Hybrid redundancy for electronic networks

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9380348-B2
Application number	US-201414188091-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 24, 2014
Priority date	Feb 22, 2013
Publication date	Jun 28, 2016
Grant date	Jun 28, 2016

Abstract

Aspects of a method and system for hybrid redundancy for electronic networks are provided. A first line card may comprise a first instance of a network layer circuit, a first instance of a physical layer circuit, and an interface to a data bus (e.g., an Ethernet bus) for communicating with a second line card. In response to detecting a failure of the first instance of the network layer circuit, the first instance of the physical layer circuit may switch from processing of a signal received via the first instance of the network layer circuit to processing of a signal received via the interface. The system may comprise a second line card. The second line card may comprise a second instance of the network layer circuit. The second instance of the network layer circuit may be coupled to the data bus.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
a first line card comprising a first instance of a network layer circuit, a first instance of a physical layer circuit, and an interface to a data bus for communication with a second line card, wherein:
said first instance of said physical layer circuit is operable to switch, in response to detection of a failure of said first instance of said network layer circuit, from processing of a signal received via said first instance of said network layer circuit to processing of a signal received via said interface;
said second line card comprises a second instance of said network layer circuit; and
said second instance of said network layer circuit is coupled to said data bus;
said second line card comprises no instances of any physical layer circuit.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein
Said second line card comprises a third instance of said network layer circuit; and
Said third instance of said network layer circuit is coupled to said data bus.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein said second line card has a same form factor as said first line card.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
said first line card comprises a second instance of said physical layer circuit; and
said second instance of said physical layer circuit is operable to switch, in response to detecting a failure of said first instance of said network layer circuit, from processing of a signal received via said first instance of said network layer circuit to processing of a signal received via said interface.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein said first instance of said physical layer circuit is operable to, upon detection of a failure of said first instance of said physical layer circuit, communicate with said second instance of said physical layer circuit to effect a failover from said first instance of said physical layer circuit to said second instance of said physical layer circuit.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein:
said first instance of said second circuit is coupled to a first power amplifier; and
said second instance of said second circuit is coupled to a second power amplifier.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein said first instance of said physical layer circuit is operable to detect said failure via monitoring of an output of said first power amplifier.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein said data bus in an Ethernet data bus.

9. A method comprising:
in a first line card comprising a first instance of a network layer circuit, a first instance of a physical layer circuit, and an interface to a data bus for communicating with a second line card:
detecting failure of said first instance of said network layer circuit; and in response to detecting said failure of said first instance of said network layer circuit, reconfiguring said first instance of said physical layer circuit to switch from processing a signal received via first instance of said network layer circuit to processing of a signal received via said interface;
wherein said second line card comprises a second instance of said network layer circuit; and
wherein said second instance of said network layer circuit is coupled to said data bus;
wherein said second line card comprises no instances of any physical layer circuit.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein
Said second line card comprises a third instance of said network layer circuit; and
Said third instance of said network layer circuit is coupled to said data bus.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein said second line card has a same form factor as said first line card.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein said first line card comprises a second instance of said physical layer circuit, and the method comprises:
detecting a failure of said first instance of said network layer circuit; and
in response to detecting said failure of said first instance of said network layer circuit, reconfiguring said second instance of said physical layer circuit to switch from processing a signal received via said first instance of said network layer circuit to processing a signal received via said interface.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein said first instance of said physical layer circuit is operable to, upon detecting a failure of said first instance of said physical layer circuit, communicate with said second instance of said physical layer circuit to effect a failover from said first instance of said physical layer circuit to said second instance of said physical layer circuit.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein:
said first instance of said second circuit is coupled to a first power amplifier; and
said second instance of said second circuit is coupled to a second power amplifier.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein said first instance of said physical layer circuit is operable to detect said failure by monitoring an output of said first power amplifier.

16. The system of claim 9 , wherein said data bus in an Ethernet data bus.

Assignees

• Maxlinear Inc

Inventors

• Ling Curtis

Classifications

• H04H20/78

  CATV [Community Antenna Television] systems · CPC title

• H04H20/69

  Optical systems · CPC title

• H04N21/6118 Primary

  involving cable transmission, e.g. using a cable modem · CPC title

• H04L12/413

  with random access, e.g. carrier-sense multiple-access with collision detection [CSMA-CD] · CPC title