Abstract: In one embodiment, the present disclosure refers to an apparatus comprising a bracket having a base configured to receive and hold a first electronic element. The bracket comprises at least one flange extending from the base and at least one guide acting to align the bracket and first electronic element with a second electronic element. The bracket also comprises at least one fastener aligned with the at least one guide and acting to engage and hold the second electronic element.

Abstract: A method, an apparatus, and a system where multiple lower bandwidth optic Ethernet (e.g. 1000Base-FX) signals can be interleaved or encoded onto a single fiber optic link by overclocking the physical layer elements in such a manner as to be transparent to the data link layer and other higher network layers in the Open Systems Interconnection Reference Model (OSI Model) are provided. Such embodiments may provide increased port density over the existing fiber optic gigabit Ethernet (GbE) standards. In embodiments where multiple GbE signals are not channelized, overclocking the physical layer elements may provide increased bandwidth for a single link over existing fiber optic GbE standards.

Abstract: A method, an apparatus and a system for gigabit Ethernet (GbE) using only 2 pairs of wires for a single communications link are described. This network communication may be referred to as 2-pair 1000Base-T. GbE using only 2 wire pairs per link may offer increased port density over a conventional 1000Base-T link. As an alternative, 2-pair 1000Base-T may also provide increased link bandwidth over the existing 1000Base-T standard. When a given number of conventional links in a system are replaced by the same number of 2-pair 1000Base-T links, the system bandwidth may also be consequently increased. Transformers and power supplies may be combined with GbE utilizing only two wire pairs to provide power over Ethernet (PoE) solutions.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the present disclosure refers to an apparatus comprising a bracket having a base configured to receive and hold a first electronic element. The bracket comprises at least one flange extending from the base and at least one guide acting to align the bracket and first electronic element with a second electronic element. The bracket also comprises at least one fastener aligned with the at least one guide and acting to engage and hold the second electronic element.

Abstract: A transceiver module having transmit data lines looped back to receive data lines that emulates faults without requiring optical subassemblies inside the module or optical test equipment external to the module. That data lines can be buffered for transparent probing of signals. One or more values directing emulation of a fault are received, such as over a two wire serial interface, and the fault is emulated. The values can be values for electronic pins of the transceiver module, values for operation status of the transceiver module or values for characteristics of signals within the transceiver module.

Abstract: Techniques for supporting optical and electrical protocols, such as on the ports of a line card in a network device, are provided. A port on a line card supports optical and electrical connections. The PHY monitors a signal to determine if the transmission connection at the port has changed, such as from optical to electrical, or vice versa. If there has been a change, the PHY is directed to reset a port to correspond to the appropriate transmission connection. By resetting the port, the PHY changes the protocol that is utilized with the signals (e.g., NRZI or 3-Level MLT3).

Abstract: Techniques for multiple channel optical transceivers for use in network devices are provided. In general, a row of optical emitters are disposed adjacent to a row of optical detectors in order to provide increased bandwidth and reduced optical crosstalk. Each row can be electrically coupled to an associated transmitting electronic board or detecting electronic board to reduce electronic crosstalk. The configuration of the optical emitters and detectors allow enhanced flexibility in dressing out the optical fibers and routing them to other network devices.

Abstract: A system provides a zero interconnection height in a board-to-board interconnect while maintaining efficient space allocation for multiple axis connections by providing a floating connection in one plane thereby enabling a connection in another plane. A first circuit board having a first plurality of through-holes is aligned with a second circuit board having a second plurality of through-holes so that the first plurality of through-holes is matched with the second plurality of through-holes. An interconnection height of zero is provided between the first circuit board and the second circuit board. At least one pass-through socket, which includes pass-through socket through-holes, is aligned with the combination of the first circuit board and second circuit board. One or more pins disposed on a pin header are inserted through the pass-through socket, the first circuit board, and the second circuit board.

Abstract: An optical transceiver and method therefore provides a cooled laser diode configured to run in either a low power mode or a standard mode. A method for a thermo-electric cooler includes coupling the thermo-electric cooler to a laser diode, operating the thermo-electric cooler in one of a low power mode and a standard mode, and switching between the low power mode and the standard mode. The laser diode is configured to transmit signals in the low power mode and the standard mode. The low power mode maintains the laser diode at a temperature within a predetermined range of temperatures. The standard mode maintains the laser diode at a temperature that corresponds to a predetermined wavelength of light output from the laser diode. In one embodiment, the low power mode is a Time Division Multiplexing (TDM) mode and the standard mode is a Dense Wavelength Divison Multipexing (DWDM) mode.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for synchronizing clocks is provided that is flexible and compensates for process, voltage, and temperature (PVT) variations and other timing differences between two devices. The present invention includes producing an up-converted clock from a system clock, the up-converted clock having a frequency that is a multiple of the frequency of the system clock, producing an aligned clock from a data-aligned clock from a first device and a counter clock from a second device, producing a de-jittered clock, selecting a first reference clock to send to the first device from the up-converted clock, the aligned clock and the de-jittered clock, and selecting a second reference clock to send to the second device from the up-converted clock, the aligned clock and the de-jittered clock.

Abstract: A method and circuit board assembly provide a zero interconnection height in a board-to-board interconnect while maintaining efficient space allocation for multiple axis connections by providing a floating connection in one plane thereby enabling a connection in another plane.

Abstract: A method for testing a signal path for mark ratio tolerance includes generating a varying test pattern by selecting between a first pattern and a second pattern according to a defined sequence; and sending the varying test pattern over the signal path. An apparatus disposed in a communication system includes a selection circuit for generating a varying test pattern to send over the signal path, the selection circuit generating the varying test pattern by selecting between a first pattern and a second pattern according to a select sequence signal, and a sequencer coupled to the selection circuit, the sequencer providing the select sequence signal to the selection circuit, the sequencer generating the select sequence signal according to a mode value. The mark ratio tolerance of a system can be tested, varying the data density of one portion of the signal path while maintaining a constant data density on another portion of the signal path.

Abstract: The ultra-linear laser drive circuit of the present invention includes a transconductance operational amplifier circuit integrated with a low-pass filter. The transconductance operational amplifier circuit linearizes the output power of the laser drive circuit. The low-pass filter is a second-order low-pass filter which reduces the noise of the laser drive circuit.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for detecting pulses of light energy from at least two fields of view. A first detector having a first bias detects a pulse received at a first point in time. A second detector having a second bias, different from the first bias, detects a pulse received at a second point in time. A processor compares an output of the first detector with a first threshold to produce a signal representing receipt of a pulse from a first field of view. The processor also compares an output of the second detector with a second threshold, different from the first threshold, to produce a signal representing receipt of a pulse from a second field of view. Because the detectors are biased with different biases, the detected pulses are easily distinguished. Thus, multiple fields of view can be detected without complex hardware. The detectors can be biased with opposite polarities so that background noise is cancelled out.

Abstract: According to the present invention, a relatively straightforward, cost-effective technique for eliminating and/or reducing inaccuracies, such as amplitude induced timing errors, is provided in a pulse detection system without reducing bandwidth or degrading the signal-to-noise ratio. Exemplary embodiments detect a change in polarity of slope in a pulse of received energy to provide accurate pulse detection in the presence of noise, without degrading signal-to-noise ratio. Exemplary embodiments can create a time-invariant pulse from a single received, amplitude variant pulse, wherein a rising edge of the detected pulse is coincident with a change in a polarity of slope of the received pulse. Thus, a repetitive pulse signal is not needed to provide accurate pulse detection. Further, exemplary embodiments eliminate any need for complex circuitry since, for example, they are based on using cost-effective differentiators and do not require a reset signal to be asserted between pulses.

Abstract: Ink jet printing apparatus of the type having a carriage that traverses a printing zone with a plurality of insertable print/cartridges includes a system for use in coordinating the transverse printing of such print/cartridges to compensate for variable transverse print/cartridge locations. The system employs an electrooptical scanner located along the transverse path of the carriage for signalling the passage of a print/cartridge feature(s) that are indicative precisely of an instantaneous horizontal position, vis-a-vis the scanner, of the orifice array of a passing print/cartridge; a carriage detector for periodically sensing and signalling the successive instantaneous positions of the carriage during its traversing movement; and means, responsive to signal inputs from the scanner and the carriage detector, for computing and storing horizontal location data for each print/cartridge orifice array.

Abstract: Techniques for supporting optical and electrical protocols, such as on the ports of a line card in a network device, are provided. A port on a line card supports optical and electrical connections. The PHY monitors a signal to determine if the transmission connection at the port has changed, such as from optical to electrical, or vice versa. If there has been a change, the PHY is directed to reset a port to correspond to the appropriate transmission connection. By resetting the port, the PHY changes the protocol that is utilized with the signals (e.g., NRZI or 3-Level MLT3).