Abstract: An API including a registration function and a configuration function, is provided to an optical networking apparatus to facilitate registration of configuration specification delimiter pairs by service routines of function blocks of multi-protocol optical networking modules (MPONM), and extraction of configuration specifications for the function blocks from a configuration specification input set using the registered configuration specification delimiter pairs. In one embodiment, the configuration function also receives current configuration of the function blocks, and merges the received current configurations of the function blocks into a configuration specification output set, separating the merged configuration specification using the registered configuration specification delimiters.

Abstract: A synchronous optical network (SONET) framer includes a frame dimension unit and a programming interface. The frame dimension unit can be programmed with a frame dimension through the programming interface. The SONET framer converts a data stream to and/or from a frame format based on the frame dimension programmed into the frame dimension unit. For instance, in various embodiments, a SONET framer can be programmed to support a variety of SONET frame sizes and to provide a number of testing and design advantages.

Abstract: A networking processor is formed with selected ones of one or more system interfaces, one or more network/intermediate interfaces, a plurality of data link sub-layer control/processing blocks, and a plurality of physical sub-layer coders/decoders and processing units. The elements are provisioned in a combinatorially selectable manner, enabling the single networking processor to be able to selectively facilitate data trafficking in accordance with a selected one of a plurality of protocols. The protocols include at least one each a datacom and a telecom protocol. Accordingly, the network processor supports data traffics spanning local, regional and wide area networks. In one embodiment, the traffic data may be framed or streaming data being transmitted/received in accordance with a selected one of a plurality frame based protocols and a plurality of variants of a synchronous protocol. The frame based protocols may also be frame based protocols encapsulated with the synchronous protocol.

Abstract: A buffering structure including at least a first FIFO storage structure to stage at least a selected one of undiverted egress packets and undiverted ingress packets is provided. The buffering structure further includes at least first associated packet drop logic to selectively effectuate head or tail flushes of the first FIFO storage structure. In various embodiments, one or more additional FIFO storage structures are also provided to stage one or more diverted and/or insertion of egress/ingress packets. Those use for staging diverted egress/ingress packets are likewise provided with associated packet drop logic to perform tail flushes of these additional FIFO structures. In one application, the buffering structure is employed by a multi-protocol network processor, which in turn is employed by an optical networking module.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus provide single or multi-port, flexible, cost-effective, built-in self-test capabilities for network communications equipment, such as for example switches, and programmably generate, and subsequently analyze, one or more sequences of test packets, wherein the test packets simulate at least two flows of traffic. Such test packets can have programmable headers, payloads, and duty cycle. A line card embodying the present invention may generate its own traffic pattern, which may be similar or identical, to traffic patterns observed on Internet backbones. These traffic patterns may contain a bimodal distribution of control packets interspersed with data packets wherein the control packets and data packets are relatively short and long respectively. A plurality of test packet generators/receivers can be deployed in a network communications device having a plurality of ports. In such a configuration, test generator/receiver is associated with each of the plurality of ports.

Abstract: An API is provided to an optical networking apparatus to facilitate uniform access, control and interaction with its multi-protocol optical networking modules (MPONM) by its applications. Each of the MPONM has a number of function blocks having corresponding drivers. In response to an application's request to initialize a MPONM, the initialization function of the API cooperates with the function block drivers to create a data structure for the MPONM, and returns a handle of the data structure to the application. Thereafter, in response to a need to have an operation performed in the packet filtering function block of a MPONM, the application makes the request to the API, including with the request the handle of the data structure of the MPONM. In response, the API allocates a packet filtering resource to perform the operation, and returns a handle corresponding to the allocated resource to the application for use in further requests.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided in accordance with the present invention in which a control mechanism, such as for example, a microcontroller, provides an interface between an optical transponder and an external control system, such that monitoring and controlling of the optical components of the optical transponder are accomplished in an efficient and cost-effective manner. In some embodiments of the present invention, methods and apparatus provide for testing and calibration of the optical transponder without removing any portion of a protective housing within which the internal components of the optical transponder are disposed.

Abstract: A unified API is provided to an optical networking apparatus to facilitate uniform access, control or interaction with its multi-protocol optical networking modules (MPONM) by its applications. Each of the MPONM has a multi-protocol processor with a number of function blocks and physical layer components. Corresponding service routines are provided for the function blocks and the physical layer. Functions of the function block/physical layer service routines are externalized through the same unified API, thereby enabling accesses and interactions with physical layer components of a MPONM to be conducted in the same high level manner as accesses and interactions with function blocks of the multi-protocol processor of the MPONM.

Abstract: An optical networking module is formed with an integrated module including optical, optical-electrical and protocol processing components, and complementary software. In one embodiment, the integral protocol processing component is a single ASIC and supports multiple protocols. The module is further equipped with support control electronics in support of control functions to manage the optical, optical-electrical as well as the multi-protocol processing component. The integrated module together with the complementary control software present to an optical networking equipment designer/developer a singular component that handles optical to electrical and electrical to optical conversion, as well as data link and physical sub-layer processing for a selected one of a plurality of datacom and telecom protocols, spanning local, regional as well as wide area networks.

Abstract: An API is provided to an optical networking apparatus to facilitate uniform access, control and interaction with its multi-protocol optical networking modules (MPONM) by its applications. Each of the MPONM has a number of function blocks having corresponding drivers. In response to an application's request to initialize a MPONM, the initialization function of the API cooperates with the function block drivers to create a data structure for the MPONM, and returns a handle of the data structure to the application. Thereafter, in response to a need to have an operation performed in the packet filtering function block of a MPONM, the application makes the request to the API, including with the request the handle of the data structure of the MPONM. In response, the API allocates a packet filtering resource to perform the operation, and returns a handle corresponding to the allocated resource to the application for use in further requests.

Abstract: In a network apparatus, control logic is provided to preemptively issue pause controls to a sender of network traffic of a link to preemptively regulate a rate the sender may send network traffic of the link. In one embodiment, the pause controls are sent periodically, with each including a pause duration. In one embodiment, at least a selected one of the pause duration and the periodicity of preemptive issuance is determined based at least in part on at least a selected one of a working capacity of storage medium allocated to service the link, a network traffic drain rate of the link, and a fill rate of the input line over which the network traffic of the link is received. In one embodiment, the networking apparatus is an optical networking module with the control logic disposed in a multi-protocol networking processor of the module.

Abstract: A laser diode is employed to output light. A laser driver is employed to drive the laser diode. A laser driver control unit is employed to control the driving, such that carrier concentration of the laser is substantially forced to a desired concentration as photon level of the laser initially arrives at a desired level. In one embodiment, the laser driver outputs a drive pulse to drive the laser diode, with the drive pulse having a complex waveform. In one embodiment, the complex waveform includes different transition time periods, and transient rates to raise the drive pulse from an initial level to a peak level. In another embodiment, the complex waveform includes different transition time periods and transient rates to raise the drive pulse from an initial level to a transition peak level and then drop the drive pulse back to an intermediate low level and then finally transition to a final peak level.

Abstract: A buffering structure including a number of storage structures and associated diversion and/or insertion logic, is provided to facilitate one or more selected ones of post-switching, pre-medium placement, diversion and/or insertion of egress packets, and post-medium extraction, pre-switching, diversion and/or insertion of ingress packets, during data link/physical layer processing of networking traffic. In selected applications, the buffering structure is provided as an integral part of a single ASIC multi-protocol networking processor having data link/physical layer processing components for a number of datacom and telecom protocols. In one of the selected applications, the single ASIC multi-protocol networking processor is employed in conjunction with other optical and electro components to form an integral optical networking module in support of optical-electro networking for the datacom/telecom protocols.

Abstract: A photonic package includes a housing having a semiconductor light source disposed within the housing. The semiconductor light source has a first output and a second output. A reflective surface is disposed inside the housing to reflect the second output from the semiconductor light source. A photodetector is also disposed within the housing and is adapted to indirectly receive the second output of the semiconductor light source reflected off the reflective surface. As a result, interior surface of a housing of an optical transponder may be utilized to provide reflected light to a photodetector to monitor the semiconductor light source.

Abstract: An insertion apparatus receives a byte value from a signaling channel, locates a particular unused byte location within an overhead portion of a synchronous optical network (SONET) frame, and inserts the byte value from the signaling channel into the particular unused byte location. An extraction apparatus receives a synchronous optical network (SONET) frame, locates a particular byte location within an overhead portion of the SONET frame that is unused for SONET purposes, and captures a byte value from the particular byte location, wherein the byte value comprises a signaling channel.