Hot-swappable no cable touch switch enclosure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11558682-B2
Application number	US-201817048850-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 27, 2018
Priority date	Apr 27, 2018
Publication date	Jan 17, 2023
Grant date	Jan 17, 2023

Abstract

A system for hot swapping a network switch without disconnecting the network switch connectors is provided. The system disaggregates the switch faceplate network cable connectors from the internal components of the network switch so that the internal switch components may be removed from the switch without disconnecting the switch network cables.

First claim

We claim:

1. A hot swappable network switch, comprising:
a switch enclosure having an opening on a first side configured to receive a removable switch module therein;
a hot swappable ASIC switch module removably received at least partially in the opening on the first side;
a plurality of network cable connectors positioned on the first side;
an ASIC module connector positioned on an end of the hot swappable ASIC switch module first inserted into the opening of the switch enclosure;
a fixed switch enclosure connector positioned in and mounted to the switch enclosure at a location to engage the ASIC module connector when the hot swappable ASIC switch module is received in the opening on the first side, the fixed switch enclosure connector configured to directly connect to both the ASIC module connector and the plurality of network cable connectors; and
a signal communication link disposed between the switch enclosure fixed connector and the plurality of network cable connectors, the signal communication link configured to create a signal communication path between the plurality of network cable connectors to the hot swappable ASIC switch module, the hot swappable ASIC switch module being removable from switch enclosure without disconnecting any of the plurality of network cable connectors.

2. The hot swappable network switch of claim 1 , wherein the ASIC module further comprises an ASIC chip mounted to an electronic board, input/outputs of the ASIC chip being in signal transmission communication with the ASIC module connector.

3. The hot swappable network switch of claim 2 , wherein the ASIC chip includes optically enabled inputs and outputs configured to interface with the ASIC module connector.

4. The hot swappable network switch of claim 2 , wherein the ASIC chip outputs electrical signals that are communicated to an optical transceiver that converts the electrical signals to optical signals, an output of the optical transceiver being in optical communication with the switch enclosure fixed connector.

5. The hot swappable network switch of claim 3 , wherein the ASIC module connector and the switch enclosure fixed connector comprise optical connectors.

6. The hot swappable network switch of claim 5 , wherein the optical connectors comprise spring-loaded fiber optic couplers having optical fiber faces that are pressed together to provide an optical signal transmission path therethrough when the optical connectors are mated together.

7. The hot swappable network switch of claim 1 , wherein the ASIC module connector electrically or optically engages and is configured to communicate signals therethrough to the switch enclosure fixed connector.

8. The hot swappable network switch of claim 1 , wherein the hot swappable ASIC switch module comprises an electronic ASIC chip generating electric signal outputs and the switch enclosure fixed connector is configured to communicate the electric signal outputs.

9. A hot swappable network switch, comprising:
a switch enclosure having an opening on a front side configured to slidably receive a switch module therein;
a hot swappable ASIC switch module positioned at least partially in the opening;
a plurality of network cable connectors positioned on the front side of the switch enclosure;
an ASIC module connector positioned on an end of the hot swappable ASIC switch module; and
a fixed switch enclosure connector positioned in and mounted to the switch enclosure at a location to engage the ASIC module connector when hot swappable ASIC switch module is received in the opening of the front side and to communicate signals to the plurality of network cable connectors, the fixed switch enclosure connector configured to directly connect to both the ASIC module connector and the plurality of network cable connectors.

10. The hot swappable network switch of claim 9 , wherein the end of the hot swappable ASIC switch module the ASIC module connector is mounted on is an end of the ASIC switch module first inserted into the opening, the end being positioned near a back side of the switch enclosure when the ASIC switch module is received in the opening.

11. The hot swappable network switch of claim 9 , wherein the end of the hot swappable ASIC switch module the ASIC module connector is mounted on is an opposite end of the ASIC switch module first inserted into the opening, the opposite end being positioned near a front side of the switch enclosure when the ASIC switch module is received in the opening.

12. The hot swappable network switch of claim 9 , further comprising a signal communication link between the switch enclosure fixed connector and the plurality of network cable connectors to create a signal communication path between the plurality of network cable connectors to the hot swappable ASIC switch module.

13. The swappable network switch of claim 9 , wherein directly connected further comprises a spring loaded optical connector in communication with the ASIC module connector and the switch enclosure connector without links or optical fiber cabling.

14. The hot swappable network switch of claim 9 , wherein the ASIC module further comprises an ASIC chip mounted to an electronic board, input/outputs of the ASIC chip being in signal transmission communication with the ASIC module connector.

15. The hot swappable network switch of claim 14 , wherein the ASIC chip is an optical ASIC chip outputting optical signals to the ASIC module connector.

16. The hot swappable network switch of claim 9 , wherein the ASIC module connector and the switch enclosure fixed connector comprise optical connectors.

17. The hot swappable network switch of claim 9 , wherein the ASIC module connector electrically or optically engages and is configured to communicate signals therethrough to the switch enclosure fixed connector.

18. The hot swappable network switch of claim 9 , wherein the hot swappable ASIC switch module comprises an electronic ASIC chip generating electric signal outputs.

19. The hot swappable network switch of claim 9 , wherein the ASIC module connector and the switch enclosure fixed connector are configured to communicate electronic signals.

20. A swappable network switch, comprising:
a switch enclosure having a module receiving opening on a front side;
a swappable ASIC switch unit removably received at least partially in the module receiving opening on the front side;
an ASIC module connector positioned on an insertion end of the swappable ASIC switch module;
a fixed switch enclosure connector positioned in and mounted to the switch enclosure at a location to engage the ASIC module connector when the swappable ASIC switch module is removably received in the module receiving opening of the front side, the fixed switch enclosure connector configured to directly connect to both the ASIC module connector and a plurality of network cable connectors positioned on a front side of the switch enclosure; and
a signal communication link disposed between the switch enclosure fixed connector and the plurality of network cable connectors.

21. The swappable network switch of claim 20 , wherein the swappable ASIC switch unit is removable without removing or disconnecting any data cables in communication with the plurality of network cable connectors.

Assignees

• Hewlett Packard Entpr Dev Lp

Inventors

• Mcdonald Nicholas
• Gostin Gary
• Davis Alan

Classifications

• H04L49/15 Primary

  Interconnection of switching modules · CPC title

• H04L49/30

  Peripheral units, e.g. input or output ports · CPC title

• H04Q11/0005 Primary

  Switch and router aspects · CPC title

• H04L49/45

  Arrangements for providing or supporting expansion · CPC title

• H04Q2011/0052

  Interconnection of switches · CPC title