplers. Each of the one or more network couplers configured to receive one set of contact pins.

Network connector assembly

Adjustable data rate data communications may be provided. First, a plurality of remote data rates at which a remote device is configured to operate may be received. Then, a plurality of local data rates at which a local device is configured to operate may be received. A greatest one of the plurality of local data rates may comprise a cable data rate comprising a greatest rate supported by a length of cable connecting the local device and the remote device. Next, an operating data rate may be determined. The operating data rate may comprise a highest one of the plurality of local data rates that has a corresponding equivalent within the plurality of remote data rates. The local device may then be operated at the operating data rate.

Adjustable data rates

Power Over Ethernet (POE)/universal power over Ethernet (UPoE) may be enabled at multigigabit port-channel connections. This may allow for additional speed support in auto-negotiation messages while employing multigigabit speeds. An integrated connector module (referred to herein as a 'ICM') compatible with UPoE with a modified local physical layer (PHY) circuit may be capable of supporting multi-gigabit data rates (such as between 1 G to 10 G, e.g., 2.5 G and 5 G) as to not limit the data rates to 1 G. The ICM may provide multi-gig data transmission through a first plurality of pins comprising a multi-gig data pin area. Furthermore, the ICM may provide UPoE power to support the multi-gig transmission through a second plurality of pins comprising a UPoE power pin area.

ICM foot-print with UPOE support

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Livermore, CA, United States of America

Ken Naumann