Cisco Technology, Inc.

Marco Mazzini

Alberto Cervasio

Cristiana Muzio

D Brice Achkir

Matthew Joseph Traverso

Norman Tang

Tao Ling

Federico Carniel

Alessandro Sguazzotti

Stefano Riboldi

Christopher R S Fludger

Fransisco Martinez Rodriguez

Jock T Bovington

David Lai

Anthony Nguyen

Liang Ping Peng

Carlo Tosetti

Andrea Castoldi

Eliana Silvia Vercelli

Adam Carter

Pirooz Tooyserkani

Federico Fontanella

Carlo Mariotti

Karthik Ramaswamy

Matt Heston

Sara Gabba

A link extender configured to extend a range of an optical transceiver module is provided. The link extender includes an array of semiconductor optical amplifiers (SOAs) configured to amplify an optical signal received from the optical transceiver module, a first plurality of variable optical attenuators (VOAs) configured to control a power output of the amplified optical signal output from the array of SOAs, and a plurality of dispersion compensation and filtering (DC&F) devices configured to compensate for chromatic dispersion of the optical signal.

Configurable link extender in small form factor

Techniques for tuning an optical communication system are disclosed. The system includes a first signal path for transmitting data, including an optical source, a first one or more variable optical attenuators (VOAs), a modulator, and a transmission fiber. The system further includes a second signal path for receiving data, including a receiver fiber and a second one more VOAs. The first one or more VOAs are tuned using the optical source in the first signal path for transmitting data, based on comparing a plurality of optical signal power values in the first path while a first tuning mode is enabled. The second one or more VOAs are tuned, using the optical source in the first signal path for transmitting data, based on comparing a plurality of optical signal power values in the second path while a second tuning mode is enabled.

Auto-tuneable optical transceiver modules

Embodiments herein describe an intelligent optical cable that includes an optical assembly disposed between two pluggable connectors. In one embodiment, the optical assembly in the intelligent optical cable are coupled to the pluggable connectors via respective ribbons, where first ends of the ribbons are connected to the optical assembly while second ends of the ribbons are connected to respective pluggable connectors. In one embodiment, the optical assembly includes a photonic chip which performs an optical function on the optical signals propagating in the optical cable.

Configurable optical assemblies in optical cables

The present disclosure provides signal management with unequal eye spacing by: determining a dispersion slope of a channel between a transmitter and a receiver based on a temperature of the transmitter and a wavelength used by the transmitter to transmit signals over the channel; determining maximum and minimum powers for transmission over the channel; assigning a plurality of rails to a corresponding plurality of power levels, wherein amplitude differences between adjacent rails of the plurality of rails are based on the dispersion slope and produce a first eye pattern with a first Ratio of Level Mismatch (RLM) less than one; encoding, by the transmitter, data onto a conditioned signal according to the plurality of rails; and transmitting the conditioned signal over the channel, so that the conditioned signal demonstrates a second eye pattern with a second RLM greater than the first RLM when received at the receiver.

Unequal spacing on multilevel signals

A local node of an optical network obtains local operating parameters associated with a bi-directional link to a remote node of the optical network, including a nominal local wavelength and a local temperature. The local node also obtains remote operating parameters of the remote node, including a nominal remote wavelength and a remote temperature. The local node further determines a target local wavelength based on a comparison of the local operating parameters and the remote operating parameters, and tunes a local transmitter to generate light at the target local wavelength. The local node also tunes a local filter to transmit light at the target local wavelength and reflect light at a target remote wavelength. This may be done by exchanging a configuration identifier with the remote node. The configuration identifier from the remote node is encoded in pulses of light from a remote transmitter in the remote node.

Bi-directional temperature controlled optical transceiver

The present disclosure provides signal management with unequal eye spacing by: sending, from a local transmitter, first and second signals with different first and second known eye patterns to a remote receiver over a channel; sending temperature data of the local transmitter and operating wavelength data of the first and second signals to the remote receiver over the channel; receiving, from the remote receiver, tuning parameters based on a dispersion of the channel based on a first difference between the first known eye pattern as transmitted and as received and a second difference between the second known eye pattern as transmitted and as received; and adjusting transmission rail values used to encode data for transmission over the channel by the local transmitter based on the tuning parameters to produce a conditioned signal for transmission with an unequally spaced eye pattern.

A method is disclosed for configuring equalization circuitry of a communication device. The method comprises determining, for a predefined first value of a tap weight of a decision feedback equalizer (DFE) of the equalization circuitry, whether a predefined error propagation condition occurs. The method further comprises iteratively updating the tap weight according to a predefined scheme, wherein each update of the tap weight occurs responsive to determining that the predefined error propagation condition occurs for a current value of the tap weight. The method further comprises ceasing the updating of the tap weight responsive to determining a difference between two adjacent values of the tap weight is less than a predefined resolution limit.

Equalizer optimization for FEC-protected communication links

Bandwidth translation may be provided. First, data may be transceived at a first data port. Next, the data may be transceived at a plurality of second data ports. The bandwidth of a path for the data between the first port and the plurality of second ports may be translated.

xQSFP+ host cable to upgrade xSFP+ based products

According to an example implementation, a universal tester includes a host interface slot connected to a first pluggable host card during an electrical test mode of operation to provide a stressed electrical signal to a host under test. The host interface slot is connected to a second pluggable host card during an optical test mode of operation, the second pluggable host card including an electrical-optical conversion block to convert a stressed electrical signal to a stressed optical signal that is provided to a host under test. A stressor generator may operation in pass-through mode or a loop-back mode.

Universal test system for testing electrical and optical hosts

A bidirectional interface for multimode optical fiber includes a receive/transmit optical fiber port operable to connect to a multimode optical fiber, a wavelength separating module in communication with the receive/transmit optical fiber port, an optical receiver module in communication with the wavelength separating module and configured to receive optical signals at a first wavelength via the wavelength separating module and the receive/transmit optical fiber port, and an optical transmit module in communication with the wavelength separating module and configured to transmit at a second wavelength via the wavelength separating module and the receive/transmit optical fiber port.

Bidirectional multi-mode fiber interface

A converter apparatus is provided enabling conversion of data between different form factor pluggable standards. The converter comprises a first connector that connects to a first device according to a first form factor pluggable standard, and a second connector that connects to a second device according to a second form factor pluggable standard. The converter further comprises a signal processor coupled between the first connector and the second connector. The processor converts at least one of transmit signals in the first form factor pluggable standard to transmit signals in the second form factor pluggable standard and receive signals in the second form factor pluggable standard to receive signals in the first form factor pluggable standard. A controller in the converter is coupled to the processor and to the first and second connector. The controller configures the processor to be used for converting signals between the form factor pluggable standards.

Converter device to convert between different small form factor pluggable standards

A method includes delivering an electrical signal over an electrical conductor to a transmitter module, which includes a memory holding compensation values corresponding respectively to different conductor lengths. One or more of the compensation values is retrieved from the memory of the transmitter module, and a waveform of the electrical signal is modified responsively to the retrieved compensation values. The electrical signal having the modified waveform is transmitted using the transmitter module over a communication link.

Programmable signal emphasis for optical transmitters

Methods and apparatus for reducing distortion in signals propagating through cables at data rates of at least 10 gigabits per second (Gbps) are provided. By connecting such direct attach cables with an active cable extender assembly described herein, data signals may be reshaped, retimed, and/or emphasized in an effort to increase the cable length between network devices while still complying with the signal quality requirements of communication standards, such as the SFF-8431 MSA, the SFF-8461 MSA, and the IEEE 802.3ba CR4/10 standards for Ethernet communications. Copper cable solutions with such increased cable length possible between network devices may provide substantial cost reduction when compared to optical cable solutions. Furthermore, by potentially increasing the signal quality effectively transmitted by a host, solutions utilizing embodiments of the present invention may guarantee host-to-host interoperability.

Active copper cable extender

An apparatus for testing multiple Small Form-Factor Pluggable Plus (SFP+) ports comprising: a first testing module; a second testing module; and a communications link coupled with the first and the second testing modules; wherein each of the testing modules includes: a SFP+ interface connectable to a port under test (PUT), a signal processing circuit including: a signal compensator configured to perform signal compensation on a signal received from the other testing module, and a signal modifier configured to: modify the compensated signal according to a set of predetermined modification parameters, and transmit the modified signal to the PUT.

Growing community of inventors

Sesto San Giovanni, Italy

Marco Mazzini