Abstract: An optical transmission system and transmission method, an optical switching apparatus, and a control method are provided. Any data transmission apparatus included in an optical transmission system is configured to: transmit an optical label signal and a continuous data signal including an idle sequence and a data packet, and transmit the transmitted optical label signal to an optical switching apparatus, so that the optical switching apparatus builds, according to the optical label signal, a switching and transmission path for transmitting the continuous data signal transmitted by the any data transmission apparatus. This ensures that a data transmission apparatus transmits a continuous data signal, and also ensures that each optical receiving system can receive the continuous data signal. Therefore, no preamble needs to be added before a data packet carried in a to-be-processed data signal, thereby avoiding a resource waste and saving bandwidth resources.

Abstract: A network tap with battery assisted and programmable failover is disclosed. The network tap includes a processing element, at least one optical-electrical transceiver, and at least one multiplexer/demultiplexer module. A backup battery provides power to the optical-electrical transceiver(s) and the multiplexer/demultiplexer module(s) but not the processing element when operating in a failover mode. The network tap is programmable to operate in a fail open mode in which traffic received from the network passes through the network tap during failover or a fail closed mode in which traffic receive from the network is blocked during failover.

Abstract: A receiver is provided, including a signal acquiring unit, a signal diversity unit that is connected to the signal acquiring unit, a signal combination unit that is connected to the signal diversity unit, and a digital-signal acquiring unit that is connected to the signal combination unit. The receiver can receive a dual-polarization signal and can eliminate SSBI from the dual-polarization signal.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing a secure transmission based on a polar code are provided. A device generates an output bit sequence by applying a polar code generator matrix to an input bit sequence and transmits the output bit sequence to a target receiver. The input bit sequence includes first information bits, second information bits and third information bits. The first information bits correspond to gray bit channels for the target receiver and bad bit channels for an eavesdropper. The third information bits correspond to good bit channels for the target receiver and gray bit channels for the eavesdropper.

Abstract: An optical receiver includes a detector and frame synchronizer. The detector receives an optical OFDM bit stream having a plurality of frames. Each frame has an in-phase and quadrature phase component. Each component has an OFDM symbol-bearing data payload and a synchronization header. The synchronization header includes a single synchronization pulse. The frame synchronizer detects the synchronization header on each phase component. The frame synchronizer includes first and second pairs of digital comparators for each of the in-phase and quadrature phase components. The first and second pairs of digital comparators associated with each phase component establishes different and adjustable threshold windows that is symmetric about a zero amplitude of the synchronization pulse of the respective phase component.

Abstract: A system and method are presented for coupling OAM optical beams to optical fibers. The system may include, for instance, an OAM beam generator, for receiving one or more of a plurality of input signals, and generating a different OAM mode signal for each input signal. The OAM beam generator may further be operative to adjust a location and/or an exit angle of the one or more OAM mode signals before sending the one or more OAM mode signals to a beam combiner that combines the one or more OAM mode signals into a combined mode OAM transmission. The system may further include a controller in communication with at least one crosstalk estimate sensor and the at least one OAM beam generator, the controller operative to optimize the crosstalk estimate by receiving the crosstalk estimate for one of the OAM mode signals, and sending control instructions instructing the OAM beam generator to adjust a location and/or an exit angle of the one or more OAM mode signals to reduce the crosstalk estimate.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods, systems, devices, apparatus, computer-/processor-readable media, and other implementations, including a method, at a processor-based mobile device, that includes determining a first set of candidate positions of the mobile device corresponding to a first time instance based, at least in part, on position data including a first set of identifiers decoded from signals including respective first one or more light-based communications received by the mobile device from a first one or more light devices, with the mobile device being located at a first location at the first time instance. The method further includes selecting at least one candidate position from the first set of candidate positions, in response to a determination that the first set of candidate positions includes more than one candidate position, in order to resolve positional ambiguity, based, at least partly, on further position data from further signals from one or more devices.

Abstract: A sensor assembly, a method, and a measuring system for capturing the distribution of at least one variable of an object are disclosed. The sensor assembly has at least one sensor element comprising at least one first sensor sub-element and at least one second sensor sub-element. The at least one first sensor sub-element is transparent for at least one wavelength region of light, the at least one second sensor sub-element is sensitive to at least one variable. Furthermore a method and measuring system and an illumination system for illuminating the sensor assembly and the object is provided.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure disclose a dynamic bandwidth scheduling method and device, and a computer storage medium. The method is applied to each node in an Optical Burst Transport ring-Network (OBTN) and includes that: when a target node serves as a master node, for each source node in the OBTN, when a timeslot is allocated for a connection from the source node to a certain destination node, a timeslot occupied by a destination node having the smallest hop count to a destination node configured currently is selected preferentially among timeslots in which there exists an Optical Burst (OB) where there has been no drop operation; and when the target node serves as a master node, a timeslot allocation result is converted into a bandwidth map and the bandwidth map is sent to each slave node in the OBTN.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method for assigning and processing a label in an optical network. The method includes: learning that a label switched path is required to be established in an optical network; generating a label, in which the label is used for indicating that a first optical channel data unit is multiplexed to a second optical channel data unit; the label includes a tributary slot type indication field that is used for indicating a tributary slot type of the second optical channel data unit, and the label further includes a tributary slot assignment indication field that is used for indicating a tributary slot occupied in the second optical channel data unit into which the first optical channel data unit is multiplexed; and sending the label to a node on the label switched path by a signaling message of GMPLS.

Abstract: A control system for use in a network. The control system includes an input device coupled to the network to generate an input signal. The control system also includes an RGBW controller having a plurality of input channels and a plurality of output channels, and is coupled to the network. The RGBW receives the input signal at the input channels, determines if the input signal meets a predetermined condition, and generates a series of independent output signals at the plurality of output channels in response to the input signal meeting a predetermined condition. The control system also includes one or more output devices to receive one or more of the independent output signals, and to perform one or more functions in response to receiving one or more of the independent output signals.

Abstract: Flexible rate communication signalling apparatus and methods are disclosed. A determination is made as to a set of one or more of first frames and second frames which would provide a desired communication rate. The first frames and the second frames have a common frame structure but different associated rates. The determined set of one or more of the first frames and the second frames, including received client signals, is generated.

Abstract: The present invention provides a switch device for an optical signal which has high extendibility and which can suppress an increase of loss in extension. A switch device in one embodiment of the present invention includes, in a housing, four splitter portions, four switch portions, and extension splitter portions. The splitter portions are connected to path-side ports, the switch portions are connected to client-side ports, and the splitter portions and the switch portions are connected to one another via shuffle fiber arrays. One ends of the extension splitter portions are connected to path-side extension ports, and the other ends thereof are connected to client-side extension ports. The number of wavelengths processable by the switch device can be easily changed by changing a connection state of optical fibers to the path-side ports, the client-side ports, the path-side extension ports, and the client-side extension ports.

Abstract: System, methods and apparatus are described that facilitate transmission of data between two devices. A data transfer method includes receiving first data from a first interface, the first data being received in signaling transmitted by a first device according to a first protocol, determining a mode of operation for a communication link to be used for transmitting the first data to a second device, transmitting the first data to the second device over an optical path of the communication link in a first mode of operation, transmitting the first data in accordance with the first protocol to the second device over an electrical path of the communication link in a second mode of operation, and in a third mode of operation, translating the first data to obtain second data, and transmitting the second data in accordance with a second protocol to the second device over the electrical path.

Abstract: An optical communication system is disclosed. The optical communication system comprises an optical transmitter and a substantially circular multi-mode optical fiber. The optical transmitter comprises a generator of at least two free space circular vortices and comprises an optical element configured to receive the at least two free space circular vortices and to couple them to an input facet of the optical fiber. The optical fiber is configured to receive at the input facet the at least two free space circular vortices and is configured to generate therefrom at least two corresponding guided circular vortices having respective propagation constants, wherein the values of the propagation constants at a defined frequency are different each other.

Abstract: The present disclosure discloses a method, wherein the method comprises generating a passive optical network (PON) protocol message, wherein the PON protocol message comprises an identifier of a PON user terminal and an action indication indicating that the PON user terminal intends to exercise a first power supply mode that is a power-saving mode. The present disclosure further provides a method for controlling the PON power supply and for reporting the power supply state. The present disclosure allows control of the energy usage of the PON user terminal to save power when a service in the PON user terminal is not used or when the user terminal uses a backup power source to supply power.

Abstract: An exemplary optical distribution frame includes a frame structure defining multiple positions into which multiple chassis can be inserted and a frame controller unit attached to the frame structure. The frame structure includes a frame controller and a switch communicatively coupled to the frame controller, wherein the switch includes a multiple ports. The frame structure including multiple cables, each cable being attached to a respective one of the ports of the switch and routed and attached to the optical distribution frame so that each cable can be attached to a chassis inserted into a predetermined one of the positions in the optical distribution frame, wherein the frame controller is configured to communicate port mapping information to a management entity that is communicatively coupled to the frame controller for use by the management entity in associating location information with a chassis inserted into the optical distribution frame.

Abstract: A signal detection circuit includes: a first optical filter configured to filter an optical signal carrying a frequency modulated signal with a first transmission band; a second optical filter configured to filter the optical signal with a second transmission band; a first photo detector configured to convert the output light of the first optical filter into a first electrical signal; a second photo detector configured to convert the output light of the second optical filter into a second electrical signal; a difference circuit configured to output a signal representing a difference between the first electrical signal and the second electrical signal; and a detector configured to detect the frequency modulated signal based on the output signal of the difference circuit.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a method and an apparatus for allocating optical spectrum bandwidth resources. The method includes: first determine bandwidth of an OTUbase according to optical-layer frequency grid bandwidth and carrier spectrum efficiency; then construct an HO OTUflex according to bandwidth of customer service data and the bandwidth of the OTUbase, bandwidth of the HO OTUflex is a first integer multiple of the bandwidth of the OTUbase; map the customer service data into a payload area of the HO OTUflex and encapsulate overhead information; at last, modulate the HO OTUflex that carries the customer service data to a second integer number of optical channel carriers. The embodiments of the present invention apply to a scenario where customer service data is transported.

Abstract: Methods and systems for using modulation frequencies for optical channel monitoring with periodic optical filtering may allocate modulation frequencies based on bandwidth slices of an optical spectrum. The bandwidth slices may have an equal spectral band that is associated with a respectively unique modulation frequency. An optical carrier aligning with a bandwidth slice may be modulated using the modulation frequency assigned to that bandwidth slice. Additionally, the bandwidth slices may be used to determine a maximum frequency error of an optical carrier when received, such as from frequency drift during transmission.

Abstract: Embodiments provide systems and methods for a probabilistic reporting mode, where an Optical Network Unit (ONU) sends a REPORT message only when it has data to transmit. The absence of a REPORT message from an ONU is treated by the Optical Line Terminal (OLT) as indicating absence of data to transmit at the ONU. In another aspect, embodiments include systems and methods for an unsolicited burst mode, where an ONU can be configured to transmit data in the upstream in an unsolicited manner. The unsolicited burst mode includes mechanisms to ensure that no data is lost due to potential collisions between ONUs.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for synchronizing RF antenna signals (5a to 5i) of a plurality of RF antenna sites (3a to 3i) arranged at different locations of a radio transmission system (1b), the method comprising; generating a reference signal (7) in a reference oscillator (6) located at a central unit (2) of the radio transmission system (1b), transmitting the reference signal (7) as an optical signal from the central unit (2) to the RF antenna sites (3a to 3i) via a plurality of optical fiber links (9a? to 9i?), and using the transmitted reference signal (7) for synchronizing the RF antenna signals (5a to 5i) of the different RF antenna sites (3a to 3i), The invention also relates to a radio transmission system (1b).

Abstract: Example embodiments of the present invention relate to an optical node comprising of at least two optical degrees; a plurality of directionless add/drop ports; and at least one wavelength equalizing array, wherein the at least one wavelength equalizing array is used to both select wavelengths for each degree, and to perform directionless steering for the add/drop ports.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method and system for communication. The method includes: according to a network resource and a signal type of a label switched path to be established, generating, by a first optical communication device, a label indicating that a first optical channel data unit is multiplexed to a second optical channel data unit, wherein the label comprises a tributary slot assignment indication field indicating a tributary slot occupied in the second optical channel data unit, and a length of the tributary slot assignment indication field is equal to the number of tributary slots of the second optical channel data unit; sending the label to a second optical communication device; obtaining, by the second optical communication device, the label; and multiplexing, by the second optical communication device, the first optical channel data unit to the second optical channel data unit based on the label.

Abstract: A tunable multiport optical filter includes various types of arrays of optical ports. The tunable filter also includes a light dispersion element (e.g., a grating) and a reflective beam steering element (e.g., a tilting mirror). An optical signal exits an optical (input) port, is dispersed by the light dispersion element, reflects off the reflective beam steering element back to the light dispersion element, and on to another optical (output) port. The reflective beam steering element can be steered such that a wavelength portion of the dispersed optical signal can be coupled to the optical output port. For example, the input optical signal may be a wavelength division multiplexed signal carrying multiple channels on different wavelengths, and the tunable multiport optical filter directs one of the channels to the output optical port. Additionally, the tunable filter may be incorporated into a device acting as a wavelength reference.

Abstract: Embodiments are provided for a novel multi-wavelength coherent receiver (MWCR) design and operation capable of detecting multiple optical wavelength channels. The embodiments include an optical receiver comprising a polarization-diversity optical hybrid module, a multiple wavelength local oscillator (MWLO) coupled to an input of the polarization-diversity optical hybrid module, a plurality of PIN diodes coupled to the polarization-diversity optical hybrid module, a plurality of analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) coupled to the PIN diodes, and a digital signal processing (DSP) module coupled to the ADCs. The polarization-diversity optical hybrid module splits an optical signal into multiple polarization components, wherein the optical signal includes multiple channels at multiple wavelengths. The MWLO locks the optical signal to the multiple wavelengths of the channels simultaneously.

Abstract: A modem is disclosed, one embodiment including: first and second interface apparatuses; and a processing apparatus arranged to transmit a request message to part of a wireless cellular network to request establishment of a channel to access a packet-based network, wherein the request message requests the channel as being of a type that supports both a first and second version of a packet protocol; receive a response message indicating rejection of the request, and upon detecting that a field in the response message defines a reason other than the part of the wireless cellular network does not support first and second versions of the packet protocol on a single channel, to default to transmit a default request message to request establishment of a channel to access the packet-based network, the default request message requests the channel as being of a type that supports the first version of the packet protocol.

Abstract: A system for providing bi-directional RF services over a point-to-multipoint Passive Optical Network (PON). A system that can transport upstream RF signals generated by devices such as a set top box or a cable modem, through a passive Optical Network while simultaneously supporting downstream RF video and bi-directional base-band services on the PON.

Abstract: An object is to provide an optical/wireless communication apparatus capable of communicating with counterpart apparatuses by selectively using optical communication and wireless communication according to the counterpart apparatuses to communicate with, and selecting an arbitrary path and an arbitrary frequency from a plurality of frequencies, and, furthermore, multiplexing signals as may be necessary. An optical/wireless communication apparatus (1) converts a plurality of input baseband signals into optical or electrical signals as may be necessary, modulating respective signals at different frequencies, multiplexing a predetermined number of optical modulated signals and a predetermined number of wireless modulated signals, and transmitting an optical multiplexed signal via a predetermined optical fiber (3 to 5) or a wireless multiplexed signal via a directional antenna (18) to a counterpart apparatus.

Abstract: This invention relates to provisioning wavelength-selective switches and reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexers to minimize the bandwidth narrowing effect from the optical filters. Novel architectures and methods are disclosed that can significantly reduce bandwidth-narrowing on channels in a reconfigurable WDM network where a large number of optical filter elements are cascaded. Instead of blocking unused channels as in the prior art, unused channels are selectively provisioned depending on the state of their adjacent channels. Unused adjacent channels of an active channel are provisioned to follow the same path as the active channels. As each channels is deployed, the channel frequency is selected so as to minimize bandwidth narrowing.

Abstract: This invention concerns real-time multi-impairment signal performance monitoring. In particular it concerns an optical device, for instance a monolithic integrated photonics chip, comprising a waveguide having an input region to receive a signal for characterization, and a narrow band CW laser signal. A non-linear waveguide region to mix the two received signals. More than one output region, each equipped with bandpass filters that extract respective discrete frequency bands of the RF spectrum of the mixed signals. And, also comprising (slow) power detectors to output the extracted discrete frequency banded signals.

Abstract: A method implemented by a middlebox comprising registering a customer premises equipment (CPE) in the middlebox, wherein the CPE is coupled to the middlebox via an electrical line, and facilitating registration of the CPE in a central office (CO) equipment coupled to the middlebox.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising a processor configured to obtain one or more plant conditions regarding at least one of a plurality of customer premises equipment (CPEs) remotely coupled to the apparatus via electrical lines, and divide the plurality of coupled CPEs into a number of profile groups based on the one or more plant conditions, wherein each profile group comprises at least one CPE and supports one or more modulation orders.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to communication system and methods. More specifically, various embodiments of the present invention provide a communication interface that is configured to transfer data at high bandwidth using PAM format(s) over optical communication networks. In certain embodiments, the communication interface is used by various devices within a spine-leaf network architecture, which allows large amount of data to be shared among servers.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided that includes n communication channels, and m communication media interfaces, and v virtual lanes. V is a positive integer multiple of the least common multiple of m and n. An information stream is transferred into data and alignment blocks striped across all of the v virtual lanes, the blocks being communicated from the virtual lanes onto the communication channels. The blocks are received on the communication channels. Each of the communication channels transmits a different portion of the blocks striped across all of the v virtual lanes. In more particular embodiments, v>=n>=m. The communication media interfaces can be electrical and optical. Each of the communication channels can include a SerDes interface operating at least 5 Gigabits per second. Furthermore, each of the m communication media interfaces is configured to transmit a different stream of information over a single optical fiber.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for low-rate traffic signal transmission on Optical Transport Networks (OTN). The method includes: defining a frame format of the low-rate traffic optical channel data unit (ODU) signal for bearing the low-rate traffic signal; mapping the low-rate traffic signal to the low-rate traffic optical channel payload unit (OPU) of the low-rate traffic ODU signal, generating overhead bytes and filling the bytes in an overhead section of the low-rate traffic ODU to obtain the low-rate traffic ODU signal; multiplexing low-rate traffic ODU signals to an ODUk signal of which the rate matches the transmission rate rank of the OTN where the signal is transmitted, and transmitting the signal via the OTN. Based on this method, the invention provides an apparatus for the low-rate traffic signal transmission in the OTN as well. With this invention, the low-rate traffic signal transmission in the OTN can be implemented conveniently.

Abstract: A wavelength division multiplexed optical communication system includes a plurality of optical line terminals which may be part of separate in service networks, each having a line interface and an all-optical pass-through interface including a plurality of pass-through optical ports, and each also including a plurality of local optical ports which are connectable to client equipment and an optical multiplexer/demultiplexer for multiplexing/demultiplexing optical wavelengths. The optical multiplexer/demultiplexer may include one or more stages for inputting/outputting individual wavelengths or bands of a predetermined number of wavelengths, or a combination of bands and individual wavelengths.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for reducing the resource utilization of the switching fabric in a SONET/SDH multiplexer by switching data on a TU level instead of byte or column level.

Abstract: An ONU includes a CDR that regenerates a clock based on a signal from an OLT, an oscillator that generates an internal clock, a time stamp counter that manages a time of the ONU based on the clock in a period in which the CDR regenerates the clock and manages the time of the ONU based on the internal clock in a period in which the CDR does not regenerate the clock, an MPCP control unit that decides, when a Cyclic Sleep mode is set, a receiver-time synchronization time that is a period in which the receiver is normally operated within a sleep time, based on a difference between a time stamp value included in the signal transmitted from the OLT and a time stamp managed by the time stamp counter, and a power-saving control unit that controls the receiver to be normally operated in the receiver-time synchronization time.

Abstract: A method for processing optical signals includes performing frequency mixing, photoelectric detection, analog/digital conversion, and dispersion compensation on received input optical signals. First-path polarization multiplexing optical signals and second-path polarization multiplexing optical signals. An initialization update process is performed on filter coefficients. Polarization compensation is performed on the first-path polarization multiplexing optical signals and the second-path polarization multiplexing optical signals by using the filter coefficients on which the initialization update is performed to obtain initialized x-path optical signals and initialized y-path optical signals. Preset x-path training sequences and y-path training sequences are synchronized by using the initialized x-path optical signals and the initialized y-path optical signals. If a synchronization result indicates that polarization cross occurs, the polarization cross is rectified.

Abstract: The present principles are directed to a transponder aggregator-based optical loopback in a multi-degree colorless, directionless, contention-less, reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexer. The multiplexer includes a reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexer section for performing connect operations for wavelength division multiplexing signals among all degrees. The section has a plurality of subsections. Each of the subsections corresponds to a respective one of the degrees and has an optical separator at an input side and an optical combiner at an output side. The multiplexer further includes a transponder aggregator section having a split-and-select switch-based transponder aggregator. The multiplexer also includes an optical line loopback having a connection path between the optical separator at the input side and the optical combiner at the output side of at least one of the subsections.

Abstract: Various exemplary embodiments relate to an optical amplifier, including: a multicore rare-earth doped optical fiber with a first plurality of cores associated with a first stage of the optical amplifier and a second plurality of cores associated with a second stage of the optical amplifier; a three dimensional (3D) waveguide configured to couple input space division multiplexed (SDM) channels into the first plurality of cores at a first end of the multicore rare-earth doped optical fiber and to couple channels from the second plurality of cores to output SDM channels; a reflector configured to optically interconnect the first plurality of cores to the second plurality of cores; and pump laser coupled to the multicore rare-earth doped optical fiber configured to produce laser pump light to pump the multicore rare-earth doped optical fiber.

Abstract: A timing interface module installs within a rack to increase bandwidth. The timing interface module receives a reference timing signal and outputs the reference timing signal to an optical multiplexer. The optical multiplexer also receives multiple data streams of different formats, and the optical multiplexer synchronizes the multiple data streams to the reference timing signal.

Abstract: It is difficult in an optical transmission system using a multicore optical fiber to provide high-capacity transmission in which good signal quality is obtained, therefore, a multiplexed optical transmission line according to an exemplary aspect of the present invention includes at least one first optical transmission line propagating first signal light in a first direction; and at least one second optical transmission line propagating second signal light in a second direction opposite to the first direction, wherein the second optical transmission line is disposed in at least one of positions adjacent to the first optical transmission line wherever the first optical transmission line may be disposed.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to data communication system and methods. More specifically, various embodiments of the present invention provide a communication interface that is configured to transfer data at high bandwidth using PAM format(s) over optical communication networks. In various embodiments, amplitude and phase of the optical wave are modulated. There are other embodiments as well.

Abstract: An optical transport network based on multimode/multicore fibers includes a mode-multiplexer to multiplex independent data streams from one or more transmitters; a multimode erbium-doped fiber amplifier (MM EDFA) to compensate for MMF loss; a multimode optical add-drop multiplexer (MM OADM) to add and/or drop multimode channels in multimode networks; a multimode optical cross-connect; and a mode-demultiplexer to separate various mode streams to one or more receivers.

Abstract: In an apparatus for accommodating and multiplexing asynchronous client signals in which an idle signal is defined, the transmission side transmits client signals after synchronizing the client signals by inserting or removing, with reference to a specific client signal, an idle signal to/from the same type of another client signal, and in the receiving side, a PLL part is shared by recovering a clock from a client signal and distributing the clock for another client signal.

Abstract: A laser device includes a seed laser, a polarizer, a pseudorandom bit sequence (PRBS) pattern generator, and a phase modulator. The polarizer may be optically coupled to receive an output of the seed laser and may generate a polarization filtered output. The PRBS pattern generator may be configured to generate a PRBS pattern. The phase modulator may be configured to apply a PRBS modulation scheme to the polarization filtered output based on the PRBS pattern. The PRBS pattern may be generated to have a length above a first threshold for avoiding an occurrence of backward propagation being in phase with forward propagation in an active fiber receiving an output of the phase modulator when the pattern repeats and below a second threshold for phase mismatch in the active fiber.

Abstract: A system, a method and a related device for signal transmission are provided in order to improve utilization efficiency of the fiber.

Abstract: Systems and methods for transmitting interconnect signals include a source device having a first source device input connector of a first interconnect technology, a second source device input connector of a second interconnect technology, and a source device output connector. A cable includes a first connector that is coupled to the source device output connector, a second connector, and a transmission line extending between the first connector and the second connector. A receive device is coupled to the second connector. The transmission line is configured to pass a first signal of the first interconnect technology and a second signal of the second interconnect technology, received through the source device output connector by the first connector, to the second connector. The first and second signal may be multiplexed into a single stream before being passed over the transmission line, and then demultiplexed for use by the receive device.