Frontplane communication network between multiple pluggable modules on a single faceplate

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10425360-B2
Application number	US-201514925929-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 28, 2015
Priority date	Oct 28, 2015
Publication date	Sep 24, 2019
Grant date	Sep 24, 2019

Abstract

A system that includes (i) a device having connectors connected to pluggable modules external to the device and (ii) the pluggable modules exchanging signals with the device via the connectors. In particular, the pluggable modules includes a first pluggable module and a second pluggable module that further exchange a supplemental signal with each other and bypassing the connectors.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system, comprising:
a device comprising a plurality of connectors connected to a plurality of pluggable modules external to an enclosure of the device; and
the plurality of pluggable modules exchanging signals with the device via the plurality of connectors, wherein the plurality of pluggable modules comprise a first pluggable module and a second pluggable module that further exchange a supplemental signal with each other, using at least a wireless signal connection, bypassing the plurality of connectors,
wherein the first pluggable module and the second pluggable module exchange signals with the device via the plurality of connectors according to a pre-determined communication protocol, and
wherein the supplemental signal indicates timing for use between the first pluggable module and the second pluggable module in compensation of communication latency between the first pluggable module and the second pluggable module.

2. The system of claim 1 ,
wherein the plurality of connectors hold the plurality of pluggable modules in a rigid relative position to the device with mechanical stability, and
wherein the first pluggable module and the second pluggable module are coupled within a pre-determined range of the wireless signal connection based on the rigid relative position.

3. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a communication assembly peripheral to the device and in proximity of the plurality of connectors, wherein the communication assembly comprises:
a first signal interface in proximity to a first connector of the plurality of connectors;
a second signal interface in proximity to a second connector of the plurality of connectors; and
a routing element configured to route the supplemental signal between the first signal interface and the second signal interface,

wherein the plurality of connectors hold the plurality of pluggable modules and the communication assembly in a rigid relative position to the device with mechanical stability,
wherein the first pluggable module connects to the first connector and transmits the supplemental signal to the first signal interface according to a first relative position secured by the mechanical stability, and
wherein the second pluggable module connects to the second connector and receives the supplemental signal from the second signal interface according to a second relative position secured by the mechanical stability.

4. The system of claim 3 ,
wherein the first pluggable module comprises a third signal interface that is held in proximity to the first signal interface according to the first relative position secured by the mechanical stability,
wherein the first pluggable module transmits the supplemental signal to the communication assembly via the first signal interface and the third signal interface that are coupled using a first proximity-based connection,
wherein the second pluggable module comprises a fourth signal interface that is held in proximity to the second signal interface according to the second relative position secured by the mechanical stability, and
wherein the second pluggable module receives the supplemental signal from the communication assembly via the second signal interface and the fourth signal interface that are coupled using a second proximity-based connection.

5. The system of claim 4 ,
wherein the first signal interface comprises an active circuit that receives wireless power transmission from the first pluggable module.

6. The system of claim 4 ,
wherein the communication assembly further comprises a plurality of through holes,
wherein the plurality of pluggable modules penetrate the plurality of through holes to connect to the plurality of connectors,
wherein the first signal interface is further in proximity to a first through hole of the plurality of through holes that is penetrated by the first pluggable module,
wherein the second signal interface is further in proximity to a second through hole of the plurality of through holes that is penetrated by the second pluggable module, and
wherein the first proximity-based connection and the second proximity-based connection are based on the wireless signal connection.

7. The system of claim 6 ,
wherein the communication assembly further comprises a printed circuit board having the plurality of through holes,
wherein the first signal interface, the second signal interface, and the routing element are mounted on the printed circuit board, and
wherein the supplemental signal comprises a wireless electrical signal.

8. The system of claim 6 ,
wherein the communication assembly further comprises a light pipe assembly having the plurality of through holes, and
wherein the first signal interface, the second signal interface, and the routing element are integrated in the light pipe assembly, and wherein the supplemental signal comprises a guided optical signal.

9. A system, comprising:
a device comprising:
an enclosure;
a backplane internal to the device, and
a plurality of connectors connected to a plurality of pluggable modules external to the enclosure of the device;

the plurality of pluggable modules exchanging signals with the device via the plurality of connectors and the backplane according to a pre-determined communication protocol; and
a communication assembly peripheral to the device and in proximity of the plurality of connectors, wherein the communication assembly is configured to:
exchange a supplemental signal among the plurality of pluggable modules and bypassing the plurality of connectors and the backplane, and
compensate a communication latency among the plurality of pluggable modules and the device by using the supplemental signal to enhance the pre-determined communication protocol,

wherein at least one of the plurality of pluggable modules uses the supplemental signal to synchronize time stamping of at least one of the signals exchanged between the device and the plurality of pluggable modules.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the communication assembly comprises:
a first signal interface in proximity to a first connector of the plurality of connectors;
a second signal interface in proximity to a second connector of the plurality of connectors; and
a routing element configured to route the supplemental signal between the first signal interface and the second signal interface,
wherein a first pluggable module of the plurality of pluggable modules connects to the first connector and transmits the supplemental signal to the communication assembly according to a first relative position, secured by the mechanical stability, to the first signal interface, and
wherein a second pluggable module of the plurality of pluggable modules connects to the second connector and receives the supplemental signal from the communication assembly according to a second relative position, secured by the mechanical stability, to the second signal interface.

11. The system of claim 10 ,
wherein the first pluggable module comprises a third signal interface that is held in proximity to the first signal interface according to the first relative position secured by the mechanical stability, and
wherein the first pluggable module transmits the supplemental signal to the communication assembly via the first signal interface and the third signal interface that are coupled using a first proximity-based connection.

12. The system of claim 11 ,
wherein the first signal interface comprises an active circuit that receives wireless power transmission from the first pluggable module.

13. The system of claim 11 ,
wherein the second pluggable module comprises

Assignees

• Ciena Corp

Inventors

• Estabrooks Kevin
• Rivaud Daniel
• Windgrove Michael J

Classifications

• H04B10/25891

  Transmission components (H04B10/40 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H02J50/12

  of the resonant type · CPC title

• H04W4/80

  Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication · CPC title

• H02J50/30

  using light, e.g. lasers · CPC title

• H02J50/20

  using microwaves or radio frequency waves · CPC title